Level Up Your Crochet For A High End Look
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- Опубліковано 15 чер 2024
- These tips will help you level up your crochet game and change them from looking home made to high end!
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My email is shannon@shannontalksyarn.com
I hope you have a wonderful weekend and get lots of crocheting done! ❤
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Long time crocheter, newer knitter. I rarely say this but I personally believe that nicer yarn makes a better wearable. Pilling is my #1 pet peeve. I will buy more expensive yarn on sale. I'm making my 1st knitted cardigan so I did opt for cheaper yarn. As I get better, I'll be going for the good stuff. 😊 If you are going to spend all of that time making something, you can buy nicer yarn even on a budget.
I think that sounds like a really smart plan! I agree, it would be devastating to spend so much time just to have your garment pill up!!!
While I agree that a nicer yarn makes a nicer looking wearable, being a high end yarn doesn't mean that it won't pill.
Wool is notorious for pilling in areas of friction.
If I had a dollar for every review I've read of yarns from LYS that still pill up or don't wear well at all.
It's not homemade, it's couture. 😂
Is what I like to tell myself when I wear my homemade stuff.
I love that soooo much!!! ❤️
I'm absolutely stealing this!!
When I was a young teen (in the 80s) we were taught crochet in school. I wasn't interested then but, a few years ago I learned again through UA-cam. Recently I realised that the quality of the yarn does matter. My stitches are so much more defined that I keep looking at them with a smile on my face. I buy more expensive yarn on sale. Nudes are my go-to colours for myself.
It sounds like we’re about the same age! I wish we would have had crochet in school….just basic sewing. I agree, nice yarn can make such a big difference!!!!
Hi Shannon! Every time you post a video, I have this feeling of wanting to pick up the phone, so"we" can continue the discussion! Your channel is so seriously thought-provoking, and in the best way!
Good morning Lisbeth! Sorry that took me so long to get back to you! I was exhausted from work last night and went to bed super early! I hope your weekend is starting off well! Our snow from yesterday is almost melted but we’ll see what tomorrow brings lol! Thank you so much for being here my Friend! ❤️
Excellent presentation-spot on. As I guy, for some time I have been making winter scarves that I give to charity. It’s always a trial to find acrylic yarns that can give me the correct presentation of something special, in terms of softness, color, stitch, and warmth-I never give anything to charity that I won’t wear myself. For my personal gift list of scarves for this year, I am currently testing a blend of soft baby Llama and Mulberry silk, with a 3.5mm hook. The trick is to get the right stitch that gives the softness, and luxurious feel and look for mens scarves. Looking forward to more from you.
Thank you for adding your voice to the conversation, I really appreciate it! I would agree, there doesn’t seem to be enough focus on men’s garments. I know anyone can wear anything, but I always feel like men’s garments should have just a little more structure and weight to them, hopefully that makes sense! I believe the channel Two Brothers Blankets has a pattern book she just put on menswear, and from what I’ve seen, it looks good! You are also 💯 right, charity donations should be something you would want to wear, not the projects that don’t meet our standards! Good luck on your current WIP and thank you again for watching and commenting!
I think there is more to having a well made item than just the yarn. Your technical skills / finishing abilities can be the difference between looking beginner handmade or looking more polished. If you have irregular tension or maybe your hexagon blanket has poor seaming it's not going to matter how nice your yarn is. You will end up with an average looking item. These things only come with time and practice. I also think choosing a pattern that is not too busy and sticking to a basic or neutral colour is the secret to having a classic timeless piece. Work on improving your skills and then invest in quality yarn.
I couldn’t agree more! 😃
I have agree with this comment, these are things that you tend to learn as you go.
Definitely!
I agree. Colors like grey black and white look good with almost every other color you combine them with.
Yes they do!
Hi Shannon,My mother was a dress maker and she was absolutely awesome she was able to look at a photo and then make the item and it was always a perfect fit and was finished better than something off the rake. She was very sort after for her skills.I have really enjoyed your talk this podcast and when I make something it needs to be perfect.I love buying beautiful high end yarns as I get a beautiful drape and finish
Your Mom sounds a lot like my Grandma! ❤️
Thank you so much for watching and commenting, I really appreciate it! I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🫶🏻
I also think combining textures. Like combining a crochet sweater with some nice pants or a nice bag in leather can look very put together. 😊
I totally agree!!!! Great tip 😃
I'm a fan of Wilma Westenberg's patterns and I made a shawl from one of her designs. It was an earthy pallet of color changes that looked like I changed colors a lot. It looks a little too big (I used medium weight yarn) and "homemade", but I wore it to the Ohio Rennaisance Festival, and it was fun meeting a few people who were wearing some similar items, and we would chat excitedly about them. 😊 Thanks for your tips!
Even tho it didn’t turn out exactly how you planned, that’s still awesome! I love the Ren Fest and I bet it was perfect there! I’ll have to check out that designer, thanks for the tip! 😃
Now I want to know which pattern it was.
She has great designs
@@vegangelist I know! I love all her designs too. I believe the shawl I made was the Ana Lucia pattern.
@mycozygardencottage apparently that shawl has been in my ravelry queue for just over 5 years.
So many beautiful shawls to make.
Navy is another good “neutral” high-end colour.
With fabrics that fade over time, I dye mine when they start to fade so solid colours with a natural yarn are good for that dying and re-dying to keep it looking fresh.
I agree, it is a great neutral! And thanks for the great tip! 😃
One thing that I am definitely going to start doing is making sweaters with size 3 yarn instead of 4. They just feel way too bulky for me and for the people I've made them for.
I agree with you so much on that!!! I think it will really take the quality (or perceived quality) up a notch. I bet you’ll love the results! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Even 2 or 1 for sweaters will give a finer look.
I feel high end is quality fibers, and for me, that is the luxury. And I really do enjoy & notice the quality by feel. It matters.
I’ve been making it a priority for me to actually use my good yarn on projects for me, instead of just having them in my stash and I’m loving it! Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
Thank you so much for talking about fit!!! I do bespoke sweaters and fit is everything! Stitch pattern, hook size, and yarn choice (fiber and color) are important but if you don’t have a good fit, you will not have a polished, high end look.
💯! And wouldn’t it be a bummer to use expensive yarn on a garment, just to have it look cheap due to a poor fit!?!???
The best acrylic hands down, is Hobby Lobby's I Love This Yarn, it's like pure butter and does not split whatsoever or get fuzzy. It's only $3.49 every other week on their 30% off yarn sales
I love their yarn also! It's extremely nice value yarn!
@@Simply_Living_in_a_Small_Town 💜💜💜
It is a wonderful yarn to work with! I’ve never had one that I didn’t enjoy working with and it’s got a good “squish” if you know what I mean! Thanks for posting!!!
It really is!
@@ShannonTalksYarn yw 😀
Hi Shannon. Very interesting info. I enjoyed "talking with you" while I'm crocheting.
Hi Kelly! Thanks for joining me and letting me chat your ear off when you crochet! 🥰🥰🥰
Hi, I'm Lyn from South Africa. I haven't been crocheting long but i really liked your piece on high-end quality as I think I've been aware of that when I'm making my stuff. I haven't made many clothes yet as I'm still working up my game/stitching but I do look at the more expensive but glamorous yarns and I promise myself I'll be in that league eventually. Best wishes from SA.
Hello! Thanks for watching and commenting! You will definitely keep improving as you keep crocheting! 🫶🏻
I love this, these tips work for knitting as well. One thing I think that helps is what stitches are used. Like certain stitches in crochet and knitting just look more handmade or more "cheap" than others. Or in knitting certain knitting techniques look messy.
Yeeees!!! I totally agree! I know it’s not a big deal but I just don’t like the look of double crochet in beanies. (I know, an odd thing to have a beef with 😂) But my brain registers it as handmade/cheap! Great point!!! 🫶🏻
Great ideas :) I totally agree about the saturation- I think we became obsessed with the "faded" and "distressed" look for a while, but the reality is it just makes your clothes seem old and worn in. Also fitting! My pet peeve is making this fit in the shoulder instead of always having a dropped shoulder - so much more upscale looking!
You said it perfectly Megan! (Did I spell your name right or wrong?) Worn out and faded may be comfy, but it’s just not upscale! And you are 100 right about the drop shoulder!!! And I don’t think we even think about those type of details when picking out patterns a lot of the time 🤦🏻♀️
Absolutely, that’s what I strive for. I crochet everyday for at least 8 hours. I only use high end yarns. Not a snob but I hate the feel of cheap yarn.
That’s awesome! I don’t think that makes you a snob at all, but you should definitely use supplies that you enjoy using. And you can 100 💯 feel the difference when you’re crocheting!!!
@@ShannonTalksYarn Absolutely !!! Thats what its all about🥰
Who times themselves, 😮
@@PEDALSnPROJECTS I do ! 😁
Hi Shannon 🤗 love the clipboard! Looovvve you more! I could listen to you talk for hours! Thank you for all your great tips! Noted! ✔️🥰🧶🤩
I couldn’t resist, I felt just like you! ❤️❤️❤️ I hope you had a wonderful weekend my dear friend. I’m getting closer to being done with my piece for our collab!!!
Love all the colors surrounding you!!😮
Thank you so much Maureen! I appreciate it! 😃
Great video thank you. I’ve often thought the same thing about fiber choices elevating the look of your piece. I think every yarn has its place - acrylic is my “go to” for baby blankets for its ease in caring for it but for garments I have adopted a new standard to achieve just what you’re saying -a higher end look.
Hi Stephanie! Yep I agree with you, acrylic definitely has a time and a place but upscale garments probably aren’t one of them. Im glad you’re enjoying leveling up the garments you’re crocheting!
Thank you!! This was so helpful. 🥰
I'm so glad!
Oh I completely agree with the correct yarn for the project, it can make or break it for sure! I make baby dresses a lot and if I use a stiffer yarn vs a nice drape type you can tell such a difference! I will always go for the more expensive yarn for those 😊
That a perfect example of why it’s so important!!!
First time viewer snd I agree 100%. I have some acrylics but don’t go crazy buying just bc they are on sale. I’d rather not buy anything just bc it’s on sale and buy the high end yarns for special projects.
Hello and welcome! Sounds like you and I have similar views on buying yarn! 😃
Because you're a pro. I keep using cheaper for the most part but maybe if I spend the money I'll get better naturally 😵💫
I may do another response video to this, Shannon, in a sort of philosophical way - addressing the "tailoring" aspect of how our finished crocheted pieces appear. Great topic, of course, as usual! I think I'll have to re-watch and take notes! 💞💕
I would LOVE to watch your response! I enjoy all your videos but I love when we bounce back and forth and address topics from similar but different angles!
Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.
You’re very welcome!
Great information in the video...thank you!
Hi Elaine, thank you so much for watching and commenting!
Good advice. Thank you!😊❤
You’re welcome! And thank you Joan, I hope you’re doing well and enjoying your weekend! 🫶🏻❤️🫶🏻
Great advice. Thanks
You’re very welcome! 😊
Hi Shannon, I enjoyed your video. Good suggestions and advice for the person who wants to know how to improve their projects. I'm working on 3 projects lately. I have a blanket l am making for Boggy Creek. I found a blanket that is made with a variegated colors. I'm using that yarn and using a solid turquoise color to make it pop. I think it looks good 😊. Another project is little squares in Tunisian stitch. It's Jayda's pattern. I'm making squares with scrap yarn. The last project is a cotton blanket in a green maraled color.
Girl, you have a lot going on!!! That’s awesome! Your blankets sound like they will be beautiful! I’m still intimidated by Tunisian but Cydney keeps encouraging me to try it so someday I will lol. I hope you have a wonderful weekend ❤️❤️❤️
I'm just making small squares so l just use a regular crochet hook. It isn't hard at all. Like all things it just takes practice 😊.
New subscriber here. I love this conversation. Thank you. ❤
Thank you so much and welcome, I’m glad you’re here! I appreciate you watching and commenting too 🫶🏻
Very well said, Shannon; thank you so much! CAB😊
Thank you so much, and thanks for watching and commenting!
Super helpful! Thanks for this video!!!
Thank you Jess! And you’re welcome 😃
@@ShannonTalksYarn 😊
Fantastic tips ❤
Thank you so much Crystal! I appreciate you watching and commenting ❤️
Enjoyed your video. Good topic.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!
Crafters secret is a kitchen cotton for dishcloths and those two yarns are not meant for the same projects. 😂
Great information, Shannon! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Thank you Jessie! All your projects all ready look like a million bucks!
@@ShannonTalksYarn you’re welcome! Awe thank you so much.. that is very kind of you! ♥️😊
Hi Shannon ! I love your thought-provoking and inspirational videos so much. I thought about and could relate to what you discussed. I am much more attracted to natural fibers & muted palettes as I get older & progress along my crochet journey. I still have a lot of acrylic yarn of varying quality/ colors. One idea have along these lines that you briefly touched on: (maybe you could do a follow up post with comments suggestions on how to level up yarn in your stash!) - is to pair some of those variegated skeins with nice solid color and/or halo or natural fiber strand. Such as holding two separate yarns together to make a bulky etc. People do this in baskets, but it can be done with wearables & decor pieces too. It really creates a higher level of sophistication and interest as some of the beautiful marled yarns have. I’m going to be doing this with some of my stash! Thanks for your video, have a great weekend.
I absolutely love that idea for a video, thank you!!! I’m like you, my preferences have definitely changed and evolved as time has gone on. I absolutely love pairing yarns together for a different look. You’ve really got me thinking, thanks again!!!! That is going to the top of my list, I’m excited about that 😃😃😃
@@ShannonTalksYarn how awesome! I’m definitely looking forward to this, such a refinement from destashing randomly. To really blend and repurpose different types of yarns can be both artistic and practical.
Spot on commentary!
Thank you so much! And thanks for watching and commenting!
Just found your channel. Nice
Thanks! And thanks for watching!
Great tips
Thank you Claire! I wish I would have been at your recent lives, I was stuck at work!
I am using Scarfie yarn to make a hooded cardigan for my mom. It is super soft wool blend yarn.
I have seen some Quivik yarn. And if I get the money I want to make her a hat. She would love it because of the material.
Scarfie is a BEAUTIFUL yarn, I’m sure your mom’s cardigan will be amazing! I’ve never heard of Quivik yarn, I’ll have to check it out!
@ShannonTalksYarn it is made from musk ox or yak.
Honest: I first heard about from Molly of Denali on PBS kids. It is supposed to be super soft and warm like wool buy not itchy.
@LyrasStitchery I’m super curious now!
I like the crafty look on younger generation but as im getting older i would like the higher end look but definitely not look like store bought either
I get that, it makes a lot of sense!
That whimsy-vest is sooo pretty, is there a pattern?😍
Thank you so much! Here’s a video where I give more detail of the vest: Everything I Crocheted during a 3 Day Blizzard - Caron Cakes!
ua-cam.com/video/yUnkSCWmH1E/v-deo.html
I should definitely go add that to the description, I don’t know why I didn’t think of that 🤷🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️😂
I made some alterations to Hecktanooga1’s mandala vest. But it’s like 98% her pattern! It’s super easy and doesn’t take a ton of yarn either 😀
Thank you🙏🏽 definitely gonna watch ☺️
I went from you Joannes video to this, then subbed who would have thought. I do acrylic yarn, I like soft yarn live being able to touch. Michaels for me is like a once around the isle walk, nada I want to buy. Hobby Lobby, is newer for me, usually that side of town when sale isn’t on.
Part B , enjoyed your explanation on type of yarn with look. My knitting mentor will make baby blankets, feather and fan her go to in solids, even gold. Love the look, me I’m more into bright happy colors, that parents want. I enjoy both, good news still doing blankets. One of these days will worry about gauge, structure. You explained what she was trying to show me. Thank you.
That’s so awesome, hello and welcome! I appreciate you watching and commenting! I totally have had the same experience with Hobby Lobby. It’s an hour away and I’m definitely not buying on a full price week lol! 😂
Hey, everything takes time and builds on itself. Don’t worry about other aspects, just focus on what you’re doing now! Take that from a person who gets herself overwhelmed easy lol!! 😂 Anyway, I’m glad I could help! ❤️
Love this post! Perfect in every way…I suggest your “rocket ship” top shelf translates a little too literally . I get you’re trying to fill the triangle in back ground 🤷♀️…I’m an old gal but did photo display for retail. Maybe just tilt the top skein and shift the balls of yarn to stagger…so it isn’t so eterect🤔😉
I was noticing that when I was editing! 😂🤦🏻♀️ and I have 2 other videos filmed like this too!
What chemicals are used in different yarns because im beginning to wonder if baby blankets are good for babies since they can breath in the fibers
That’s a good question! I’m not certain but there are some yarn certified to be free of 300 or so chemicals. I think it’s called Eko-Tek, but I can’t remember off the top my head!
My first garment for myself (a cardigan) used CotLin yarn - same as designer used. I noticed it has pilled after only 3 wears. Really disappointing. I’m going to look for a sweater shaver.
Oh nooo, that’s disappointing!! Yes, hopefully the shaver helps!
You don't have to be so apologetic about what you are saying about yarn most people who crochet are probably older and are not easily offended. Great info, I do appreciate your information.
Thank you for the encouragement and support! It’s so hard to know what offends people! Although I’ve found sometimes it’s not even anything you’d think lol! And I appreciate you watching and commenting! 😃
hard agree with all of this! another thing that looks low quality to me is flimsy bralette straps. so risky but also just offers bad support and looks like you didn't want to take the time to add durable straps
Oh.My.Gosh.YES! I couldn’t agree more. They are so flimsy and will probably stretch out the first time it’s worn!!!! Thank you for posting that!
What’s halo yarn please?
I might have been talking about the fuzz on a yarn that creates a halo or the Caron Halo yarn that was originally an O’go but now it’s a cake. It’s crazy soft and has seamless ombres!
@@ShannonTalksYarn thank you!
@@dawnbrumbaugh5 YW!
💜💜💜
👋 hi Denise!
❤❤😊😊
I enjoyed your video but i have to respectfully disagree in that many designer (high end) crochet fashion is quite colorful with polyester yarns being used. I wonder if it is more about design and the audience who loves and wears those designs. I agree that garments need to feel great and have to work with the design and desired drape, fit, and garment care.
I definitely don’t have anything against acrylic yarns, I love them! Are you referring to brands like Mau Mau? (Is that how it’s spelled??) those pieces are CRAZY EXPENSIVE aren’t they!?!?!? I agree with you, I think it’s about the audience. Thank you so much for watching and commenting, I really appreciate it! 😃
@@ShannonTalksYarn yes! And Oscar de La Renta. Really gorgeous stuff. But personally, I love neutrals too! I didn't think you were knocking synthetic fibers. And "designer" looks may be a little different than "high end" now that I think about it. Thank you for being willing to have this discussion. I was thinking that a crocheter's skills and stitch quality are also important. My earlier crochet skills definitely impacted the look and feel of the garments I made. Once again, thank you for this video. :)
@detoig I haven’t seen any Oscar de la renta crochet, you know I’m going to have to google that now! 😂😂😂 I totally agree with you about some of my early work, the stitches definitely leave something to be desired 😬 and on top of that, I wasn’t experienced enough to know what to look for in a project/pattern. So that also lead to some questionable results 😂
And for the record, I appreciate the conversation! 🫶🏻
I own zero Worsted weight 😂
That’s funny! I have a lot but have recently found out I like some lighter weights so I’ll slowly be adding those to my stash!
@@ShannonTalksYarn Yes especially if the yarn feels good, the lighter weights are easier to use and like you aaid, drape is everything!
Acrylic is never high end snd dont look like high end.
You get what you pay for, right!?!?!? 😃
What do you use..I feel cotton gets heavy