Monthly Gazette - Issue 3.05 - May 2016

Life as a crocheter: for me, as with life in general, it has some ups and down, some highly creative times and some times when you just want to sit back and put your feet up.

My crocheting, this past month, has come in spurts. Of course, that is partly because of the season and the warm sunny weather didn't have to do much to entice me to work in my gardens instead of crocheting. But, regardless, my current creation is coming along nicely. It is supposed to rain all this week, so things are looking good more lots and lots of rows being completed. 

In our community, we have just wrapped up our Quarterly Awards and our collaboration creations (the mandala, squares, and hexagons) have all been completed. We still have the Temperature Blanket in the works but my creative needs are longing for another collaboration idea. Does anyone have a great idea of what we can work on together? If you do, send me a message or post something in the community.

In the meantime.... it's time to warm up the crochet hook!
~ Debbie

Spring Awards

And The Winners Are...

Congratulations to all of our Award Winners and a special congrats to SRO-AUSTIN, for her first place creation!

Thank-you to all 20 members who participated in the Awards event and to all those who voted! 

See All Awards Results Here

Insprations

April's Top 5 Trending Creations

Editor's Gazette Choice

So many inspirational creations posted this month, (over 100, by the way) and so many items added to my "to do" list. 

This creation, by SRO-AUSTIN, is definitely added to my ever-growing list of items that I would like to make. The crocheted tree and daisies make a beautiful "photo" and are definitely fitting for a picture frame! 

I can see this creative idea as the topic for an upcoming challenge or Quarterly Awards, can't you, ? Oh the possibilities! 

Thank-you, SRO-AUSTIN, for inspiring us with your creativity and for sharing your ideas/creations! 

More Captivating Crochet.Community Creations

Theme Of The Month: Mom

What do you think of when you think of the month of May?

Well, flowers and gardening perhaps ... and, of course, "Mother's Day". 

The theme this month is all about Mom, whether it is a gift that you have made for her, something that reminds you of her, or something that mothers everywhere could use. 

Create, share, and tag your creation as "Mother". 

 

MonthlyTheme: Mother
See All Creations

Tips & Tutorials

The Multi-Strand Technique

Recently, Becot asked about multi-stranding in the forums, here, and that, of course, leads to more questions and tip sharing!

What is "multiple strand" crocheting?

I feel a little silly answering that question, as it is obviously crocheting with multiple strands of yarn, but, as you might expect, there is a little more to it. For this technique, the yarns are used as a single thread, vs using them individually as you do for a graphghan, for example. 

Why "multi-strand"?

I think MandaPanda sums it up beautifully, when she says, "they work up surprisingly quickly, and are so thick and squishy". 

Also, if you want something really sturdy (for example, a floor mat instead of a tablecloth) this method is a great way to create the desired result. 

Another benefit of the multi-strand is when you want to use one of those fancy yarns that are a bit of a headache to work with - just put it with another yarn and off you go. A little story that relates: my cousin had made a beautiful scarf for her mom and I commended her on her patience for working with such a frustrating yarn. Her response, "Not at all. I just worked it with a regular yarn and all was well." I wish I had know that trick before struggling through a scarf or two!

Tips

In the forum that started this discussion, our members were quick to respond with tips, including the following suggestion: 

  • when you are working with just one ball of yarn, wind it into two balls or, if you are daring, work from the outside as well as the centre-pull at the same time! 

One member stated that she has worked with up to 7 balls of yarn in a multiple-strand creation. Organization is key for this - having seven balls of yarn rolling around on the floor would not be a good idea! 

Also, as you can imagine, you will need a larger hook than usual. I can't imagine the size of hook used for a 7-strand item! 

So, there you have it. Some basic information on multiple-strand crocheting.

And, now, it is challenge time! 

Show Us Your Multies!

Stats & More

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