Patons Iced Yarn Review

My local JoAnn Fabric and Crafts store was clearancing out a bunch of Patons Iced Yarn, and of course, I couldn't pass up a good deal, especially since there was a coupon for 25% off my total purchase on top of the already discounted price! I had no idea what I was going to make with this yarn when I purchased it, and to be honest, until I saw it sitting in the clearence bin, I never really noticed it. The shiny silver specks woven into the yarn caught my eye. The feel of it was a bit....itchy....at first, but there are many yarns that feel as though they may itch, but when worked up, they feel very soft and comfy. 

4 skeins came home with me, and I decided to work up my own cowl pattern. I will be writting the pattern for this, so be on the look out for it's release! 

Patons Iced is 3.5oz, 98 yards, or 67% acrylic, 30% wool, and 3% polyester. Even though there are sections of yarn that thin out, this yarn is considered super bulky. From the outside, that seems pretty obvious. I was actually a bit throw off by how thing the yarn gets. It goes down to a medium weight, and then flows back into the super bulky. I used a 10mm hook as I worked. 

The pros of this yarn is that it works up really well. It flows over the hook easily, and even in the sections that aren't as bulky, it's not difficult to keep your stitches consistant. The fact that it is verigated in size actually gives whatever you are working on a really fun look. The silver sparkley piece that is woven into the yarn is extra fun! Who doesn't love shiny things? It also lays very nicely when your work is done. It's not stiff, and certainly doesn't itch at all like I thought it would. 

The cons, the skein is small. It took almost 2 skeins of yarn for the cowl I made. The other con is that, if you need to frog your work, it doesn't always pull apart easily. 

In the end, the pros far outweigh the cons. I am glad this yarn caught my eye when it did. I will be sure to work with it more in the future. 

If you would like to purchase this cowl, visit my shop at www.etsy.com/shop/SassyGingers

Charisma Yarn and Azel Pullover Pattern Review

About a year ago, I was given some Charisma yarn as a gift. It was soft and gorgeous and I had no idea what I was going to do with it. There it sat, waiting for the perfect idea to inspire. There it continued to sit while mermaid tails took over my life. Then, I was asked if I could make something for a silent auction, and suddenly, new life was found within these threads!

The silent auction is for my friend Jamie's dad. He has Multiple Myeloma and has had a very long road, and continues to face challenges ahead. You can read a bit more about Jon and the Mulitple Myeloma here.

I had purchased the Azel Pullover from The Velvet Acorn on Etsy a few months ago after a friend asked if it was something I could make. I decided to put it in my stash of patterns, and I am so glad I did! I had about a week to make something for the auction and I was looking for something both sweet, versitile, and would work up quickly.

Let me just say that between this pattern and that yarn, I had found the perfect match! The Charisma yarn is so soft and warm, and my favorite part....it doesn't split when you are working with it. I have worked with soft yarns that are so fuzzy and nice, but when you insert the hook, it's hard to tell where you inserted it, and the yarn tends to split. Charisma, on the other hand, stays together very well!

I had just enough to make a child's sized 5/6. I was able to work it up in a few hours. The pattern was incerdibly simple to follow, I found some fun buttons to add to it, and suddenly, I had an adorable poncho style pullover that will make some little girl happy and warm this winter. If you have a chance to work with Charisma yarn or to use a pattern from The Velvet Acorn, you really should!!

Crochet Pattern Review: Knee High Socks

Months ago, a friend of mine tagged me in a photo of knee high slipper socks on facebook, asking me if I was able to make them. The problem was, her photo was of a knit pair of socks, and I just never was able to pick up on that particular craft. After catching up on mermaid tails, I decided to set out to find a crochet pattern for these adorable socks!

They kind of remind me of Punky Brewster! Something about all the colors make me smile. These are the pair I made from the pattern, and they are now available in my shop . 

The pattern comes from the creative mind of a gal named Clarissa at AspenCustomCrochet on Etsy. The pattern is listed for $3.50, and worth every penny! It is listed as "intermediate", and I think this is a very accurate description. I would not attempt this as a beginner. What you need to know for this pattern:

Single Crochet (sc)

Half Double Crochet (HDC)

Double Crochet (DC)

Front Post Double Crochet (FPDC)

Front Post Triple Crochet (FPTC)

Magic Circle (MC)

Slip Stitch (SL ST)

The description when you purchase also mentions that you will need to know how to increase and decrease which you use when creating the toe and the heel. Knowing how to chaneg colors on each round will also be helpful. You will also want to have a good needle for sewing in the ends, as there will be a lot! 

Another reason why the intermediate rating is accurate, is becuase you may have to do some of your own tweaking to make these fit you around the calf. There are a few rows of SC just above the ankle that work to keep the sock from slipping off, however, that same stitch up around the calf muscle didn't work for me. It was too tight. Instead, I decided to continue with DC, and then towards the top where the rows of blue are I decided to do a HDC and crochet behind the stitch to give it a knit look. This allowed for a bit more flexability around the calf, yet still snug enough to not fall down.

The other fantastic part about this pattern is that it comes with 3 different sizes, and you can adjust the colors ot fit any style you want! It is also versitile enough that if you need to make the sock wider, you can easily add a few more stitches. You can add your own flare using a ribbon through the top, a larger flower, or buttons. There are endless possibilities here.

All this said, go check out AspenCustomCrochet!! These will make some great gifts for any gal in your life!

Happy Hooking Y'all!