The Big One--Mosaic Crochet Afghan

 Back in the spring (did we have a spring?), I saw a Facebook ad for an afghan of ducks, in a dark green and yellow stripes. I knew it would be perfect for my daughter who was moving into an apartment (house) with her boyfriend, 1500km away, where she'd been living for a year. 

I looked on the website, and it was showing out of stock in the colourway that is seen in the ad.  I looked at the two yarns individually, and they were both in stock. However, there was no way to buy the pattern. I put my name on the waitlist to be notified, and then sent a message asking why is the kit not available if the yarns are in stock. They just replied that they were getting the kits ready. 

Finally, I got the notification it was in stock, and I hit "Buy".  It did come pretty quickly. And I was quickly overwhelmed with the reality. The pattern booklet was huge!

I also quickly found out that it was the typical crochet from a chart with two colours. No, this was something I had never heard of before--Mosaic Crochet. You work each row from the right side, with only one colour, and cut the yarn at the end of the row. Whoa. What about all those ends? No problem, you just pick up and make a doubled border that encases all the ends.

I watched some videos, and tried a swatch from a video. Got it. Then I looked at the pattern and got overwhelmed again. I took the time to do a swatch, and luckily, the afghan pattern starts with a geometric design so it was easier to see how it builds. 

I won't say it was easy though. I really struggled at times. You have to pay close attention to the chart, counting squares, lining them up, doing the double crochets correctly, or doing a single crochet if charted. 

I realized quickly I needed a way to keep track of what row I was on. I grabbed some Post-it Notes, and blocked off the row above, and showed just 10 stitches at a time. 

The Post-It Notes only last for so long and then lose their stickiness. I needed something more long lasting. I had this ruler I picked up in a mixed bag at a thrift store. I couldn't tell if the middle magnified it or not, but it was working well. For awhile.

The problem I developed was intense neck pain from looking down at the pattern and at the project. So intense, I had to start massage therapy again. Something had to change.

I got out my music stand, and put the pattern on it. Excellent! It really made a difference. However, I couldn't use the ruler on it. I had an old stand for typing--you put the item on it and it holds it up. Like a clipboard but with an arm on the back to stand it up. Instead of a clip, there was a clear bar that slides up and down over the paper to highlight what row you're on. Unfortunately, it's really old, and the bar is no longer perfectly straight.

I hadn't worked very much when I started getting these thick, fuzzy sections of the Bag-o-Day Tonal Hues yarn. I cut out some, and other times it was hidden behind the green. It was really frustrating, because this was not cheap, and the very first ball of this yarn was horrible.

See the thick stitch in the second row down from the top, in the centre? Why?!

Thankfully, this issue seemed to be limited to the first ball only.

I used safety pins and stitch markers to try to indicate the different sections. The pattern was broken up into four sections, going right to left, and four sections, going bottom to top. So for row 1, you'd work 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D. Once you've done the 49 (I think) rows of those 4 pages, you move to the next four pages, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D.  After awhile, I didn't need the markers, but one of the safety pins had split the yarn in the coil and I had to get help to have it snipped and removed because the yarn was getting fuzzy.

There were a few times I made mistakes. When it was near the left edge, I could unravel each row as far back as needed, then re-work them one row at a time. I created a YouTube Short about this. 

The problems came when I went to do a row, and realized there was a mistake at the start of the row below. I was NOT undoing an entire row. I got brave, and unpicked the stitches from the right edge, and re-worked them. I think I did it two ways--once sewing in the join and the other time working the little section backwards. It really doesn't show in the bigger picture.

The slightly bent bar was annoying, and there was a scratch off lottery ticket on the table, so I grabbed it, slipped it under the bar and lined it up so it covered the row above. It worked really well, covering up the entire row!

I really wanted to get the blanket finished because I was ready to move on to other projects, and it was so hot on my lap. It had been a very long, cool spring, and then it went suddenly very hot for a short while. Even inside, this blanket was a lot to deal with on my lap. As well, we had nailed down the dates we would be visiting my daughter, and it was coming quickly. Finally, I had the blanket done and just needed to do the border. There wasn't specific instructions in the pattern for what stripes, or even stitch, to do the border in, so I winged it. 

I did find out I had a few blips of the wrong colour showing on the border, but it ended up that it was on the inside of the doubled border. 

Finished afghan! It weighs a ton! Actually, it only weighs 

The backside is pretty cool, with the shadowing effect.

The little details are incredible! Look at those little flecks in the back of the duck!

Rob demanded to test it out. I think I might have crocheted a bit tight and it could have been a bit wider. I thought I would crochet the border until I ran out of yarn, but each round had to be done on the front border and the back border, and it took me about an hour to go around once! I have a full ball of the Tonal Hues (and a tiny ball), and less than a skein of the Premier Anti-Pilling. The blanket was too heavy and large for my kitchen scale, so I'm calculating the weight based on the yarn left over. 

Megan was really excited by it. It doesn't match their couch (I never even thought to find that out, I just knew I didn't like the other colour options in the kit. I would have preferred shifting blues instead of yellow, although when we left Thunder Bay, the sky was those colours due to wildfires!). 

9 skeins Premiere Anti-Pilling (sample in Fern - Color A); 5 skeins Bag-O-Day (sample in Live at

Wembley – Color B)

Yarn In: 1720gr +  1,650 gr = 3370gr

Yarn Out:   5099gr + 1298gr = 6397gr

Balance:  3027gr more OUT than in

Costs:  $125.42 + $104.37 = $229.79

Random Hats

 I have a fair bit of Patons "Decor" in my stash. However, there's not much that goes together. I had two balls of this periwinkle, but I didn't want to do a solid colour. I found two balls of grey worsted that were very similar, but not quite identical. I cast on a ribbed chunky hat (PassionKnit Kelsey pattern), and changed the grey every row. 

I weighs in at 112gr. 

I also have a fair bit of this rustic wool, Condon's Yarns, from PEI. The label is faded, but I think it says 2 ply. This is the type of wool that gives wool a bad name. It does soften up with washing but it's still not merino.

I used 3 strands--tan, pewter, and cream. 

Knit up, it was kind of floppy, and very rustic. I washed it pretty aggressively. It's for donation, and I doubt it'll get handwashed by the recipient. 

Pre-wash, the yarns are very tightly spun and the three strands are quite separate from each other.

The yarn really fluffed up. It's a large hat, though not too stretchy now. It will be very warm! It took 154gr.

Yarn In: 1720gr

Yarn Out:  4823gr + 112gr + 154gr = 5099gr

Balance:  3379gr more OUT than in

Costs:  $104.37

Finished Items, and..... I Bought Yarn!

 I finished off two red scarves! 

I did share one in a couple of YouTube videos--one on how to cable without a cable needle, and one chat vlog. 

I did a wide rib up either edge of the scarf, and steamed it fairly hard. It's still folding in where the rib meets the purl section of the cabling. I could steam it more, but I think I'll just roll it up carefully.

It's Premier Everyday Basixs DK, 100gr (okay, it weighs 98gr, but that is after weaving in the ends, and I think there was a knot that I cut out too).

The other scarf is very soft, sort of furry yarn. It's plush, but not chenille. Sort of like terry, but very soft. 

It was just a simple rib, weighing in at 100gr (again, it says 96gr, but that's after trimming tails). 

The third item is another ribbed hat. 

I was in my basement stash, "shopping" and thought it was time to use up the large amount of Patons "Decor" I have. However, these hats need two strands, and most of what I have just doesn't work together or the ball is very small. I grabbed a tan and a varigated. They weren't full balls, so I cast on 56 stitches this time (I usually use 60).  It still turned out too short though. It's now a beanie without a fold up brim. That's fine. It's 61gr. 

And, the other new thing. I bought yarn. From Facebook Marketplace. Maybe not the colours I would normally choose, but I don't mind. I spend $75 and got 8 balls of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Baby (50gr x 8=400gr, and 8 balls of Patons "Silk Bambloo" in 3 colours (65gr x 8=520gr). 

Yarn In: 920gr + 800gr = 1720gr

Yarn Out:  261gr + 4562gr =  4823gr

Balance:  3103gr more OUT than in

Costs:  $75 + $29.37 = $104.37

I Sewed!

 I finally decided I needed to sew something. It still took me a bit of time to get to it, then even after it was done, I didn't even get to wear it right away! 

It's New Look 6807. I had made it before, but apparently it's been awhile. I looked at the tracing I had made, and compared it to the actual pattern and it wasn't all that much different. So I just went back to the original pattern, and made, I think, a 14 in the shoulders and back and upper sleeves, and a 16 from the chest down. 

I don't seem to have a picture of it, but you can see it in this YouTube Short during Me Made May 2026:  https://youtube.com/shorts/6X2yBYAHlW0?si=iUPwHTPkkQ_usiqf  

I have a pair of pants cut out but I haven't gotten to sewing, because Megan had a somewhat unexpected trip home and asked me to mend her welding jacket.

I used some twill behind it and mended it. I also did some on the sleeves, and fixed the inside pocket. It's a pretty basic jacket. I was thinking I should make her one with a bit more shaping for a woman.

But now she wants me to make her a new welding cap when she comes home next weekend. 

Just Keep Ribbing

 What can I say? I have a lot of stash, and ribbed chunky hats (adapted from PassioKnit Kelsie) is a simple pattern. I made a few changes, which I've mentioned elsewhere, like my tutorial for a different type of cast on that works really well with ribbing. 

This was one strand of the yarn left over from the dog sweater in the previous post, and one strand (3 colours) of a Moda Dea "Washable Wool". It's a little bit thicker, and has a different texture because it's three plies of two ply strands. 

Weighs in at a whopping 130gr.

Yarn In: 800gr

Yarn Out:  130gr + 4432gr =  4562gr

Balance:  3762 gr more OUT than in

Costs:  $29.37

How NOT to Machine Knit a Dog Sweater

 I started watching Georgina Honestly  on YouTube. She crochets, and has a LK150 that she was struggling with. She was wanting to make dog sweaters for her local Yorkie rescue. I knew I had a pattern from when I made my parents' dog a bee sweater, so I dug it out. I had just resurrected my YouTube channel,  so I figured I could just whip up a tutorial at the same time.

OMG. 

Everything went wrong. My video turned into how NOT to make a dog sweater. I mean, you still can follow it, and even download the pattern,  This video will show you lots of ways to make mistakes. 

The cream yarn was really a little too thick. I had to turn the tension looser, several numbers.

It's a little plain (which is good for a tutorial), and could really use some decorating--embroidery, patches, etc on the back. I'm not going to do that, but I will donate it to the local shelter.

Yarn In: 800gr

Yarn Out:  170gr + 4262gr = 4432gr

Balance:  3632gr more OUT than in

Costs:  $29.37

Update on Jacket Disaster

 I posted earlier in May about taking apart a baby jacket to harvest the yarn, and having it turn into a million little balls of yarn. I even made a Short about it! Have you checked out my revitalized YouTube channel? 

I got one hat finished, weighed the remaining yarn, and made another one.

There's all the yarn that's left. Of course, I did keep it. I don't remember which of the two I already showed, but I'm going to say this one weighed the same. 

Yarn In: 800gr

Yarn Out:  93gr + 4169gr = 4262gr

Balance:  3462gr more OUT than in

Costs:  $29.37

Oops, I Did It Again!

 I'm working on a red scarf for the World AIDS Day project. It has a wide ribbing border on each edge, and then a fairly simple cable going up the middle. The ribbing was flipping in, so I decided to steam it to see if it was going to end up laying flat. 

I didn't realize the needle was on the scarf (it might have been under).  Can you see where it imprinted on to the purl stitches next to the cable?

It's not as bad as when I did it on a custom Christmas stocking, but still, I know better. You can also clearly see the difference between the lower part that I steamed, and the fresh knitting at the top. It flattened the cabling a bit, so I will be a bit more gentle with the finished item. 

I Bought Fabric!!

 What?

A post that isn't about a red scarf or a chunky ribbed beanie?

Those are still happening, don't get me wrong. But I did a thing I haven't done since last summer. 

I bought fabric!

Actually, now that I think about it, I did buy two fat quarters at Wal-Mart to make a welding cap but haven't gotten to that yet.

Story time:

I have/had a pair of light chocolate brown linen (mix?) pants that I loved. However, over the last couple years, I put on weight. In the last couple months I've lost 20lb, so I went looking for those pants.

I can't find them! Not folded up in my "Someday" pile. Not hanging in the wrong section of the closet. Just gone. 

I had been wanting to make another pair (perhaps a bit darker) for a long time, but buying fabric on line kind of sucks, you know? Weight changes suck too.

I've been watching some sewing blogs, and they've been making nice, modern, linen-mix pants and I said, "This is the time." Never mind that I have zero time to sew. 

I went on Core Fabrics, but nothing. I went to Fabcycle.shop and wouldn't you know it? Bingo!

Within minutes, I had picked out two options. First one was rayon from Bamboo Blend, jersey, 0.9m x 160cm ($16.50).  I thought I might get some Sunset Loungers out of it, or a shirt. It's somewhat heavy though, a tiny French terry, better suited for pants or a wintery top.

It's much darker in real life, but I lightened the photo so you can see the detail. It's quite drapey, but thicker than basic t-shirt material.

Second option is a twill weave polyester blend, 3.75m by 148cm ($41.50). This is a LOT of fabric! It's very drapey, has a bit of stretch because of the twill weave, and is not too heavy.

This is both fabrics together. Again, they are much more chocolate brown in real life. 

So I should be set....when I get the time!!

I'm Sorry, More Ribbed Hats

 I can't help myself. I just keep making these! 

I found this baby jacket in my bins. I remember making it, it was from a free leaflet from Bernat. You know how they had those "peel one off" type of patterns hanging on the shelves at Michaels? Simple garter stitch. I used James Brett "Marble DK".  Somehow, the proportions ended up strange. Probably because I followed the stitch counts but for the length, used the measurements.

I had done a great job, grafting in garter stitch. All it needed was buttons, but it all looked wrong so I never did the buttons.

I decided to unravel it and use the yarn for something else. I don't think I had determined it would be a ribbed hat, but I quickly learned, I wouldn't have many options.

This is how it ended up. OMG. It wasn't even easy to unravel, but I only cut the yarn once. I think I had done this so the stripes on the sleeves, and the two front pieces would match the back for the striping. 

I used two ends of the Marble, and one end of Patons "Lace" which also changes colour. I started with one of the big balls, and a mid-sized ball. I had a lot of ends to work in!

93 grams

This one was a quick one. Loops & Threads "Charisma". I can't remember if I used 7 or 8mm.

It took 90gr, and this ball has about 70gr left. I think I have some others though. 

This one was a bunch of random blues, mainly mohairs, from the stash.

I'm going to make one more with the Marble, and then hopefully pause while I work on red scarves!

Yarn In: 800gr

Yarn Out:  287gr + 3883gr = 4169gr

Balance:  3369 gr more OUT than in

Costs:  $29.37