Follow along and discover your next inspiration as we cast on for projects we love, explore new techniques, and dish about the latest and greatest from We Crochet.
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Welcome to the second week of the Summer Sale! This week we have great deals: up to 60% off laceweight and fingering weight yarns! How about some lace crocheting inspiration? This photo above shows the yarns used in one of our newest collections: Lyrical Lace.
WeCrochet Magazine Issue 7 is now available in eBook format! The print edition will be available July 17. You can find the patterns of this issue available in our Patterns section on crochet.com.
Speaking of patterns, let’s check out a few of the patterns in this issue that use laceweight and fingering weight yarns!
These are only a few of the brand new patterns available, so go check out what else WeCrochet Magazine Issue 7 has to offer. And don’t forget to go discover deals on lace and fingering yarns this week in the Summer Sale.
It’s the most wonderful time of year: when we give away free crochet patterns every week leading up to the holiday gift-giving season. We’re featuring a new free pattern every Tuesday for 12 weeks. This week’s free crochet pattern is the Triana Shawl.
To help you with your holiday gift list, we offer our favorite annual tradition: the 12 Weeks of Gifting, where we release a brand new free pattern every Tuesday for 12 weeks, counting down the days to mid-December. We are featuring all sorts of projects—from cozy shawls to cushy scarves and pretty hats—a little something for everyone on your list!
Yarn needed: Chroma Fingering, 2 hanks in one colorway (we used Red Velvet)
This light and lacy shawl was inspired by the bright and beautiful sights found in the neighborhood of Triana in Seville, Spain. Lacy stitches represent the arches on the famous Triana bridge.
The shawl is worked back and forth in rows with increases made along just one side of the shawl to create diagonal stripes across the entire shawl and a slightly asymmetric shape. The pattern features sections of lace stitches and more solid sections of crossed stitches.
Stay Tuned for More 12 Weeks of Gifting Patterns to Come
We can’t wait to reveal the rest of this year’s 12 Weeks of Gifting Patterns, so check back next Tuesday to find out what the next pattern will be.
In the meantime, check out last year’s 12 Weeks of Gifting Patterns to inspire you as you craft up your holiday gifts (or maybe just make something for yourself!)
Hi Crochet-Alongers! How are you progressing on your Faux Fade Wrap, our current WeCrochet CAL? If you’d like to join (or just get caught up on all the CAL details), go here to find the Faux Fade Wrap Crochet Along information.
By now, you should have already chosen your fade colors and made a swatch, and possibly already started your shawl! Let’s check in on a few people to see how they are doing.
Zoey’s Faux Fade Shawl
Zoey is our digital graphic designer (responsible for all our pretty downloadable calendar wallpapers, WeCrochet emails, and other goodies), and she’s a beginner crocheter who decided to jump in and join the Faux Fade Shawl CAL.
First, she had to choose her color palette! She was thinking a dark red & black palette, (inspired by Freddy Kreuger’s sweater!), so I helped her figure out what colors to use.
She settled on these Palette Fingering yarn colors: Black, Asphalt Heather, Asphalt Twist, Garnet Heather, Tomato, and Larch Heather.
CAL TIP: We also decided that even though this pattern is simple, it is really helpful to have a stitch marker to mark which side you need to do the increases on, since you only increase on one side of the shawl.
That’s all the progress we have to report so far on Zoey’s shawl, but check back in later for more.
Producer Sarah’s Faux Fade Wrap
Producer Sarah is also working on the Faux Fade Wrap. Her project page on Ravelry says: “I don’t have the exact yarns that the pattern calls for so I’m not sure I’ll do the fade effect. I just have single cakes of Palette. Might just do stripes.”
Then SheThatKnits on Ravelry has a really pretty color palette started, in a steely blue-gray array:
Non-Wool Yarn Alternatives?
We got a comment from SusieKrochets, who made a great point — what about those who don’t want to use wool yarn?
“Would be really nice if you could provide at least one wool-free yarn in the kit builder. Some of us are truly allergic, and others are vegan, so having an option would provide more opportunities for people to join the CAL. Also, because I don’t have the pattern or issue 4 of WeCrochet (yet), I can’t look for my own yarn because I don’t know how much to buy.”
I did pass this feedback along to the team, as something for us to think about in future CALs and kits! So what about people who want to use a non-wool yarn for this project?
Because this is made of single crochet stitches, I bet the drape won’t be adversely affected by switching fibers, so you can definitely use a non-wool fingering weight yarn of your choice for this. (Results will vary when you switch up a fiber, but that’s all part of the joy of crochet, dontcha think?). You might want to play around with hook sizes and swatching to make sure the shawl results in a drape that you like.
First though, let’s figure out the yarn QUANTITIES you need for this shawl. The Faux Fade Shawl pattern calls for 1848 total yards of fingering weight yarn
Using Palette, you need: 1 ball lightest color (231 yards) 1 ball light color (231 yards) 2 balls medium color (462 yards) 2 balls darker color (462 yards) 2 ball darkest color (462yards) = 8 balls total
So you can use those numbers to work out what you will need when you substitute yarn for this pattern.
Here are some non-wool yarn ideas for this CAL:
Comfy Fingering
With a large selection of colors, this yarn is a perfect cotton option for the Faux Fade Shawl. The blend of Pima cotton and acrylic fibers in Comfy Fingering make it easy to crochet, and it’s completely washable and easy-care.
Because this yarn comes in at slightly less yardage per ball of Palette (218 versus Palette’s 231 yards), you might want to buy extra balls of yarn, or just throw a single extra in for one of the colors (which should cover the difference, although it might affect where the color fades take place on the shawl.)
Here are a couple Comfy Fingering palettes you could try:
A dark and deep Comfy Fingering palette.
A light and bright Comfy Fingering palette.
Lindy Chain
Superbly lightweight and endlessly versatile, Lindy Chain is a chainette yarn that is just the thing for a warm weather version of the Faux Fade Wrap. It’s a linen-cotton blend. Available in 20 stunning shades that range from rich hues to soft pastels, this is a good plant-based fiber to try for this project.
This yarn has 180 yards per ball so you will definitely need to pick up an extra ball or two to make the full 1848 yards.
Here’s a color palette to try in Lindy Chain:
Deep pink fading to gray and then black is a romantic choice for the Faux Fade Wrap.
Alpaca Cloud Fingering
Finally, Alpaca Cloud Fingering IS an animal-based yarn (100% Superfine Alpaca), but it’s non-wool, so if a wool allergy is an issue, this yarn should do the trick. It is super-soft, has a lovely drape, and a nice array of colors to choose from.
Each hank has 200 yards, so pick up an extra hank to make sure you get the full 1848 yards.
This yarn line has a very lovely array of neutrals, so you can go with an understated neutral color palette:
But this yarn line also has a lot of vibrant colors, so you can create a rainbow fade:
I’m a color geek, so I could sit here all day generating potential color palettes for your Faux Fade Wraps!
Absolutely Nobody: …. Heather: HERE are some PALETTES for your CROCHET PROJECTS!
How is YOUR Faux Fade Wrap project going?
Now it’s your turn! How is your Faux Fade Wrap project going? What colors did you pick for your project? Are you finding the pattern simple, difficult, relaxing, or stressful? Let me know in the comments, or on social media with the hashtag #WeCrochetCAL.
If you haven’t joined yet but you would like to, there’s still time. Find out all the details for the CAL in our Faux Fade Wrap CAL Announcement post.
There are many different weights of yarn, ranging from very fine weight (crochet thread or lace weight), on up to super bulky. In honor of this month’s yarn of the month, Stroll, which is a versatile fingering weight yarn, we are featuring some great patterns you can crochet in fingering weight yarn.
Sometimes crocheted garments get a bad rap, especially when they are made in certain weights of yarn. We’ve heard people say crocheted sweaters look chunky or unattractive, depending on the yarn, the stitch, the design, etc. However, just because crochet has a reputation for resulting in less-than-desirable garments, doesn’t mean that it’s true!
The yarn you choose does make a difference when it comes to crocheted garments — yarn can affect the drape (or stiffness), the weight (as in the literal heaviness of the garment), and the final look of the garment.
To combat a lot of the stereotypical problems with crocheting garments, look for patterns that are designed for lighter weight yarns! Fingering weight yarn is a great place to start to help you create lighter, more drape-y sweaters. Which brings us to:
Stroll is made of 75% fine superwash Merino wool and 25% nylon for strength and durability. Warm, cushy, and versatile, this yarn is wonderful to have in your stash when crochet inspiration strikes. In addition, Stroll is ideal for gifts since the recipient does not need to worry about special care instructions. There are over 100 colors of Stroll, in seven distinct lines:
In our first crochet pattern collections, we made sure to include several excellent crochet sweater patterns. This choice turned out to be the right one, as all our sweater patterns trended on Ravelry for days after we released them. [end horn tooting!]
Look ma, our crocheted sweaters were in the top 5 popular patterns on Ravelry!
And guess what — some of these sweater patterns are good choices for crocheting with fingering weight yarn, like Stroll! And don’t forget, you can crochet just about anything in fingering weight yarn.
Crochet Patterns to Make in Fingering Weight Yarn:
First we have the Effortless Oversized Top, a modern crochet sweater design by Tiam Safari. With a super-relaxed, oversized fit, this slouchy top is perfect for throwing on for any casual occasion – pair it with jeans and sneakers for a weekend chic look, or snuggle in leggings and cozy socks for a night on the sofa.
The simple shaping and construction of this design allow for an easy project for a beginner crochet garment maker.
Next we have the Light Touch Pullover, a design by Natasha Robarge. This lightweight pullover exudes softness and feminine charm, featuring a subtle lace pattern composed of petal clusters. Open neck, gentle pattern curves, relaxed fit, and cashmere content of the yarn, all create a luxurious garment.
Fingering weight yarn is great for all types of crochet projects, though, not just sweaters!
The Snow Mountain Hat by Michele DuNaier is our next fingering weight yarn crochet pattern suggestion. Whether you’re spending a day on the ski slopes or need a cheerful accessory to wear on your daily commute, coordinated colors combined with a variety of stitches and texture make this hat a perfect choice.
The Wildflowers Baby Blanket by Michele DuNaier is made with the beautiful colors and exquisite softness of Stroll Tonal yarn. Colorful flower motifs with a cheerful dance of golden shells along the edging make this a one-of-a-kind blanket for a special someone.
Looking for a pretty shawl to make? The Louisa Crochet Shawl by Sara Hartmann is a pretty option! You’ll enjoy crocheting this rhythmic pattern with its interesting shaping details that blend double crochet with fancy corner shells, ending with a gorgeous border of fancy picots and shells.
Neasa Shawl
Neassa Shawl, a crochet pattern designed by Brenda Bourg
The Neassa Shawl by Brenda Bourg is another great-looking crochet shawl pattern designed for fingering weight yarn. Easily worked from side to side with the trim added after the main body is finished, Neassa is the perfect addition to any wardrobe!
The Edith Wrap by Elly Doyle hugs the shoulders for cozy, stylish comfort. Work in a bright color and pair with a Little Black Dress for a pop of eye-catching elegance.
The Forest of Dean Shawl by Michele DuNaier is inspired by the ancient woodland of the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England. Rows of DC stitches represent a deep forest of trees, lacy shells and V stitches evoke leafy treetops and shrubberies, and the chain space line suggests a river running through the forest.
