Knitting and Crochet Diary #5

Sharing my week of knitting and crochet, and life in general.

Welcome to my yarn diary for my knitting and crochet business. A peek behind the scenes of what I get up to with knitting and crochet, and life in general.

This week, I realised that sometimes, the best projects aren’t just about the finished product - they’re about the journey. I've enjoyed a good a mix of knitting and crochet, plus a little bit of life inspiration. So I thought I’d share what’s been keeping my hands (and mind) busy.

Grab yourself a cuppa, and I hope you enjoy my weekly diary.

Crochet: Granny square card deck fun

This week, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying The Granny Square Card Deck, by Claire Montgomerie. I have to say, I absolutely love this resource. It’s such a fun way to explore new designs!

Because, instead of flipping through a book, I can shuffle the cards and pick a square at random. This makes the process feel more like a creative card game than a structured project, which adds to the fun.

The best part? It’s a great way to use up leftover yarn scraps, and I never feel stuck making the same thing over and over again.

There are only four rounds per motif too. So before you know it, you're weaving in those ends and starting the next one.

I might turn my squares into a blanket, or maybe a handy bag or colourful scarf - who knows?

I could even make myself a sleeveless vest similar to the one Claire is wearing in the photo below - what do you think? It's fabulous isn't it, and all made with squares from her card deck too.

Either way, I’m having fun, and that’s what matters. And if you would like to read my full review of Claire's fabulous Granny Square Card Deck, and get a whopping 25% off your purchase at Search Press, then you can read it here: Card Deck Review

Knitting: The yarn stash jumper & a game of yarn chicken

The yarn stash jumper. A true testament to the "make do and mend" mindset, which I am a true believer in because I love the idea of turning all my leftover yarn into something wearable. But there’s always those pesky questions in the back of my mind … Will I have enough yarn to finish? Am I about to enter the Yarn Chicken Championships?

Yarn chicken is the thrilling (or slightly stressful) game where you knit or crochet faster, as if that will somehow make the yarn last longer. At this point, I’m halfway through a sleeve and starting to have doubts. Do I have enough of this colour? Will I need to add a random stripe? Or worse - will I have to go hunting for a close-enough match?

The yarn details

I only had 450g of Rowan Purelife Revive (9 x 50g balls) although the meterage for each ball is quite generous at 125m. It's a recycled fibre yarn, so it's just up my street, and is the perform choice for yarn stash jumper. Unfortunately it's discontinued, so buying more isn't really an option.

My tech editing experience is hinting that I need 500g, so I think the random stripe is a surety. I really don't know why I didn't listen to my doubts in the first place!!!

I may have to go on a stash mission to find a close-enough match. Or, if I can’t find the same weight, I could hold two strands of 4ply together to get a similar thickness.

Either way, I’m committed now, and I’ll make it work (somehow).

My strategy

I think I was in denial about whether I'd have enough yarn from the outset!! So with this in mind, I cleverly knitted the front and back pieces first. Next I joined the shoulder seams, then knitted the neck rib, so at least the main body of the jumper is in a single colour. I have started each sleeve from the top down, and I'm working them both at the same time. This means that I can see more clearly whether I'm about to run out of yarn.

I feel a stripe or two in a contrast yarn may be the answer should I need it - so at least I have a plan to help me turn this WIP into a finished object. We don't want it ending up in the naughty WIP cupboard do we? Where it's destined to become a long-forgotten project!!

I do love how it's turning out though, with its gorgeous texture made from a broken rib stitch pattern, which is one row of knit stitch and one row of knit 1, purl 1. It has plumped up my somewhat thinner-than-normal yarn into something more cosy, and I'm over-the-moon with the texture of this simple stitch.

And the pattern? Well I've gone a bit rogue without a pattern, because I'm just knitting and guessing, in the hope it will match the style of my favourite jumper.

If it's a success, I will write up the pattern and share it with you all.

Life in General: A trip to IKEA & creative inspiration for my knitting and crochet

Sometimes, you don’t know you need inspiration until you walk into an IKEA.

My latest visit was meant to be a simple browse, whilst my son chose the bits and bobs he needed for his new home. He was very good, armed with a list, and he didn't divert from it. I have to say he's more resilient than me!!

When we came across this life-sized model of Spiderman, we couldn't resist the great photo opportunity that it presented!!

After walking for what seemed like miles, and despite me not buying anything for myself, I left with my mind full of ideas - all for free too!!

Clever storage solutions, beautiful colour combinations, and that undeniable urge to reorganise everything at home!! Do you ever get that urge too? I absolutely loved how these baskets were displayed. Don't they look amazing.

Being Insired

One thing that stood out was how much can be done with simple materials - wood, fabric, and even recycled materials.

It reminded me that creativity isn’t just about crafting; it’s about how we use what we have in fresh ways.

I might not be building flat-pack furniture anytime soon, but I’m definitely taking some of that design inspiration into my next crochet and knitting projects.

And there we have it. Another week has passed by. Whether it’s experimenting with granny squares, knitting up a stash-busting jumper, or finding inspiration in unexpected places, creativity is everywhere.

Sometimes, all it takes is a shuffle of a deck, a dive into our yarn stash, or a trip to IKEA, to spark new ideas.

What’s been inspiring you lately? Let me know in the comments!

I hope you had a fab week too, and that the week ahead is a good one for you.

Lynne x

P.S. If you love to knit or crochet, then I also share free patterns. You can find them here: Free patterns for knitting and crochet