Having chosen my poncho pattern, I used scraps from my wool basket to crochet a swatch. Most of the wool in there is left over from knitting socks and is quite thin. Too thin for the size of my crochet hook. There is too much space between stitches. But the multicolour yellow/orange/brown yarn looks much better, in the fourth and top rows. So I decided to spin a yarn matching that thickness. I spun almost 400 g of a wonderfully squishy yarn:
Then I did some calculations and worked out that the finished poncho would weigh at least a kilogram - 2.2 pounds. That's really too much. We went to town yesterday and I bought a finer crochet hook. I crocheted another swatch:
Yes indeed - and wearing something that weighs over a kilo would perhaps not be very comfortable! I like the colours.
ReplyDeleteI do like the multi-coloured wool, I think this poncho is going to look gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate you taking the time to post your process for choosing yarn for a project. It helps me understand the importance of swatching. I think I would have made the same choice you did. Although squishy yarn is wonderful, that would be a heavy poncho. I'm determined that I will be spinning yarn good enough to knit or crochet with some day.
ReplyDeleteOh you will Diane. I do hope to convince people that swatching is worthwhile!
DeleteThose are pretty!! :)
ReplyDelete