Modern, size inclusive crochet designs
This blog contains everything from tips & tricks for makers, testers and designers to yarn reviews to showcases of pattern testers for a variety of my designs. If you’re interested in a specific category only - click the links below!
Crochet Tips for Makers
Designing & Testing Tips
Pattern Tester Showcases
Happy crocheting,
Courtney
So, you’re feeling ready to crochet (or knit) your first garment – CONGRATULATIONS! This blog post is going to help you ensure that you are ready and hopefully help you build up your toolbox a little to ensure the first garment you make is a huge success! For the video version of this blog post – check it out here on my YouTube channel!
The Clara Sweater - My most beginner friendly crochet garment pattern!
Toward the end of this post I’ve also included a flow chart of my circle yoke sweater designs from most beginner (Clara) to most advanced to help you determine which of my designs you are ready to start making!
First, know that feeling the confidence you do right now is the biggest hurdle to creating your first piece so if you start to feel overwhelmed or that you don’t know about everything I suggest in this blog post that is okay! You can totally learn as you go and come back to this for tips on the harder bits if you find yourself struggling.
1. Things to know/master before you start
2. Setting yourself up for success
3. What to keep in mind while making
4. What to do if you’re stuck
5. Finishing your first piece
Before you being you want to make sure you feel comfortable with each of the basic stitches, or at least the ones used in the pattern. Trying to learn how to make a half double crochet stitch at the same time as learning everything else that goes into clothing making is going to make you feel overwhelmed very quickly. If you don’t yet know the stitches required in the pattern maybe try making a dish cloth or a scarf in that stitch until you feel you’ve got it mastered.
Reading a crochet or knit pattern is like learning a little bit of a new language. They have their own short hands which it is helpful to be familiar with before you begin working off of your first pattern. It’s also important to know the difference between US & UK terminology in crochet and which the pattern you’re using is written in. Check out the Craft Yarn Council post about how to read a crochet pattern here.
If you’re new here – welcome, I talk about gauge A LOT. That’s because gauge is the single most important thing when making garments. If you’re like “uh oh, what’s gauge??” That’s okay – I have a FIVE PART blog series on gauge – that’s how important it is. To learn about what gauge is, how to master it and why it’s so important click here – this will bring you to part 1, parts 2 through 5 are linked at the bottom of that post.
Linked with gauge – you are going to want to make sure you are pretty good at keeping your stitches the same. Garments are BIG projects and if your stitches are wonky or your gauge changes as you’re working a project – it will show. I don’t think every stitch needs to be perfect, but you want to make sure you like the look of them!
Obviously choosing your right size is crucial to enjoying wearing your final piece, and unlike shopping at a store – you don’t get to try the piece on first to see if it fits. Many designers use the Craft Yarn Council standards (available here) for the sizes of their garments – and CYC also has handy resources for measuring yourself! Check it out here.
VERY briefly – ease is how close a garment fits to your body. Negative ease means the finished measurement of the piece is smaller than the corresponding measurement of your body and positive ease is where the finished piece is bigger than your body. Most patterns should have an “intended ease” meaning how much ease the designer had in mind for each size AND/OR the pattern may contain finished measurements and you can use those with your body’s measurements to determine how much ease you will have in each area of your body. The wonderful thing about this is you do not HAVE to do the size the designer suggests – you could go up or down a size for more or less ease. It’s up to you! I have an entire blog post coming one day about ease!
If the goal is to have a finished piece you can and want to wear here are some things to make sure you have before you start:
Look, I get it, that fingering weight lace colourwork raglan maxi sweater dress (LOL) design you have your eye on is STUNNING! But you are going to overwhelm yourself so quickly if you choose a pattern that doesn’t fit your skill level. You might not love the beginner friendly bulky weight sweater as much, but it is the right place to start.
Because difficulty level is a question I get so often I added the ability to shop by difficulty level on my website and patterns on Ravelry get user-generated difficulty levels as more people add them as projects. I even created a difficulty flow chart for my circle yoke sweaters at the end of this blog post – I always recommend a maker starts with my Clara Sweater (the top tier in the chart), then they can try one in the second tier, then the third or maybe the fourth!
Having JUST the hook/needle size that the designer used in the pattern is not enough (sorry)! If you aren’t able to achieve gauge with the same hook/needle as the designer you are not going to have a piece that fits and that will be super frustrating! Having a good toolbox goes a long way. Also make sure you have a flexible tape measure, a darning needle and any other supplies listed in the materials section of the pattern.
A lot goes into choosing the right yarn for a project – you want to make sure it’s the right weight, fits your budget and that you like the feel of it against your skin. Check out my blog post all about choosing the right yarn for your garments here where I deep dive into fibres, colours, budgets, ethics and more!
Because gauge is affected by our moods, the dryness of our hands, our stress levels, the level of humidity in the air and more – it is incredibly important to check it regularly throughout the making of a garment, especially if you’ve put the piece down for a day or two and are just coming back to it.
While it is okay to make modifications to a pattern to fit to your body and likes – you really should stick to the pattern with regards to yarn weight, gauge & general construction for the best chances of having the perfect piece at the end!
We can definitely get excited about making something but don’t sacrifice your body to get the project done fast! Repetitive stress injuries are no joke – take regular breaks from making and STRETCH!
The first place to check when you’re stuck on something in a pattern is to check the pattern itself (I know, this seems obvious but sometimes when we’re in it we forget!). Is there a notes section at the start of the pattern? In the section you’re working on? Are there links to external resources from the designer? Photos? If you can’t find the answer in the pattern itself, try seeing if the designer has an FAQ section on their website that might hold the answers you seek!
Another thing we, as a community, are often guilty of is over-complicating things OR focusing too much on matching the designers stitches EXACTLY as they did it. Can’t get that loop in the exact same spot? Stitch count off by 1? No biggie! If you’re happy with how it looks & fits but it doesn’t match exactly as the designer did it – carry on! Still can’t figure it out? Put the project down for the night and come back to it with fresh eyes in the morning – sometimes that little break will be all we need for the light bulb moment.
The internet is a wellspring of help! Google, Youtube, Facebook groups, Reddit threads and Ravelry forums are all amazing spots to check for answers and ask your questions!
If you can’t find that answer anywhere it’s time to reach out to the designer. When reaching out to the designer try to be as specific as possible with your question. Here are some things to include in your email to them: which of their designs are you making? Which size are you making? What part of the pattern specifically are you stuck on and why? For example: “I’m making your Clara Sweater in size XL and I’m stuck on where to place my stitches for the first round of the body, attached is a picture of my progress so far” instead of “I can’t figure out the body of the sweater please help”.
CONGRATULATIONS!! You finished your first crochet wearable! My only tip at this point is to wet block your piece – wet blocking elevates the drape and softness of the vast majority of yarns so the piece will feel even better on your body! I’ll be writing a blog post all about blocking one day soon so make sure to subscribe to my email list so that you don’t miss it and other free educational content (and maybe some free patterns coming soon😉).
As promised at the start of this blog post here is the flow chart of my circular yoke sweater designs. If you click on the little expand box in the top right of the image below it will open as a PDF where you can click on each individual pattern name and it will bring you to that pattern!
If you’ve never made a circle yoke before I always recommend beginning with my Clara Sweater. The second tier of sweaters (Luna, Lily, Tanis, Leila) are also very beginner friendly, but they each have some kind of accent stitch to also keep track of in the yoke.
Once you’ve made at least one circle yoke you can absolutely handle the third tier of the chart – in this tier you start to see short rows and more stitch detailing or finishing piece (e.g. buttons/zippers). Finally, the last tier includes more intermediate/advanced elements like colourwork, more short rows, fades and pockets!
Thanks so much for reading today’s blog post!
Happy crocheting,
Courtney
Millie is a staple in your fall wardrobe this year! She’s perfect for layering on the cool mornings and nights. This top down raglan is intermediate or adventurous beginner friendly! She’s written in two lengths - cropped and full/hip length. My testers have showcased how this pattern works on different bodies, with different fibres & colours, and in the two different lengths! Check out their versions and exactly what yarn & how much they used and where to follow along with their crochet journey.
Hello & welcome back to the blog! Today is part 2 of the pattern testing series, but this time we’re chatting pattern testing from a designer’s perspective. I’m covering the dos and don’ts, how to run a test from start to finish, and diving deep into the hot topic of whether we should be financially compensating pattern testers for their work!
Spencer was a dress I designed to wear to my friends wedding back in June - so I decided to name it after his new wife! Both the top and skirt are worked from the top down so are easily to alter their length! My testers have showcased how this pattern works on different bodies, with different fibres & colours! Check out their different versions and exactly what yarn & how much they used and where to follow along with their crochet journey.
In today’s blog post we are going to be talking pattern testing! First, we will do a brief overview of what pattern testing is & why it is important. Then, we will get into the nitty gritty of being a pattern tester – from how to become one in the first place, to being the best rockstar pattern tester that every designer is going to want to work with! Much of the focus of this post will be around garments and wearable items, but all the non-sizing specific rules apply to all tests whether you’re making a crocheted sweater or an amigurumi!
This tank top is worked from the top down, without any seams - it’s all joined as you go! Since it is top-down construction you can easily customize the length. My testers have showcased how this pattern works on different bodies, with different fibres & colours! Check out their different versions and exactly what yarn & how much they used and where to follow along with their crochet journey.
My testers have showcased how this pattern works on different bodies, with different fibres and some variety in skirt length! Check out their different versions and exactly what yarn & how much they used, as well a couple testers chose not to do the elastic waistband so you can see how it looks with and without the elastic (it is noted if they did not use it).
One of my most frequently asked questions from makers wanting to break into designing is “How do I know if my idea is unique enough?”. This can be both a difficult and an easy question to answer so let’s dive into the nuances of ensuring that your design idea does not exist already OR is different enough from an existing design so you can feel good about publishing it!
The Daisy Shorts were a long time coming! I first tried making this design a year and a half ago and couldn’t get it quite right. Thankfully, with time and patience I was able to pick her back up and get her out into the world finally! With the help of my lovely testers, Daisy was made SO much better. The pattern is entirely based on your unique measurements. You input 4 of your measurements into the spreadsheet and it populates the numbers you need to make your shorts. You can also change your desired rise and pant leg length.
My testers have showcased how this pattern works on different bodies, with different rises and pant leg length. Some even did a cuffed hem on the legs which I adore! Check out their hard work and Daisy shorts in this post!
If you find yourself wondering how on Earth designers make money, thinking “what does “affiliate link” mean?” or wondering which platform to purchase a pattern on to make sure as much of your hard earned income gets into the pocket of an indie designer – then you’ve come to the right place!
As a maker and pattern enthusiast it may be difficult to know how to best support your fave designers, and we don’t blame you! It’s a confusing world to navigate. I’m going to run through all the ways designers make money and how you can help support designers – from things that will cost a bit more to things that are absolutely FREE! Yes, you heard it – there are FREE ways to support designers!
Welcome back for part 5 of the Gauge Week blog series. Today’s post explains the importance of blocking your swatches. We touch on how different yarns and fibres block differently so you need to block every time. They we talk about how to use your pre and post blocked gauge while working up the pattern!
Welcome back to part 4 of the Gauge Week blog series! Today is probably the most important day yet – how to adjust your gauge! This blog post will cover when and how to change your hook and how to adjust when no matter which hook you try either the height or width is off. Every gauge IS achievable and we show you how!
It’s day 3 of Gauge Week – the day a lot of you have been waiting for! Today’s topic is how to gauge in the round.
Typically, we gauge in the round when the pattern is worked in the round. This is common in yoke style sweaters, hats, socks, and amigurumi, among other things. When you work in the round your stitches all face the same direction. The stitches can behave slightly differently when worked flat versus in the round – that is why it is important to gauge in the round if it is specified that way in the pattern. Find out two different ways to gauge in the round in today’s post!
Welcome to day 2 of Gauge Week! Today’s post covers a basic gauge swatch – one that’s worked flat, in rows, back and forth. A plain and simple gauge swatch is what most patterns call for so that is where we are going to start!
A flat gauge swatch like we’re going to learn today can be done in 5-20 minutes depending on the weight of the yarn/hook size you are using, and can save you from creating a whole piece that ends up being ill-fitting. I know, I know we’re all super excited when we find the perfect pattern and the squishiest yarn that we just want to hop right in, but gauging first can save you a LOT of frogging later.
Welcome to the start of Gauge Week Day 1: What is “Gauge” and Why Do We Do It?
Very basically, gauge is the size of our stitches. Every single person crochets slightly differently than the next – we hold our hooks differently, we tension our yarn differently, we sit differently while crocheting – the smallest things can affect gauge in a big way! The type of fibre or yarn we use to make something can also affect the size of our stitches – acrylic, wool, alpaca, cotton, superwash, bamboo – they all hold onto stitches differently. But don’t let that scare you! You are always welcome to use a different fibre than the designer – you just need to swatch in your chosen fibre.
Who says knitters are the only ones who can enjoy a good Fair Isle style sweater? Not me! In designing my Marzanna sweater I learned a lot about colourwork in crochet and I’m here to share all the deets! I am by no means a colourwork expert and this blog post is just a quick overview of how I managed the two colours while making the Marzanna sweater.