Marly Bird, Author at Marly Bird

17 Summer Craft Tips to Boost Your Knit and Crochet Joy

June 21, 2021 By Marly Bird Leave a Comment

It’s fun to craft at any time of year. However, many people find it uncomfortable to work with yarn during the hottest months of summer. High temperatures don’t mean that you need to put your yarn down, though. These 17 summer craft tips will help improve your knitting and crochet joy despite the warmer weather.

1. Select Summer Yarns

The most important of all the summer craft tips is to choose your fiber carefully. Wool is a winter yarn; cotton is a summer yarn. Other summer yarns include linen, hemp, bamboo, and silk.

Likewise, bulky yarns are usually better in winter (with some exceptions). In contrast, it feels cooler to work with thread, lightweight yarn or DK weight yarn during the summer. See our recommended yarns for each yarn weight here.

2. Look for Small, Quick Projects

You probably don’t want to have a big heavy blanket growing on your lap as you craft this summer. Therefore, you’ll want to look for small, quick projects. Knit or crochet dishcloths, amigurumi, pillow covers, scrubbies, and thin scarves.

3. Or Work With Motifs

If you do have a large project that you want to complete, then try to do so in pieces. In other words, one of our top summer craft tips is to look for motif-based projects. Choose projects that you can work in small bits and batches. Perhaps you might wait until the weather is cooler to stitch them all together at the end.

4. Learn A New Craft

Sometimes all that it takes to get over the “it’s too hot to craft” hump is to get so excited about your project that you don’t care about the heat. Therefore, you might want to take the opportunity to learn a new craft this summer. You’ll be so busy enjoying tackling those new skills that you won’t worry about the heat.

5. Or Learn A New Technique

You don’t have to try an entirely new craft in order to get excited about your work again. Learn a new knitting or crochet technique to boost the joy of summer crafting.

Bonus tip: take a class. Meeting people in an air-conditioned classroom while learning new crafting skills is a great way to enjoy the summer.

6. Set Up Your Space for Cool Crafting

The better your set-up, the more you’ll enjoy crafting. In summertime, this might mean setting up a fan or air conditioner in your craft space. Alternatively, you might move your craft chair away from windows with direct sunlight. Or simply pull the drapes and set up great indoor lighting.

7. Knit and Crochet in the Wee Hours

Do your crafting first thing in the morning. Alternatively, take out your knitting needles or crochet hooks after the sun has gone down. You can enjoy some wonderful summer crafting in those cooler hours of the day.

8. Make Things You Can Wear Immediately

This is another of our favorite summer craft tips. Craft summer wearables and accessories that you can enjoy using as soon as you’ve finished making them. For example, check out our 50 Free Summer Crochet Tops Patterns or 20 Free Knit Summer Tops Patterns. And to match, check out our roundup of the best crochet shorts patterns.

9. Make Projects With Kids

Kids can begin to learn knitting and crochet from a very early age. Therefore, these are great crafts to keep the whole family busy together in the summer. Come up with a project that you can work on together. This will add to the fun of the experience for everyone. Plus, you’ll save time and money trying to come up with family activities every day.

10. Do Crafts With Yarn Ends

Do you save your yarn ends? You know, the ones you snip off at the end of a project or the tiny bits leftover when you’ve won the yarn chicken game? If not, then you should start. And once you do, you’ll find that there are a lot of creative ways to use yarn ends. These projects are low-heat and fun for summer.

11. Take Yarn Traveling

You can take yarn project traveling with you on the road or in a plane. While there are a few exceptions about knitting needles on international flights, most plane travel allows both hooks and needles with no problems. This is a great way to pass the time on your summer travels. And don’t forget to take Flat Marly with you for a chance to win some prizes!

12. Join the BiCrafty Games

Celebrate the 2021 Summer Olympics with your fellow crafters. The BiCrafty Games are a knit and crochet mystery make-along. Learn all about it here.

13. Reconsider Your Hooks and Needles

If you love metal crochet hooks and knitting needles, then you’re definitely not alone. However, these sometimes get hot and sweaty during summer crafting. Consider switching over to bamboo for the summer months. Your hands will thank you.

14. Prep Project Bags

The summer can get really busy. Make crafting easier on yourself by getting your project bags ready in advance. Each bag should include the pattern, the yarn, the needles or hooks and any other additional notions necessary to complete that project. Place these in easy-to-grab places so that you can work on them when you’re ready. Then get the rest of your yarn out of the way this summer.

15. Set Up a Craft Table

Many of us work with our knitting and crochet in our laps. That’s normally fine. However, if you find that too hot during the summer months, then the solution is simple: set up a craft table. If you put your work on the table instead of your lap, you instantly cool off. This is one of those obvious-but-oft-forgotten craft tips.

Bonus tip: A portable laptop table is a great solution for on the go summer crafting.

16. Try Openwork Knit and Crochet Designs

These allow the breeze to come through as you craft. Moreover, they’re comfortable to wear / use during the warmer months of the year. If you haven’t done a lot of big open lacework in the past, then this summer could be a great time to give it a try.

17. Check Out Summer Craft Magazines

There are a lot of great craft magazines out there from both past and present. Plus there are tons of great knitting books and crochet books. Look for the ones that emphasize summer projects. They’re filled with summer craft tips that will help you enjoy yourself more this season.

What are your favorite summer craft tips? What’s your biggest gripe about summer crafting and what’s your biggest joy?

44 Free Crochet and Knit Squares Projects

June 21, 2021 By Marly Bird Leave a Comment

Many projects are made of squares. They’re among the most common projects out there. However, crochet and knit squares don’t have to be boring! Find new ways to make projects with squares with these free patterns from Yarnspirations. Naturally there are a lot of blankets in the bunch. But you might be surprised at how many other types of patterns use squares as well. Of course, you can start by learning how to crochet the basic granny square. But there are tons of other choices, too.

5 image collage of items using crochet and knit squares as a base. Shade of blues knit blanket, mitered squares knit scarf (in red, orange, turquoise, and 2 shades of grey), simple scrubbies in various colors, squares shoulder bag in red with leather strap, Granny square blanket (crocheted in yellow, green, & white).

Crochet and Knit Squares Blankets

There are so many different ways to make crochet and knit squares into blankets. You can start in the middle, work in the round and end up with a square. The classic large granny square blanket would be the most obvious example of this. However, there are much more interesting designs as well.

Alternatively, you might make a bunch of different crochet and knit squares. Then you’d stitch them together for a patchwork throw, Sometimes they’re all the same size but make them in different sizes for a more unique design.

These blanket, afghan and throw patterns will all make you excited about using squares:

Diagonal Squares Throw - Free Knitting Pattern (Garter Stitch knitting in shades of blue with hints ofyellow, green, and grey). Squares worked corner to corner and joined to show Xs and diamonds.

Other Home Decor Made of Squares

Of course, blankets are a form of home decor. However, there are so many other things you can make to use around the house. Baskets, scrubbies, floor cushions and more can be square or made of squares. Some of the most fun pieces in this roundup are the stuffed animals that use crochet and knit squares.

Chic Carry All Bag - Free Crochet Pattern. Textured shoulder bag in red yarn. 2 large motifs worked from the center outward, joined with gusset to give bag depth. Leather shoulder strap joined to bag with large metal circles and tabs.

Crochet and Knit Squares To Wear

Squares are perfect to make scarves, sweaters, and shawls! You could string together a set of squares to make a simple scarf. A large crochet or knit square can be a shawl in and of itself. Two squares together form the basic foundation of a sweater. Plus, of course, you can combine squares of different shapes and sizes to make flattering, fitting clothing.

Miter Me This Chic Scarf - Free Knitting Pattern. Knit mitered squares in 3 sizes. Modular construction.

More Shapes to Make

How to Make Pom Poms with Clover PomPom Maker

June 18, 2021 By Marly Bird Leave a Comment

Clover crochet hooks are among the most popular crochet hooks. That’s not all that they make that’s awesome, though. For example, have you seen the Clover PomPom maker? There are pompoms on so many different knit and crochet patterns. It’s not a trend; it’s a design feature. It’s going to stick around. If you want to make it easier to make pom poms, then learn how to use the Clover PomPom Maker in this video tutorial.

*This post contains affiliate links. By clicking one of these links a portion of your purchase will go to the blog, the price you pay will not change. Thank you for your support of the blog*

Where To Use Pom Poms:

If you haven’t jumped on the pom pom bandwagon quite yet then let me tell you why I love them.

First of all, pom poms are great for everyone. They can be used on items made for men, women, children.

Second, you can easily add a little spice to any project by adding a pom pom. You can add it to a scarf, a blanket, a hat, a hooded sweater, the possibilities are endless. Really, it’s just a super simple way to add color, texture, and design detail to virtually any project.

Plus, they can be functional. Personally, I love using pom poms to cover the holes that are left at the top of hats. Pom Poms add a little something special to a basic hat. Or to anything else.

Pom Pom Makers:

Searching through Pinterest, you can find many different ways to make a pom pom. The most common ways are using a pom pom maker or using the ‘old fashioned way’ with cardboard. Each way of making a pom pom will give you slightly different results. Try out a few ways and see what you like best. It might be different for each project.

That said, a pom pom maker really makes your life a lot simpler. Using the right tool always does. If you love Clover crochet hooks, then naturally you might want to check out the brand’s pom pom maker. Of course, you might want different sizes of pom poms for different projects. The Clover pom pom maker comes in extra small, small, large, and extra large sizes. Plus they have a cute heart-shaped option for special projects.

Marly Bird’s Pom Pom Posts:

Have I talked you into giving pom poms a try? Take a minute to look at two of my older posts that also include pom poms.

First, I put together a photo tutorial of making your own pom pom to add as an embellishment on a package. See the tutorial on making a pom pom package topper. Try it on your next handmade package.

As mentioned before you can add also pom poms to blankets. You could add them to each corner or you could use them as a border option. See the photo tutorial of adding a crochet pom pom border on the blog. Have fun with pom poms once you’ve learned how to make them.

Pom Pom Maker Video Tutorial

Here’s the video tutorial for the Clover PomPom maker. It shows you exactly how to use it to make pom poms for all kinds of different projects. If you love Clover crochet hooks then you want to at least give this item a try.

BiCrafty Bootcamp Complementary Hat || Stranded Knitting (Lesson 12 continued)

June 17, 2021 By Marly Bird Leave a Comment

It’s time for the next part of BiCrafty Bootcamp knitting lesson 12. You have already worked the BiCrafty Bootcamp Complementary Hat pattern past the Latvian Braid. Awesome! Now, you are ready for some simple stranded knitting colorwork. This will form the next section of the hat.

What Is Stranded Knitting?

This technique is our introduction to colorwork in knitting. Of course, you might already have incorporated playing with color into your knitting. After all, we learned how to change colors in knitting way back in lesson four when we learned to how to knit stripes. You might have opted to change colors for each section of the knit cowl. However, stranded knitting is more than just changing colors – it’s a true colorwork technique.

In this technique, you change colors within the same row. So, instead of creating stripes, you’re creating a pattern with color. Although you can work with multiple colors, stranded knitting usually uses two colors per row. Since the Latvian braid we added to the hat is also worked in two colors, this color technique is a great next step for this knit hat pattern.

What Are Floats in Knitting?

Stranded knitting is so-called because you carry the unused color behind the work creating a “strand” of color there. Those strands are also called floats. Sometimes you’ll need to tuck your floats as you knit. Learn more about this here. This is one of the major things people learn in knitting colorwork, so you’re truly more than just a beginner knitter now!

Is Stranded Knitting the same as Fair Isle?

Stranded knitting is a form of colorwork. There are many different types of knit colorwork, most of which use this technique. Not all of them do, however. For example, intarsia knitting is a colorwork technique that does not use stranded knitting. Fair Isle, on the other hand, does use this colorwork technique. However, Fair Isle is a very specific colorwork technique. It’s a specific type of pattern that comes from the Fair Isle region, thus the name. So, yes, Fair Isle uses stranded knitting … but not all stranded knitting is a Fair Isle pattern. All squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares.

BiCrafty Bootcamp Complementary Hat || Stranded Knitting Instructions:

The stitch multiple repeat for this part of the hat is 6. Therefore, it is necessary for us to increase from 100 stitches to 102. Do this by working 2 M1’s (video for how to do a M1) at some point around the first round. (I go over this in the live teaching video below as well).

We’re going to work with a chart now:

Continue with the following chart for this section of the hat.

Read the chart from right to left.
Each square of the chart represents a stitch in the repeat.
Knit with the color identified in the square.
Do NOT twist the yarn in this section! Hold the MC in the left hand (continental style) and the CC in the right hand (English style) when working the stranded chart.

Keep the floats of the color not in use loosely stranded along the back of the hat. Do NOT pull the floats too tight!

Drop contrasting color (CC) (do not cut.)

Next Round: With MC, knit around

This Week’s Video Lesson

Here’s the live video where I show you how to do the colorwork for this part of the knit hat project:

Additional Patterns and Videos to Try

8 FREE Crochet Sun Hats Patterns to Stylishly Shade Yourself This Summer

June 16, 2021 By Marly Bird Leave a Comment

Crochet sun hats are terrific summer projects. First of all, they give you instant gratification – make it, wear it. Second, they quickly and easily dress up your summer wardrobe with handmade flair. Finally, they’re small, light, and made with summer-friendly fibers. Therefore, you can enjoy crafting them as much as you enjoy wearing them. Crochet sun hats make great gifts, are good for all ages, and might even be a new project for you.

8 FREE Crochet Sun Hats Patterns

Here are the top 8 free crochet sun hats patterns we recommend.

1. Crochet June Sun Hat by Sewrella

The wide brim makes this one of the best crochet sun hats patterns. It gives you all of the shade that you need during those sunny summer days. Moreover, it’s super stylish. It’s a chic addition to any wardrobe whether for poolside or park days.

2. Floppy Crochet Sun Hat by Heart Hook Home

Here’s another wide-brim crochet sun hats pattern. It has a wider, floppy brim. You’ll use crochet thread to make this pattern. This is a great lightweight yarn choice for summer! Then you’ll starch it to get the shape that you want. It’s easier than you might think.

3. Stop & Rewind Sun Hat by A Crocheted Simplicity

This is an easy, adorable crochet sun hats pattern. Moreover, in addition to adult sizes, this has children’s and doll sizes as well. You could easily make these for the whole family.

4. Wide Brim Sun Hat by Jenny and Teddy

A great brim is one of the best characteristics of good crochet sun hats patterns. This one shows how you can have a lacy, openwork design on the brim. It’s fun to crochet. Moreover, it allows you to get both breeze and shade when you wear it. This is a winner, for sure.

5. Amazing Grace Blissful Summer Hat by Beatrice Ryan Designs

Working with bulky yarn in the summer can sound terrible. However, don’t discount it. It’s all about choosing the right bulky yarn. For example, working with cotton yarn can be cooling and comfortable, even in a bulky weight. The benefit, of course, is that this hat works up quickly thanks to that smart yarn choice. You get a bucket hat with a roll-up brim in a great two-color design.

6. Let The Sun Shine Hat Pattern by My Hobby is Crochet

This crochet hat pattern uses front crossed and back crossed double crochet stitches. Otherwise, the stitches are basic. Therefore, you can learn something new without too much stress when you make this women’s crochet sun hat this summer.

7. Lily Sugar ‘n Cream Sun Hat from Yarnspirations

The bright yellow color makes this a terrific summer hat. It’s bold, fun, and sunny. Worked primarily in double crochet stitches using cotton yarn, this is a quick and easy make.

8. Caron SS Crochet Ribbing Hat

This isn’t a traditional crochet sun hat. It’s a bit thicker thanks to the dense ribbed texture. However, it’s perfect for cooler summer evenings. Moreover, it has a distinctly nautical feel that’s perfect for summer styling.

Knit Braids: Adding to Your BiCrafty Knit Hat (Knitting Lessons for Crocheters, Lesson 12)

June 16, 2021 By Marly Bird 1 Comment

Hi Bootcampers! I’m excited today because you’re going to learn a great new technique: knit braids. Specifically, we’re going to add the Latvian Braid to your first knit hat. This is a unique technique that even advanced knitters often don’t know. And yet, it’s actually a fairly simple way to create texture and visual intrigue. I’m excited that you’re at this next step in your journey. And I’m also excited about the other things you might learn as you work on this knit hat over the next few weeks!

BiCrafty Bootcamp Month 3: What to Expect

As I discussed in last week’s live video, I’m excited to show you some new skills this month as we continue working on this knit hat. In addition to the knit braids technique we’re learning this week, some of the things we might incorporate into this pattern include:

Cables – they’re easier than you think!
Colorwork – possibly simple stranding colorwork
Increases and decreases – maybe with lace stitch
Working with DPNs

And I’m totally open to suggestions from all of you about the things you’re ready to learn!

First Knit Hat in the Round Latvian Braid

What Are Knit Braids?

You can create knit braids in a variety of different ways. In fact, you can use cabling to create knit braids. However, the Latvian braid is its own unique technique. Often worked in two colors, it’s a surprisingly easy way to create texture. It’s perfect for the brim of a hat. In fact, I used it for my Chill Out Winter Hat free pattern, which you might want to take a look at if you’re curious about what it looks like.

Crocheter’s Edge

As we talked about in last week’s video, you really need to start worrying about gauge now. It didn’t matter so much in our previous projects. However, you want your knit hat to fit right. The good thing is that as a crocheter you probably already know about gauge. Check the video around 29 minutes in if you do need more info on this.

Knitter’s Tips for Crocheters

Many crochet braids projects simply take sections of crochet and braid them like you might braid hair. You can make knit braids like that, too, of course. However, there are a lot of great knitting techniques that create braided looks with the knitting itself. Open yourself to this awesome idea. As you’ll see, the Latvian braid is an easy, fun technique.

This Week’s BiCrafty Bootcamp Pattern

If you did last week’s homework, then you should now have the eight rounds of ribbing that start the brim of your hat. You may have already done the next step, which is to switch to your larger needles and knit one round. We covered how to do that in last week’s video.

Follow along with the live broadcast as Marly walks you through the Latvian Braid on the BiCrafty Community Complementary Hat.

Learn Latvian Braid with Marly

Choose two colors of yarn and designate one to be the main color (MC) and one to be the contrasting color (CC). Continue with the instructions.

Round 1: *K1 MC, K1 CC; rep from * around.

This round forms the “base” of your braid. It isn’t visible from the bottom of the braid, but it is the horizontal line of stitches you see in between each round of twists you’re about to create. Traditionally you work the same color on Round 1 as is worked on Round 2, (MC over MC, CC over CC, etc). Bring both yarns to the front of the work.

Round 2: *P1 MC. Bring CC under MC (twisting yarns), P1 CC. Bring MC under CC (twisting yarns); repeat from * around.

Reminder: Do not take the time here to untwist the yarns. They will become untwisted on Rnd 3 when you switch the direction of twist.

Round 3: *P1 MC, bring CC over MC (twisting yarns), P1 CC, bring CC over MC (twisting yarns); rep from * around.

If done correctly, once you have worked every stitch in the round, your two yarns will become totally untwisted, ready to work in whatever patterning is called for on subsequent rounds.

Drop CC…do not cut!

Next Round: Knit with MC.

Get the next section of the hat here: https://marlybird.com/bicrafty-bootcamp-complementary-hat-stranded-knitting/