In going through my stash recently, I started setting aside the sock-weight yarns that I’d been meaning to get around to dyeing. Since I’m currently working on a sock yarn giant granny square baby blanket, and I’m going to need more sock yarn, it seems about time I get around to finally dyeing the yarns up, and I’ve already got dyes (gel food coloring usually sold for tinting cake icings). Today it was superwash merino wool; I’ve got some silk tussah, wool/silk blend, and sea cell/silk blend that I won’t be using in the blanket but I’d like to get dyed up and plan to do next week.
The violet, blue, and white will get overdyed next week – I think with more violet, but I’m not sure yet. The teal and turquoise looks done to me, although too intense for the baby blanket so I’ll be winding it up for use in something else. It’s not much, so a small project – maybe a new sunglasses sleeve.
Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton (pickle, shell, shrimp, sky)
How to turn ‘beginning of baby beanie’ into ‘oh I was just swatching for fun’ – forget the really simple, basic guidelines for crocheting a flat circle, and start with 8 sts when working in single crochet, and wind up with a circle that begins to ruffle. I think single crochet at this particular gauge was going to wind up too firm anyway, so score 1 for color study.
This will vary based on gauge, yarn, desired results, etc., but for a basic flat circle I use the following guidelines:
single crochet: begin with 6 stitches, increase 6 stitches each round.
half-double crochet: begin with 8 stitches, increase 8 stitches each round.
double crochet: begin with 10 – 12 stitches, increase 10 – 12 stitches each round.
triple crochet: begin with 12 – 14 stitches, increase 12 – 14 stitches each round.
For those using UK terminology:
US single crochet = UK double crochet
US half-double crochet = UK half-treble crochet
US double crochet = UK treble crochet
US triple crochet = UK double-treble crochet
