Fantasy Naturale by Plymouth

The first yarn that I picked to swatch with is Fantasy Naturale, by Plymouth. It's 100% mercerized cotton, and each skein is 100 grams, 140 yards. It's available at many local yarn shops, comes in lots of luscious colors, solid, varigated, and a new tweedy look. (I'm not sure what it's called.) The gauge is 4.5 stitches per inch, on US 8 needles. (They haven't started giving the crochet gauge yet.) I usually use an H 8, 5mm if I want a tight stitch, or an I 9 5,5mm hook if I want a looser stitch. It's a worsted weight yarn. And, I'll confess, it's one of my favorites.

(I have a lot of swatches worked in this yarn, because I play with it all the time.)

Swatch 1 - single crochet, worked in the round. You can see the stitches, and it was easy to work with. I used the H hook with this.

What this blog is all about

I decided to start a blog today about some of my favorite things that have to do with crochet. I love to play with stitch patterns - finding old ones in my collection of old crochet books - and making up new ones to use in my designs. I also love swatching with yarns that are new to me, and yarns that I have used before. I thought perhaps other crocheters and yarnies would enjoy reading about my efforts, seeing pictures of my swatches, and finding out some of the characteristics about these yarns. I also thought that perhaps they would like to swatch along with me (SAL). So this is my goal - swatch, swatch, swatch. And report my efforts to this blog.

I have an ulterior motive in doing this. In July, at the Knit and Crochet Show in New Hampshire, I am teaching a couple of classes where I can use these swatches.

I will try to post some pictures and comments this weekend.