Sold off Some Yarn!

 You never know when you post things to Facebook Marketplace if they'll sell. I went through my bin of cotton yarns and pulled out a bunch to list. I had a lot of responses to some of it, and one woman took a bunch of it, weighing it at 1050gr.

Then my SIL saw the post and asked if any would be good for dishcloths. Not really, but I have another bag of Handicrafter! My cotton bin is practically empty now. I don't have more to put in. I'm thinking I could put some cones in that I have on top of my shelves, I'm worried I'll forget I have them...even though I rarely use them (I used the white for my recent All About That Drape top but the other colours are pastels). 

I can't easily weigh all the cotton I'm giving to my SIL, but I weighed what I could, and it's about 1100gr.

So this has really upped my Yarn Out totals!! Ohhh, if I sell yarn, I should get to deduct it from what I've spent! LOL!!

Wow, just had another inquiry into some that's still posted!! Update, she's taking it! 140gr x 5 = 700gr.

Yarn In:  3470gr

Yarn Out:  2850gr + 7481gr = 10331gr

Balance:  6861gr more OUT than in

Costs: $243.78

 I just finished a simple ribbed red scarf for World AIDS Day. 24sts, 5mm. 89gr.

I think this was the sweater I unravelled. I have 8 scarves ready to go. Lower than my goal, but actually, on track for previous years.

The other finished item is another ribbed chunky hat. One strand Sirdar Country Style DK...or Snuggly DK? And one strand Pingouin "Poudreuse". Is Pingouin still in business? This yarn is 80% acrylic, 10% wool and 10% mohair. The hat weighs 70grams. 

I got all the hats out just to see how many I have. There's 27 in this pile. I should go back and see if I have already donated ribbed hats. I did take in the ones I made on the LK150, but I'm not sure if I took in any of the ribbed ones. 

Yarn In:  3470gr

Yarn Out:  159gr + 7322gr = 7481gr

Balance:  4011gr more OUT than in

Costs: $243.78

Two More Ribbed Hats

 This first ribbed hat, I had planned to use another yarn with it, but the suggested gauge was with 8mm needles, so I just did it alone. I did 56st, or maybe 52st because I assume it'll be for a younger person. It's Morocco Fashion, by Loops & Threads. I only had one ball, which also contributed to my decision to make it smaller. I did end up with 24 grams left, so I probably could have made it a row or two longer.  It weighs 61gr.

This next one went super quick. I used two balls of Sirdar Country Style DK. One in a dark heather blue, one in a solid lighter blue, sort of a mid tone, along with two strands of Patons' "Lace".

The "Lace" gives it a nice fluffiness without being too crazy. I ran out of the lighter blue part way through, but with the brim up, you can't tell.

With the brim down, you can sort of tell that the top of the hat is darker (I added a second end of the heathery blue after the lighter blue ran out).  The "Lace" really helps with the illusion, because it ranges from white to dark blue, and having two strands meant there was lots of colour changes.

It weighs in at 102 gr. It's a hefty one!

I think I might start making newborn hats for our roadtrip next week. I don't have a complicated pattern to work on in the evenings, but I'll have a red scarf (maybe that should be the complicated one), and a new pair of plain socks. I like to have a variety, but also, don't want to over pack LOL. There is a crochet tank top pattern I want to work on... (No, not the "All About That Drape" one, a totally new one!).

Yarn In:  3470gr

Yarn Out:  7159gr + 163gr = 7322gr

Balance:  3852gr more OUT than in

Costs: $243.78

Crochet V Stitch Red Scarf

 For some reason, I suddenly started seeing videos and patterns for items made with the crochet V stitch. There's a few variations on the V stitch (adding two chains between the double crochets, adding a chain between Vs, skipping more stitches), but this scarf is the most basic form. 

However, I think that makes it harder to see that it's actually V stitches. 

It's even hard to see which way is up. Are they Vs, or ^ ?

Doesn't matter. It's a red scarf, used 85gr of yarn. I'm not doing very well on making more red scarves than last year!

Yarn In:  3470gr

Yarn Out:  7074gr + 85gr = 7159gr

Balance:  3689gr more OUT than in

Costs: $243.78

Ribbed Hat with a Unique Feature

 I'm still knitting ribbed chunky hats for charity. Getting low on worsted weight yarns I can double, so I went for the chunky yarns. The main yarn for this is Loops & Threads "Charisma" in Electric Blue. The reflective yarn is Red Heart, I believe. 

I wanted to make the fold up brim have more of the reflective yarn, but it's hard to know exactly how high someone will turn back the brim. 

The reflective yarn is slightly thinner, but overall, it doesn't really show. I wasn't holding them double. I used 56st and 9mm needles. 92 grams total.

Yarn In:  3470gr

Yarn Out:   6982gr + 92gr = 7074gr

Balance:  3604gr more OUT than in

Costs: $243.78

A Top So Nice, I Made it Twice!

 I love the first version of the "All About That Drape" top I made, so I got started on a second one. Well, I got swatching right away.

First, I tried Snuggly DK, because I liked the colour. It didn't want to drape.

Then I tried a cone of cream wool, thinking the natural fiber would help. Still no drape.

Then I thought I had found it. An abandoned short row shawl in bamboo, which I didn't have enough yarn for. It would be gorgeous for a tank top, but I need about twice what I have. 

To see these attempts, check out my videos and shorts on YouTube!

I finally reached for these two cones on my shelf. I wanted a brighter white, but that's fine.

I got a good gauge and drape, and dove in. Just like before, I started with the numbers for the medium, but when it was time to split for the front and back, I used the large numbers for the front, which left the exact needed in size small for the back.

I'm making a funny face because it's a screenshot from the video below. I forgot to take actual photos.

Sorry for the unedited video, I can't seem to edit in Google on my laptop.

I'm making a video with more details on how to make a garment fit YOU. It's not (usually) hard. If you haven't checked out my revamped YouTube channel, the link is above. 

Something I did differently this time, was switch to a larger crochet hook for the back, starting with the first V stitch row after the split (or the row before). Just made it a bit more open.

I'm finally liking crochet garments!!

Yarn In:  3470gr

Yarn Out:   6782gr +200gr = 6982gr

Balance:  3512gr more OUT than in

Costs: $243.78

When Everything Works Perfectly!

 No True Tracy Way involved with this make! 

I got into a rabbit hole of crocheted summer tops. I searched for a free pattern for days. I'd find a pattern, but the free video wasn't my size and the pattern wasn't free. Or, the pattern didn't match my yarns. Etc.

Then one night, June 16, I was at a meeting for the community band I'm in, and scrolling Facebook Marketplace at the same time. I found an ad for 8 skeins of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Baby. I contacted the seller, and he also had 8 balls of Patons' Silk Bamboo in 3 colours. I bought it all for $75 and picked up after the meeting. 

Almost immediately, I started swatching for "All About That Drape" by I Need It Crochet. Using a 5.5mm hook, I thought I matched gauge. I started the piece, and learned about a foundation double crochet. I didn't do the greatest job with that, but in the end, you go back around with single crochets, so don't worry too much. I worked up to the point with the measurement check. 

My piece was way too big. Ripped it out, and went down a size (made the Medium). 

I struggled a bit with some of the rows where you turn. I'm not always very precise.

When I got to the split for the front and back, I went with the large size for the front, which left exactly the same size number of stitches for the back. I wasn't very accurate with my increases as I went up the upper front, but it really doesn't matter too much. 

Tried it on, pinned the shoulders based on what she suggests in the pattern, but that was not right for me. No problem. Sewed it together, sewed under the arm a bit, did the edgings and wham! In under a month, I had a new, fabulous, tank top that fits me so incredibly well, I can't believe I made it.

Here, it's over a silk bias cut dress I wore for a date night. I didn't wear it on the date though, I just wanted to see how it looked over the dress. Love it.

The sizing came out incredibly perfect! Never feel you have to follow a pattern exactly. I KNOW I'm not a 42" bust split perfectly in two, why would I make something that has 21" for both the front and back? I need about 19" for my back, and 23" for my front. Usually, I'd try to have short rows for the bust, but in a patterned crochet, I'm just not sure if it would work.

My husband insisted I "push my boobs out" LOL. This was while we were camping. It wasn't totally finished, and I had it on over a shirt, but I wanted to get a general idea of the fit.  I used almost 6 balls, so I'm counting it as 6 (I had 2 full ones, and a small bit leftover)--300gr, or 750m/820 yds. The pattern says 850yd for the medium.

This pattern really needs a drapey yarn. Don't rely on "going up a hook size" to get the drape. On my YouTube channel, I have a couple short videos about this top, and trying to find a yarn to make a second one: https://youtu.be/vMBUc9aaCmY?si=ERxYGrquqeFrYFQG   https://youtu.be/XZDt6rB0n6M?si=HHo0w5AKoeg60_9v   

My second one is getting close to done, and I've changed it up a little of course!

I wasn't keen on the colour at first, but I do love it. While we were on our road trip, I even bought a fantastic fleece jacket (the weather ranged from 12C to 44C on the trip!).

Now, what do I make with the Bamboo Silk? The hard part is I don't like the three colours together and it's not enough of the cream and pink to make anything that I've found so far.

Yarn In:  3470gr

Yarn Out:   6482gr + 300gr = 6782gr

Balance:  3312gr more OUT than in

Costs: $243.78