I want to crochet my first throw for my couch, but I have no idea what yarn to use. I don't want to use wool, is a synthetic a good way to go?
Also, any tips or tricks for a beginner? How many skeins would be needed for a decent sized (maybe 3.5'x5') throw?
Thanks!
Posted Apr 1, 2015, 7:18 AM UTC
I personally love Caron Simply Soft.
I had a skein of this laying around for some socks I was going to make but have decided to use it for my throw instead. Love it!
Acrylic will be cheapest and can be quite warm and snuggly. Caron one pound is a bit on the thicker side, so it works up quickly, and it's fairly cheap especially with coupons. The corner to corner throw is popular if you want to try that, or just browse Ravelry. Checking projects is also a great suggestion though if you find a pattern, read through it and realize it's terrible, you can always download a new one.
I usually use acrylic or an acrylic blend for throws, just because of the cost factor. I like Hobby Lobby I love this yarn, Red Heart With Love, and Sincerely Purl Essence Everyday (I think it is a Joann Fabrics thing). In my opinion, these work up great and are fairly soft for acrylic as long as you don't over dry them.
As for how many skeins, I think that depends on your pattern. I made a blanket for my nephew that was just about 4' by 4' and I used not quite 6 skeins. It probably would have been just 5 skeins, but it was rainbow so I had 6 colors going.
Tips and tricks.
If you are going to do multiple colors, choose a pattern that changes in rows. My first blanket was for a baby and I chose a pattern that had you change colors a few times in each row. It made me want to cry.
Don't be afraid to work in the round. Although, if you want a rectangle, I am not sure how many patterns there are out there for working in the round and making a rectangle. If you do do something in the rounds, make sure you do the corners right. It's really all about the corners.
If you find a pattern on Ravelry, look at the projects page. See how the ones made by people who didn't write the pattern turned out. See if they had comments. If all the projects look junky and the comments all complain about a poorly written pattern, it's probably a bad choice.
Search Ravelry and use that remember and compare button. I search for everything I want first (blanket, yarn weight, hook size, in the round or not, shape, etc) and see what I get. Then I take some of the criteria away and see what else is out there. Sometimes I just choose Blanket and then type a letter of the alphabet in just to see what comes up. there are literally thousands of pattern on there.
edit for words
I 2nd what u/Lephera says, but if it's your first throw, I would choose an easy ripple or chevron pattern. They're good to learn with, and very easy to customize colors and stripes if you want.
You can search on Ravelry, or just go to a yarn manufacturer's site and find tons of free patterns too. They'll tell you how much yarn you'll need if you use the type they specify. Beginner-friendly patterns are easy to search for on Red Heart and Yarnspirations websites, although Premier and Lion have some good collections going now.
Wow! Thank you, what a great comment!
I'm thinking something like this in a grey.
I'll take a look through the store to see if any of the alcrylics catch my eye. Thanks for the tips! I don't have anyone in my life who crochets so it's great to get some experienced advice :)