Experimenting with huge yarn

When I go to my local big box craft store I often go through the yarn section to see what new yarns have arrived. Sometimes I don’t notice an interesting yarn until it gets to the “clearance” section.

A while ago I found some very large diameter yarn in the clearance section. To give you an idea, the label says it is size (7), and recommends knitting needles US size 35, or crochet hook US size “S”. (US size hooks start with “A”, and go up to “S” currently.)

I had wanted to try using that size yarn while braiding with my lucet. I did try it. However, the braid didn’t come out as something I wanted to use on a regular basis. I needed to find something else. I had previously purchased size “P” and “Q” size crochet hooks, but didn’t have an “S”. I was able to find one at another big box craft store.

I needed a pattern that would use this yarn. After going back to the clearance section, I had part of one blue skein, two black skeins, two dark gray skeins, a light gray skein, and a cream colored skein. What could I do? I started searching online. I searched by the brand name, and included the word “pattern”. I ended up finding a pattern for a basket made from this yarn.

I had a decision to make, I could either make the largest basket with six skeins, or I could make two smaller baskets with 3 skeins each. Hmmm. I ended up deciding to make two smaller ones, but... I would likely make changes.

So I started crocheting. The pattern called for a smaller hook that the label did, so I could have started this project earlier had I known. I’m not used to crocheting in the round, so I read through several of my crochet books that have projects in the round. I got out my row markers. I was ready to start.

When I was originally playing with the yarn I experimented with the blue skein first. Unfortunately, the skein had some knots where the manufacturer had run out of yarn in one ply, and had tied on another bit of yarn to continue. I could understand that; it’s what they do in smaller yarns as well. Unfortunately, because of the size of yarn the knots ended up rather large. So I had cut the skein and rolled it into three different size balls. I used the smallest ball to experiment with. I would start the basket with one of the blue partial skein balls.

Did I mention that I usually don’t crochet in the round? Yep, I crocheted, pulled out, and re-crocheted the beginning rows several times. Finally I got to a point that it was coming out correctly. I got to thinking. It was round, and the cubby holes that I wanted to size them for are square. Around the time I ran out of the blue ball I started changing the pattern so that it became more square. With each round I carefully added half double and double crochet stitches in what would become each corner.

Finally the base was big enough that it was time to create the walls of the basket. I used a slip stitch to fasten off each row, then chain stitches to start the next row. After the blue yarn to start the base I used black next. When that ran out I switched to the dark gray. I had thought to make both baskets with graduating colors, but changed my mind. I switched back to the black for the final skein.

While that basket well enough, for the second basket I decided to crochet it square from the start. Again I started with a blue ball. Then I went with the dark gray, lighter gray, and cream yarns. All in all I am pleased with the two baskets. The store is out of this yarn, so I won’t make any exactly like them again. Maybe a different basket style.