Tag Archives: palette

JOIN OUR CROCHET ALONG: Faux Fade Wrap (September-November 2020)
A woman holds a multicolored crocheted shawl that fades from dark brown to yellow to tan.

You are cordially invited to join us in our new Crochet Along Challenge, featuring the Faux Fade Wrap pattern by Janine Myska of Knits ‘n Knots.

Buy the pattern here: Faux Fade Wrap Pattern OR get it in WeCrochet Magazine Issue 4!

About the Faux Fade Wrap

A woman wears a multicolored brown-toned crocheted shawl wrapped around her neck.

This multi-colored faded wrap is made from a simple 2-row repeat, and uses just single crochet! The only technique you need to know is is how to work the color changes, but we promise – once you see how easy it is to do one row, it’s a breeze.

Get the Faux Fade Wrap Pattern.

Choose your Yarn:

We put together some Faux Fade Wrap Kits for you that include the pattern as well as the yarn you need to make it (along with a nice discount!). Here are the colors Janine pre-selected for us, inspired by the seasons of the year:

A woman holds a crocheted shawl that fades from dark brown to yellow to light brown. Along the right side are color suggestions for a spring color palette: pale pink, dusty rose, hot pink, light yellow, and gold.
The Spring Fade Pattern Kit features pinks and yellows.
A woman holds a crocheted shawl that fades from dark brown to yellow to light brown. Along the right side are color suggestions for a Summer color palette: peach, gold, coral, red-orange, and burgundy.
The Summer Fade Pattern Kit features oranges, coral, and reds.
A woman holds a crocheted shawl that fades from dark brown to yellow to light brown. Along the right side are color suggestions for an autumn color palette: tan, gold, brass, copper, and warm espresso brown.
The Autumn Fade Pattern Kit features yellows, copper, and browns.
A woman holds a crocheted shawl that fades from dark brown to yellow to light brown. Along the right side are color suggestions for a winter color palette: silver, gunmetal, cornflower, medium blue, and navy.
The Winter Fade Pattern Kit features grays and blues.

If none of these pattern kits are your thing, you can easily select your own colors (or other yarns) by using our Faux Fade Wrap Kit Builder (located at the bottom of the pattern page):

A screen shot of the Faux Fade Wrap Kit Builder

Just choose your yarn, and drag and drop the yarn colors you want into the kit builder and hit the purple “Add to Cart” button to instantly place the perfect amount of yarn into your cart.

How to Join the Crochet Along:

To participate in the Faux Fade Wrap Crochet Along, join and post here:

CAL Timeline:

A photo of the WeCrochet CAL Timeline - same as text below

September 1: Pick your Palette (or yarn), and order from crochet.com!

September 8: Join the WeCrochet Ravelry group and follow along in the Faux Fade Wrap CAL discussion.

September 15: Read through the pattern (in WeCrochet Magazine Issue 4) or buy it here: Faux Fade Wrap Pattern.

September 22: Make a swatch (and block it… righhhht??)

September 29: Work sections 1-4.

October 12: Work Sections 5-7.

October 26: Work Section 8.

November 10: Work Section 9.

November 24: Block the wrap and post pictures on social with #FauxFadeCAL.

We hope you’ll join us!


Light Touch CAL: Choosing Yarns
A stack of crochet swatches and a crochet hook. One swatch is marked with a slip of paper that says "Right Side."

Have you ever seen a pattern that just won’t leave you alone? It begs you to make it, morning, noon, and night? That recently happened to me when we reviewed pages the pages of WeCrochet Magazine, Issue 3. After seeing Natasha Robarge’s Light Touch Pullover, I couldn’t get it off my mind. So, naturally, when I saw that it’s was the choice project for our latest CAL, I jumped at the chance to work the project along with all of you.

a model wears a hand-crocheted sweater in dark red

In the mag, our Brand Director Sara Dudek recommends three possible yarns for this sweater. Here I’ll explore those three options and share their properties to help you choose the yarn that will work best for your needs. I’ll also share some interesting things I learned through the process. At the end, I’ll reveal what yarn I decided to use for my project.

Each of the swatches shown were worked following the swatch pattern provided in the pattern itself, which consists of 23 alternating rows of Single Crochet and Double Crochet. I used a U.S. size G/6 (4.25 mm) hook.

Capretta Superwash

A crochet swatch blocking on a mat. Capretta Superwash in Meridian Heather
Capretta Superwash in Meridian Heather

The first yarn I swatched for this project is the one that was recommended in the pattern. Capretta Superwash is a deliciously luxurious yarn. It’s a blend of fine, superwash Merino wool, Cashmere, and nylon. This yarn is so soft and blooms beautifully when blocked. (Note, “blooming” is when a fiber plumps and sort of fills out when blocked.) It also developed a lovely halo the surface of the fabric that’s pretty dreamy. It reminds me of mohair and I really love it.

This yarn is a great choice if you want to create a sweater that’s as easy to wear to the office as it is a special occasion. It’s sure to become a wardrobe staple that will last for years to come.

Stroll

A crochet swatch on a blocking mat. Stroll in Dove Heather
Stroll in Dove Heather

Working up this swatch was the first time I had the pleasure of working with Stroll. It comes in at a mid-level price point and it’s a blend of fine, superwash Merino wool and nylon. As you hold this yarn in your hand, you wouldn’t know it doesn’t contain the cashmere that Capretta has. It’s just as soft. As I worked with it, it felt like I was crocheting with feathers. It’s incredibly light without being too delicate. It didn’t bloom when blocked, instead it retained its sharp stitch definition and the drape is just amazing.

This yarn has quickly become a personal favorite. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for a sweater that will layer beautifully and works well as a transitional piece of clothing. With its airy quality it will wear just as well over a camisole in August as it will over a blouse when the weather cools in October.

Palette

A crochet swatch on a blocking mat. Palette in Clover
Palette in Clover

Palette is the best yarn when you’re looking for something affordable, that comes in about a million colors, and is 100% wool. It is more rustic in feel than the other two yarns, but not the least bit itchy. It has a bit of tooth, meaning you can feel it grab and want to connect with the fiber around it. That means you’re going to be careful how you wash it! This would easily felt, so be sure to block your FO in cool water and lay flat to dry.

A sweater in this yarn is a must if you’re looking for a workhorse garment. It won’t feel precious in the sense that you’ll want to save it just for special occasions. You’ll want to wear it for all occasions, whether you need a warm layer when hiking or something to stay off the chill when working in the garden.

Tips for Getting Gauge

The biggest tip I was reminded off when working these swatches is to check your gauge after blocking! It’s the most important step in the process of crocheting a garment if you want it to fit your body. Don’t assume anything when it comes to swatching, yarn choice, hook size, and gauge.

Before blocking, all my swatches got gauge. After blocking, they did not. All three of my swatches grew in size. Which means I crochet more loosely and I need to use a smaller hook. If my swatch was too small, I would need to use a larger hook. Does that mean I need to make another swatch? Yep, it does. If I want my sweater to turn out the size listed in the pattern schematic, I need to get gauge!

The Big Reveal: The yarn I’m using is…

There is so much to love about each of these yarns, but if I said it was hard to choose which one to use, I’d be lying. I knew the moment I stitched the first DC that Stroll would be the yarn for my Light Touch Pullover. I’d love to hear what yarn you decide to use for yours! Be sure to share in the comments below and tag your posts on social media #lighttouchCAL.

Join me next time when I’ll share what color Stroll I decided to use (and why!), what hook finally got gauge, and how the first stages of the pattern are going.


FREE DOWNLOAD: DECEMBER 2019 CALENDAR WALLPAPER
December 2019 calendar featuring blue yarn and confetti

Well, we made it to the end of another year! Let’s celebrate with the tasty winter beverage of your choice, your favorite yarn (like Palette, featured in this month’s calendar), and of course, a healthy sprinkling of sparkling confetti!

To get the free downloadable December 2019 calendar background of your choosing (smart phones, tablets, or desktop computers), simply click the applicable device icon below to save the image. Enjoy!