So you’ve finished a project and are ready to a start new one – congratulations! Whether you plan to knit a hat or crochet your first vest or tackle a new stitch, there are a few things you can think about before you pick up a hook or needle. A great place to get started is reading…
Technical editor and yarncrafting expert Kj Hay joins us for a series on understanding the different elements of patterns. Click here to read her earlier blog posts. Crochet and knit patterns list a specific yarn and the number of balls of yarn needed. Using the specified yarn is the best way to achieve the intended results. If…
Have you ever substituted in a different yarn than the one called for by the pattern? I’m a bit of an obsessive substituter, so when I saw the gorgeous Rainbow Spots shade of Casey, I just had to knit some baby booties for my cousin’s new baby girl! The only question was which pattern to…
That’s one of the most popular questions on the Lion Brand FAQ section. Maybe you don’t have a pattern with you when you shop or you want to design your own creation. Having a general idea of the amount of yarn you will need for a project can be helpful in the planning phase before you…
Do you ever seen an amazing pattern and think, “Wow, I love that, but I wish it were made in a different yarn”? Substituting a different yarn is an easy way to make a pattern truly unique. There are a few things to keep in mind when selecting a different yarn. Let’s use the Inishturk…
Looking at yarn requirements for a pattern can be confusing and, especially if you need to substitute yarns, trying to decide how much yarn you will need can be overwhelming. Often a pattern will call for a number of balls of a particular yarn and may or may not include additional information about those balls,…
Over the last decade, we’ve collected many of the common questions we’ve gotten from yarncrafters like you and created a useful database. Our Frequently Asked Questions section (LionBrand.com > Learning Center > FAQ) is a great resource for most of the basic questions that crocheters and knitters have about yarn, projects, techniques, and even our…
In my last post, I told you a bit about substituting yarns. I mentioned that you’re best off substituting a yarn that will give you the same gauge and fabric as the original called for in the pattern, and I stand by that. However, in the real world, you can’t always find a yarn that…
