Summer is a good time to crochet things that don’t cover our laps or use thick, heavy yarns. It may also be a good time for us to try something new. Especially if you’ve never crocheted with thread, now is the time to give that a whirl.
Take a doily for instance. If you don’t concern yourself with gauge, you can use any size hook and yarn to make a doily – that just might turn into a table cloth. A good way to start the process of switching from yarn to thread is to start working thread with a yarn-sized hook. So, use size 10 cotton in a pretty color and a G hook. Take a doily pattern and get busy. You might like the results – but you’ll really enjoy learning the new skill. Make something like this:
Other summer ideas include crocheting smaller items some of which will come in quite handy for gifts in cold weather. What about caps and scarves? Now would be a great time to stock up on your stash of those FO’s in wool/acrylic blends. You can probably work up a simple scarf and hat in a few hours.
How about starting on some 12 inch squares so that when the weather turns cold once again, as we are sure it will, you can begin to assemble those squares into afghans, lapqhans, sweaters, and other garments. There are tons of free patterns online for squares of all sizes. I prefer the 12 inch squares for afghans since there won’t be so many loose ends to weave in after joining those umpteen squares. Remember, squares are not the only shapes that can be worked up now and joined later. Hexagons, triangles, circles, and floral shapes – not to mention those lovely freeform scrumbles – all have many books dedicated to their patterns – and lots of free resources online.
Here’s a particularly stunning scrumble I found online:
Pull out your scraps and make some face cloths out of size 10 cotton. Fold some of those into squares, sew three edges together, add a drawstring at the top and fill with your slivers of bath soap. No waste – and a nice, simple project for a gardener or camper.
Use the warmer months to make your ‘magic balls’. Gather up all your scraps and join them (with knots or Russian Joins) and roll them into nice balls to stash for cold weather crocheting. While you’re at it, dig around for beads and charms to add to the mix.
If you’ve got some other good ideas for summer crochet, please share them with us!
I have made a few amazing tablecloths by doubling the thread, using a large crochet hook and using a doily pattern. It would take forever with a small hook but I made a 90 inch round one in a month! I use a pretty sheet under it to make the pattern stand out.