Crochet and knitting – does size matter? Guest post.

Imagine my excitement when Lou bravely asked me to pen (or should it be type?) a guest post for Make, Do, Sew! I generally blog about anything and everything handmade, mostly about crochet, my current go-to craft. So I volunteered to cover something crafty, to fit in with ‘Make’, and have been musing on what to talk about, and also ask you about, dear reader.

Since I started knitting and crocheting last April I’ve always used a ‘standard’ size of hooks or needles, between 3mm and 5mm. But one day I was flicking through my copy of Inside Crochet and something potentially very exciting flashed in front of my eyes.

This thing was a pattern for a bag (I have a serious weakness for bags) made from t-shirt fabric yarn, with a 10mm crochet hook!! I was immediately hooked (please pardon the pun) and ordered the yarn (called Zpagetti from a company called Hoooked – yes there are three Os) and a shiny new bejewelled hook.

It took a few minutes to get used to wielding a hook so much bigger than I’m used to, and the yarn was less forgiving than a standard DK, but once I got the hang of it, there was no stopping me! What was really great for an impatient being like me, was the speed that the bag took shape. And once the bag shape became more apparent, I saw that it wouldn’t even need lining – bonus!

Completing the pattern made me think about what else I could make with a t-shirt fabric yarn. I trawled online and found some similar yarn, called Hoopla, this time in two fabulously bright colours.

I felt that my bag needed some embellishment, so followed an Attic24 pattern to hook up an anything-but ‘teeny tiny star’. With a few chain stitches to create a loop over a fuchsia button at the star’s centre, the bag was properly finished!

A yarn like Zpagetti gives anything you create a real feeling of sturdiness – that you’ve made something that’s built to last. The bag stands up beautifully, and is perfect for transporting new knitting and crochet projects to my weekly craft group.

And that project has made me think that maybe size does matter when it comes to crafting. I’ve now started knitting a Suzie Johnson-designed pyjama case for my niece, and this time I’ve gone even bigger – size 12mm needles! Again, it’s perfect when you’re in the mood to make something quickly – which such chunky yarn (I’m using Rowan Big Wool) and fat needles, it’s coming together at a rate of knots.

So, although generally my first instinct would be to craft with a ‘standard-size’ hook or needles, I would fish out something a lot bigger if I needed to make an emergency present, or wanted to turn a doily pattern into a floor mat (don’t think I haven’t already considered doing that!).

What size hooks or needles do you usually use? Have you thought about super-sizing your crafts?

You can follow my ramblings and join in my bespectacled conversations on my blog, I’d love to hear from you! And thank you so much for having me over here, Lou!

Sarah x

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