Help with homespun type yarn

[nittany168]

Hi everyone I'm new here but have been lurking for a while and admiring everyones beautiful work. I've been crocheting since I was a teenager but have just recently started trying more challenging projects.

 

I've been trying to start a Martha Stewart type poncho with a homespun like yarn (I'm not quite sure what kind it is since I purchased it at a yarn outlet) My problem is that after making the foundation chain and doing the slp st to join, I cant tell where the chains are. The yarn is fuzzy and just looks like one long string. I just keep ripping it up and starting over. I hate to give up this yarn is just beautiful. It was bagged up with 5 skeins for 5.99. Anyone near Northern IL this outlet is in Rochelle and its great.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Kathy

[FelixLake]

Working with those 'fuzzy' yarns can be tricky. Make sure you are doing the chain loosely, maybe even using a larger size hook to start with. Then, instead of looking for the opening to stitch in, do it by feel. If you miss the exact hole, it won't matter that much, since the yarn is so fuzzy, you'll never be able to tell. Just make sure you have the right number of stitches in each row.

 

You can do it, it just takes practice.

[nittany168]

Thanks for the help. I'll try a bigger hook. The problem is that after i slp st the foundation chain together I ch3 sk 1ch 3dc in next st. I'm supposed to end up with 2dc in beginning ch3 for 22 3dc groups I either end up with 20 or 21 even 23 once. That is nice about that type of yarn, I made a poncho from another patten for my sons girlfriend. I know it had a few boo boo's in it but you couldnt tell where.

 

Thanks again,

Kathy

[crochet smartcat]

Maybe as you are making your chain you could use small pieces of contrasting yarn in every other ch, just thread a small piece through the ch to mark it. Then when you are going back to do the first row, you will know to st in each marked ch and they will be easier to find. A little more work, but probably less than ripping it out over and over. I don't know if this will help, but the larger hook and this method should produce the right results.

 

 

I think once you have the dc clusters done, they will be much easier to find the right st to stitch into. Just getting that pesky first row done.

[nittany168]

Thanks soooo much. It worked, I used a larger hook plus the yarn markers. It was a little more work but it was well worth it. I've planned to make several of these ponchos for christmas presents. Thanks again

 

Kathy

[CrochetKitty]

Maybe as you are making your chain you could use small pieces of contrasting yarn in every other ch, just thread a small piece through the ch to mark it.

 

Hey, that's a great idea! I've been having the same problem. I've lost count of how many times I've had to frog my homespun poncho because it kept "growing."

[yarnbunny]

I have made 5 of the Martha Stewart ponchos. i love how fast they work up. I never used the Homespun yarn on any of then because of the same problem and also because the fuzz tends to get stuck in my contacts. (Very hard to see with fuzzy contacts)

 

I used the new Red Heart yarn "PLUSH" for three of them and Caron's Simply Soft for the other two. They came out great!! The detail on the border cam be seen a lot better because there is less fuzz to "blur" it.

 

Since you're making them for Christmas, try them with different textured yarns. They'll be the same but different!

Have fun with them. Hope we see some on Show and Tell

Yarnbunny

[CrochetAddicted74]

I am in love with Lions Brand Homespun.....what I do is knot the end of the yarn before I start working with it, which prevents it unraveling and use larger hooks. My first scarf is coming along well and having no major issues with it, love the softness...it is ruining me for my pile of Red Heart haha!

 

 

Robin