Mixing up Yarns

There are many reasons to combine different yarns in your crochet projects and lots of benefits for doing this. For a start this is a great way to use up yarn scraps! Adding a different yarn adds another texture to your crochet work and gives a completely different look. This makes your work completely exclusive, no one will be able to create the same look even if they are using the same pattern.

How to do it?

Combine a different yarn from your main yarn as a stripe

Put an alternative yarn at the centre of a motif
Use a different yarn from your main yarn for the edging of a crochet blanket or throw
Mix up yarns as part of your whole project by using two yarns together e.g. a plain 4 ply yarn with a silky 4 ply
Use a different yarn to make crochet buttons to decorate your project. This works nicely on children’s clothing, when contrasting buttons looks lovely.
Use a different yarn for surface crochet, silky and tweed on plain looks good
Add your different yarn to a motif. For example if you are using a double knit yarn for your project  twist 2 yarns of 3 or 4 ply together to make alternative rows.

Hints

Use different weights and twist together
Use a tweed yarn with a plain yarn
Use a silky yarn with a plain yarn to turn your project into something really classy

Use other weights together in contrasting colours to your main yarn and you can double up 4ply and combine to a double knit based project. If you do this please be careful to check your tension is OK. Make a test piece to check your tension and to check the yarns look OK together and it’s worth experimenting.

Your alternative yarn doesn’t have to be the same type of yarn as your main yarn. I often combine tweed yarns with plain double knit and this looks really good and it’s surprising how many yarn colours a tweed yarn will complement.

It’s worth bearing in mind that if you use different type of weight yarns but from the same manufacturer you often find the dyes are the same, so colours will blend together well.

Using Crochet Flowers

There are any number of ways to create pretty crochet flowers from the simple to the more complicated and so many ways to use them. Crochet flowers on the top of a tea cosy will turn it into something very special. Crochet flowers as necklaces, on hats, children’s clothing and crochet bags lift homemade or bought items into something original to you. One of the loveliest ways to use flowers is to create a flower wreaths using a bought ring and it’s quite simple to make them seasonal.

The beauty of crochet flowers is that with a simple change of colour, yarn texture or change of yarn thickness you can alter the appearance of the flower completely.

Tea cosies bought or made by you look much prettier with crochet flowers decorating the top.
Hats, whether you make your own hat or buy one a crochet flower or group of flowers will turn your hat into a design unique just for you.

Crochet wreaths, make them seasonal by your choice of colours, seasonal flowers and the addition of crochet leaves, glitter, pom poms and beads.

Brooches and corsage with crochet flowers and leaves and berries are very popular. Even if you are new to crochet you can create a very pretty corsage. Add beads or decorative buttons for more impact!

Crochet flowers for hair decorations work in a similar way to brooches, just simplify the design using one or two flowers instead of three or four. Add a large grip pin fastening to the back.

One of my favourite flowers is the popcorn flower and I love these added to my own crochet bags or to the top of straw bags. Give your popcorn flowers a different coloured centre then make them with a shiny yarn or thicker yarn and put a button in the middle. You can also use popcorn flowers to crochet wreaths.

Decorate children’s clothing with daisy crochet flowers.

Add crochet flowers to cushions as a cluster or as part of your cushion design.

Crochet flowers on throws look better as part of the design or if you are making your throw with motifs. Join together with a crochet flower where the 4 point meet, this looks very effective!

Use a large flower as a fastener for scarves by adding a pin to the back, use a complimentary colour to your bought scarf.

Small crochet flowers make lovely buttons for children’s cardigans