CONTRIBUTE! Crochet Coral Reef

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The Ontario Science Centre is looking for contributors to their Satellite Crochet Coral Reef Project! Read below for all the details, instructions, and informations (and I mean ALL … I went to town with the ‘copy-cut-paste’). We have a donation box at the store where you can drop off your crocheted corals. I think it goes without saying that this is a super fun collaborative project, as well as a great way to use up bits of leftover yarn. It’s a great opportunity to explore colours and textures, and just play around with being creative – kind of like sketching with yarn.

I think it may be especially good if you’re just learning to crochet or teaching someone (you can find Crochet Tutorials HERE), because the wonkier the results are the better. When it comes to perfection, I always say that there are no straight lines in nature (or life), even the horizon is really curved:

Nature, however, does not stick to mathematical perfection and just as there is nothing in nature that is perfectly spherical, so in nature there are no perfect hyperbolics. Living forms result from imperfection, deviation and aberrancy.

HOW TO CROCHET HYPERBOLIC CORALS By the Institute For Figuring

The Crochet Coral Reef is an exhibition rooted in environmentalism. It calls attention to the devastation of living reefs due to climate change while exploring the beauty, science and vital importance of reefs through a community crafting art project. Crocheting corals could be a craft that engages both kids and adults, possibly a teachable moment for us all.

Photo Credit: Coral Forest, by Christine and Margaret Wertheim and the Institute For Figuring. Image by Stephanie Veto for Lehigh University Art Galleries.

Crochet Coral Reef Project – Ontario Satellite Reef

Calling all creative, curious crafters …

The Ontario Science Centre is currently seeking contributions to a province-wide community art project, the Ontario Satellite Reef. Help them create a colourful coral reef—made entirely from crochet! The Ontario Satellite Reef is part of Margaret and Christine Wertheim’s Crochet Coral Reef endeavour, an international initiative inspired by art, science and environmental activism. Since the Wertheims started the project in 2005, nearly 20,000 people from around the world have participated in crocheting 40-plus Satellite Reefs.

Create colourful pieces of coral, then send your work to the Ontario Science Centre (we are a drop-off point)! Your crocheted coral will be displayed at the Science Centre as part of the Ontario Satellite Reef. Plus, upload a pic of your work to social media to contribute to the virtual satellite reef.

How can you participate?

Follow these steps to contribute to the Ontario Satellite Reef:

  1. Use this guide to learn how to crochet coral. You can find Crochet Tutorials HERE.
  2. Check out pics from the virtual satellite reef (below) and read about the Ontario Satellite Reef sections for inspiration.
  3. Create your coral!
  4. Share a pic of your work on Instagram with the tag @OntarioScienceCentre and the hashtag #OntarioSatelliteReef.
  5. Tell them about yourself and your coral creation! On a small piece of paper or index card, write the following information: Name, age, location and any details about your creation you would like to share. Attach it to your coral before you drop it off.
  6. Bring your coral to a designated drop-off spot, or contact the Ontario Science Centre to arrange a drop-off.

Once the science centre receives your coral, they will add your work to the Ontario Satellite Reef. They will also add your name to the list of contributors on display.

Photo: Instagram #OntatioSatelliteReef

Contribute to the virtual satellite reef

To contribute to the virtual satellite reef, upload a photo of your work to Instagram with the tag @OntarioScienceCentre and the hashtag #OntarioSatelliteReef. Your photo will automatically be added to our online gallery.

Want to keep your coral creation? No problem! All crafters are welcome to contribute to the virtual reef. For more details on this project, check out these pages:

Photo Credit: Jayne Jenkins Coral Reef Image Bank

About the Ontario Satellite Reef Sections

The Ontario Satellite Reef is composed of five sections, each with a different theme. Before you crochet your coral, check out the themes below for inspiration. If you don’t have a particular section in mind for your work, we’ll decide where it fits best in the Ontario Satellite Reef.

Tropical Coral Reefs

Tropical reefs exist in shallow, sunlit waters because the microscopic plants that live inside this coral rely on sunlight to produce food. These reefs form some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, providing food and shelter for an estimated 25% of all ocean species. Suggested crochet materials: Any smooth or textured yarns in vibrant colours.

Cold-Water Coral

Canada has coral, too! Cold-water coral and sponges occur in coastal and offshore waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans. These slow-growing corals consume plankton to survive and live in very cold water without sunlight. Suggested crochet materials: Smooth white yarn; textured orange, bright pink or purple yarn.

Photo Credit: The Ocean Agency;

Bleached Coral

Under stressful conditions—such as temperature increases, overexposure to sunlight and pollution—coral expels the symbiotic algae living within its tissues, causing it to turn completely white. Although coral can survive bleaching events, continued stress causes coral death. Suggested crochet materials: White or beige yarn in any shade or texture.

The Impacts of Consumerism

Millions of tons of plastic waste, which contains harmful microorganisms, enter our oceans each year. This plastic waste also blocks sunlight from reaching the coral, which can cause coral death. Suggested crochet materials: Cut-up plastic bags (to create plastic yarn); old T-shirts; other recycled materials.

Solutions to the Coral Crisis

Around the world, scientists and activists are working to restore and protect coral reefs. Use your imagination to create coral that lends us hope for the future. Plastic-eating coral, lab-grown coral, 3D-printed coral and more—we want to see your creative ideas for addressing threats to reef survival. Suggested crochet materials: It’s up to you!

Photo Credit: Pod World – Plastic Fantastic, by Christine and Margaret Wertheim and the Institute For Figuring. Image by Francesco Galli for 2019 Venice Biennale.

Environmentalism meets crafting with Crochet Coral Reef

Crochet has an amazing ability to model the mathematically distinct geometry found in coral reefs (see below for a video on geometry in nature), all while bringing together crafting communities and science education. That’s what inspired science writer Margaret Wertheim and artist Christine Wertheim, twin sisters from Australia, to create the Crochet Coral Reef project.

Residing at the intersection of mathematics, marine biology, handicraft and community art practice, the Crochet Coral Reef responds to the environmental crisis of global warming and the escalating problem of oceanic plastic trash through a process of collective creativity. The endeavour highlights not only the damage humans do to Earth’s ecology, but also our power for positive action.

The Wertheims’ collection of Crochet Coral Reef sculptures has been exhibited worldwide, including at the 2019 Venice Biennale, The Andy Warhol Museum (Pittsburgh), Hayward Gallery (London), Science Gallery (Dublin) and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (Washington, D.C.). It will be at the Science Centre until the end of October 2021.

The project also encompasses a community-engagement program in which nearly 20,000 people around the world have participated in making 40+ locally-based Satellite Reefs. The Ontario Satellite Reef is the latest addition to this ever-evolving collection.

Photo Credit: Pod World – Hyperbolic, by Christine and Margaret Wertheim and the Institute For Figuring. Image by Francesco Galli for 2019 Venice Biennale.

The Story Behind the Crochet Coral Reef project

Global warming is destroying the ecology of living reefs. That’s what drove science writer Margaret Wertheim and artist Christine Wertheim, twin sisters from Australia, to create the Crochet Coral Reef project in 2005. They realized crochet has an amazing ability to mimic the mathematically unique forms of reefs while bringing crafting and science education together.

The Crochet Coral Reef calls attention to the devastation of living reefs due to climate change while exploring the beauty, science and vital importance of reefs through a community crafting art project. The Wertheims’ Crochet Coral Reef travelling exhibition has been presented around the world, inspiring community activism, environmental awareness, and math and science learning.

Margaret and Christine also founded and co-direct the Institute for Figuring, a non-profit organization that hosts the continuing evolution of the Crochet Coral Reef project.

Through a participatory program the sisters designed, more than 20,000 people have crocheted more than 40 community-based Satellite Reefs—from Chicago, New York, London and Melbourne, to other sites across England, Ireland, Latvia, Germany and the United Arab Emirates. The Ontario Science Centre is currently building Ontario Satellite Reef—the latest addition to the ongoing global network of Satellite Reefs.

Photo: https://www.margaretwertheim.com/crochet-coral-reef

The Artists Behind Crochet Coral Reef

The Crochet Coral Reef project was created by sisters Margaret Wertheim and Christine Wertheim, who are also co-directors of the project’s host organization, the Institute For Figuring, in Los Angeles. The Wertheims have created Crochet Coral Reef exhibitions for more than 20 museums and galleries internationally, and together they are the authors and editors of the Crochet Coral Reef book.

About Margaret Wertheim

Margaret Wertheim is an internationally recognized writer, artist and curator. Focusing on the interconnected relationships between science, art, culture, crafting and community STEM engagement, her honours include the Scientia Medal for Science Communication (Australia), and the American Association of Physics Teachers prestigious Klopsteg Award for “conveying the excitement of physics.” 

Ms. Wertheim is the author of six books, including a trilogy about the cultural history of physics, and has written for publications ranging from The New York Times to New Scientist. Before moving to the USA in 1991, she conceived, wrote and co-directed Catalyst, a six-part television science series aimed at teenage girls. 

margaretwertheim.com

About Christine Wertheim

Christine Wertheim is a poet, performer, artist, critic, curator and collaborator. She has a PhD in literature and semiotics and is a faculty member at the California Institute of the Arts in the Department of Critical Studies, where she teaches courses on art+feminism, pataphysics, nonsense and rubbish. 

Christine has authored and edited eight books, including three poetic suites and three literary anthologies. She is a former director of the CalArts MFA Writing Program and has written for many magazines, including X-TRA and Jacket. 

christine-wertheim.com

Photo Credit: Coral Forest, by Christine and Margaret Wertheim and the Institute For Figuring. Image by Stephanie Veto for Lehigh University Art Galleries.

PROJECT Posy Tank

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Photo: Along Avec Anna

Posy Tank Top

I just came across Posy and I knew it would make for a stunning pairing with Quince & Co Sparrow, which by the way is ON SALE TO AUG 4! It has a pretty and simple lace detail at the bottom and then the rest is knit on cruise control in stocking stitch. It’s knit from the bottom up in the round, and then the front and back are knit flat once you get to underarms. I especially like the shoulder strap detail with the ties made with iCord, it’s a really pretty tie-in (no pun intended) with the lace, but it also address the issues of fit, since they’re are adjustable.  A variation for wider straps is also included at the end of the pattern. I also like that the pattern is extremely size inclusive and goes up to a 67″ bust, and the fit is one that will look great on any body.

Photo: Along Avec Anna

Sparrow

If you’ve already heard me go on about how much I adore Quince & Co Sparrow then please feel free to skip over the rest of this blurb. I love Sparrow SOOOOOOOOOO much. It just makes the perfect summer garments. When you see it in the skein it looks a bit matte and feels stiff, but once it goes in the wash it acquires a gorgeous lustre and loosens up COMPLETELY. The resulting fabric flows like water, and it feels cool on the skin (cooler than cotton). Linen is also one of the most eco friendly fibres in the world, and this one is also organic and milled in Italy. I don’t really think of this yarn as a luxury, it’s more of an investment. For me, the cost per use is extremely low; I wear my garments constantly and have for years (never have I ever retired a Sparrow garment).

A few notes:

  • Linen is very stretchy, so if in doubt DO NOT go up a size.
  • I don’t think the marled colours will have the same lustre as the solids, their texture is slightly different, but they’re lovely in their own special way.
  • Sparrow is machine washable, just pop it in a delicate bag and it’s good to go. I think this makes so much sense for summer garments – who are we kidding, we sweat.
  • I usually dry garments made with Sparrow on low in the delicate bag, but if you want to get a little structure back into it leave it to air dry flat.
Photo: audrizz-arts

Size

  • Finished Bust circumference: 33.25(36.75, 40, 43.25) [46.75, 50, 53.25, 56.75] {60, 63.25, 66.75}” OR 83 (92, 100, 108) [117, 125, 133, 142] {150, 158, 167} cm
  • Recommended ease between 2 to 4″ or 5 to 10 cm of positive ease

Materials

PROJECT Farmhouse Towels

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Farmhouse Towels

Make some towels that are so beautiful you’ll never want to use them! That’s ok, some things you use until they’re shredded, and some you keep out to please the eye. Both have their roles in our lives. The pattern is a FREEBIE, and makes for some simple, elegant summer knitting.

Quince & Co Sparrow is my favourite yarn for this project, I love how this linen looks, the silky feels after being washed, and also how resilient it is (it gets better going through the wash) . My second personal choice would be

Kelbourne Mojave – their colours make me so happy, and the I love the the subtle texture of the fibre.

Berroco Remix Light is the budget friendly, earth friendly, use-friendly option – it has so much yardage, two skeins of the main colour will make 3 towels, and 3 skeins will make 5. Plus it’s recycled, has a neat texture, is easy to knit with and wash.

Cascade Ultra Pima is the last on the list, but not the least. This silky smooth pima cotton is a staple, and is always a joy to knit with and wear. If you like a plain, flat aesthetic, this is your yarn of choice.

ALL OF THE YARN SUGGESTED ARE ON SALE TO AUG 9th!

Materials

Alternate Yarn Options

For the following yarn options you’ll probably want to go up to a 4mm/US6 needle.

  • Cascade Ultra Pima: MC: 2 skeins, CC: 1 skein. (3 skeins of MC will make 2 towels)
  • Berroco Remix Light: MC 1 skein, CC: 1 skein. (2 skeins of the MC make 3 towels, 3 skeins of the MC will make 5 towels)
  • Kelbourne Mojave: MC 2 skeins, CC 1 skein. (3 skeins will make 2 towels)

HOUSEKEEPING Covid Policies & Fun Stuff

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Image: The Nib

COVID Policy FYI

As things open up, the rules of the game seem to be getting pretty fuzzy. People don’t really seem to know what is allowed, what is not – it almost makes you crave the certainty of lockdown … almost. Retailers and other service businesses aren’t given very little guidance, so each of us has to make up our own rules. Throughout the pandemic people have beens asking me when will classes and Sit ‘& Knit will resume, and my answer has always been “When it’s safe for strangers to sit next to each other”. This of course begs the question, what is ‘safe’, because let’s face it, in life control is really more of a concept than a ‘thing’. Ultimately, my choices are predicated on the fact that COIVD transmission is airborne, meaning breathing the same air is a problem.

Classes & Sit & Knit

After much consideration, I’ve decided that we can’t even consider resuming classes or sit & knit until there are no legal repercussions if COVID it enters your life (kind of like the flu). This means there has to be ZERO self-isolation necessary. If you have to quarantine yourself for two weeks after you attend a class because someone in the group later tests positive for COVID, then vaccinated or not, the pandemic isn’t over. We’ve started getting bits of our lives back, and I don’t want to do anything to disrupt that. Last week I got to hug my nephew for the first time in 16 months, and when my nice comes home from a stint at summer camp I’m going to squeeze her so hard her eyes pop out. I know you have similar things in your lives that you are grateful for and don’t want to ever lose again, and I’m comfortable being conservative in this department and waiting.

Project Help

If you want to bring in your project for some help because you are stuck, we can accommodate that if it is something small and will take about 10 to 20 minutes (or you can leave your project with us). Our normal rates still apply ($4.95/10 minutes), and we can’t do pop-ins, you still have to contact us beforehand to make an appointment. We can not do anything that involves people sitting down in the room for any extended period of time.

Store Capacity

I’m keeping the store capacity capped at 3 adult clients. We have plenty of room to keep 3 grown-ups (with or without a kid or two) and 2 staff members out of each others’ space. Legally we can now have more people in the store, but it’s a terrible idea.

Social Distance

Working in retail, I get to meet lots of different people, and one thing I’d like to address is that we aren’t all on the same page regarding our comfort level with reopening. Some people are ready to go out and party with 200 strangers, others still feel a lot of anxiety around the virus, and there are tons of people in the spectrum in-between. I’d like to ask everyone to try to maintain a sensible amount of physical distance in the store, especially around other customers. It is human nature to want to connect with people and we instinctively move physically closer when we do that, but we really just don’t know who’s good with it and who isn’t.

The Fun Stuff To Do While You Knit

I always offer a spoon full of sugar, so here are some fun things …. with pictures!

Something to Make you Laugh: The Vinyl Cafe

The Vinyl Cafe is being re-broadcast by CBC radio … my mom hooked me up with this one, apparently my father and brother pulled some Odd Jobs style handiwork at the cottage and the only way she could adequately describe it to a friend was with one of Stuart MaLean’s stories. If you aren’t familiar with the Vinyl Cafe, it’s a hilarious radio show that ran on Canadian Radio for many years. The original show included music, a short story and a long story … it’s worth listening to a show in its entirety, but it’s the stories that are the GEMS.

Something to Make you Grateful (for plumbing): The Victorian Farm

If you’re having a hard time filling up your gratitude list, The Victorian Farm on Amazon Prime will give you lots of material. Watch as a historian and two archaeologists walk the walk, living as victorians on a victorian farm. If you get into the first season, you may be interested in The Victorian Farm Christmas Special. Unfortunately there is no knitting in this show, the three of them were run ragged with the work of running the farm and I don’t think they had much leisure time. If you’re into history and fashion, you might also like A Stitch in Time.

Image: Awkward Yeti

Something to Help You Grow: Self Talk

This great little article on Self Talk for Athletes got me thinking. So, I already know the benefits of positive thinking, but I decided to try it with my exercise too. While I don’t tell myself negative things, I don’t have much control over what’s streaming through my subconscious. I figured I’d try to be my own trainer and actively tell myself positive things. It took a little experimenting to see which phrases work for me. Things like “You’ve got this Haley!” and “You can do it Haley!” didn’t really motivate me. But when I gave myself validation like “I’m so proud of you Haley!”, and “I believe in you Haley!” it really kicked in and I had access to more power. I also found that having a purposeful, positive dialogue brought me into my body, made me more present (what the dharma crowd call “Embodied Awareness“), and of course kept my subconscious mind from wandering to negative places. By the way, positive self-talk isn’t just the domain of athletes, you can use it with anything in life, including your crafts. If you need help with your self pep-talks check in with Lisa Nichols, she’s brilliant!

Something Else to Help You Grow: Trusting the Gold

I bought Trusting the Gold for my boyfriend’s birthday, but I started skimming it before wrapping it up, and now I really want to read it! It’s a petite book, not a “fix-yourself self-help manual”, and is very readable. Is there anyone on this planet who couldn’t go for more goodness? Unfortunately the book is not yet available on Audible, so you’ll have to do this one old skool. If you want to listen, Tara Brach has LOTS of podcasts on various platforms … she’s so awesome, I can’t do a pandemic without her!

PROJECTS Crochet Macrame

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If you love the look of macrame, but aren’t presently interested in learning a new craft, there are some beautiful patterns for macrame-like projects made with crochet.

Photo:

Crochet Macrame Curtain

This gorgeous crochet piece is inspired by macramé and embodies the Modern Boho Chic style. It works well as either a curtain or a wall hanging and is worked side-toside so creating the width you want is a breeze. The written instructions also include a chart, making this pattern an easy to follow how-to!

Size

  • Approximately 77” 196 cm wide X 6” 15 cm tall, excluding fringe.
  • Note: When fringe is attached, work will stretch to approximately 7” 18 cm tall plus fringe
  • Diamond Repeat is approximately 5 1/2” 14 cm wide

Yarn Optionst

Materials

Photo: Erin Black

Crochet Lumbar Pillow

Front-post stitches, back-post stitches, and chains combine to create a macramé style crochet design in this gorgeous pillow. This pattern includes complete instructions for how to make and assemble both an inner and outer cushion cover. The written instructions also include a chart, making this pattern an easy to follow how-to.

Size

  • +16” X 26” 40.5 x 66 cm.

Yarn Options

Materials

Photo of teal bedroom by Photographee.eu and available from Shutterstock, Photoshopped by Erin Black.

Crochet Macrame Square Pillow

Front-post stitches, back-post stitches, and chains combine to create a macramé style crochet design in this gorgeous pillow. This pattern includes complete instructions for how to make and assemble both an inner and outer cushion cover. The written instructions also include a chart, making this pattern an easy to follow how-to.

Size

  • 20” 51 cm square

Yarn Options

Materials

Photo: minimalism with yarn

Simple Macrame Inspired Crochet Wall Hanging

Admiring the works of macrame artists as a crocheter, I created this wall hanging to honour the sophisticated simplicity of macrame knots by using just crochet techniques. With this FREE easy crochet pattern, you will be able to create a simple yet sophisticated wall hanging that will surely leave your fingers yearning to make more than just one! Experiment with different fibers and weights of yarn, and you may well create yourself a whole wall of crocheted wall decor, adding simple texture to the walls of your home, child’s room, or nursery.

Yarn Options

Materials


Macrame Inspired Table Runner

This macramé-inspired crochet table runner is a textural masterpiece! The pattern comes to life with a simple 4-row repeat. Featuring back post treble crochet, you’ll love the versatility of this pattern that’s easy to shorten as needed, to fit your table. It’s ideal for everyday use and special occasions. Make a set in a different color for every season!

Size:

  • Approximately 15″ x 90″ [38 x 228.5 cm]

Yarn Options

Other Materials

PROJECTS + TUTORIALS Real Macrame

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I found these great Macrame video tutorials from Soulful Notions on Youtube, and I thought I’d share. They’re clear and easy to follow, and I just kind of like her. One of the great things about Macrame is there aren’t a lot of tools – Macrame cord, sharp scissors and a glue gun or fabric glue get the job done! It isn’t the kind of project you can take on the bus, but it only requires fingers and can be a fun activity at the cottage or just over the summer. In addition t project tutorials, there are also tutorials for Beginner Knots and Intermediate Knots.

30 Minute Macrame Wallhanging

Size

  • Length: 12inches/30.5cm
  • Width: 26 inches/66cm

Materials

Easy Macrame Market Bag

Size

  • Length: 24 inches/61cm
  • Width: 15 inches//38cm

Materials

Spiral Plant Hanger

Materials

Reversible Macrame Bag

Size

  • From top of handle to the bottom: 25 inches/63.5cm
  • Width: 12in/31cm
  • Just the body (not including handles): 14in/35.5cm

Materials

Macrame Basket

Size

  • Medium (Large)
  • Black(Mustard)
  • 10″/25.5 cm x 8″/20.5 cm (12″/30cm x 12″/31cm)

Materials

Modern Macrame Wall Hanging

Size

  • WIDTH: 3 feet/91cm
  • LENGTH: 22inches/56cm

Materials

SUMMER SALE 20% OFF!

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Our Summer Sale is on! Take 20% off select (summer) products until August 4th, 11:59pm. The discount will automatically be applied at check-out, so you don’t need to jump through the hoops of remembering to enter the code.

SEE SALE PRODUCTS HERE

SPECIAL PRE-ORDER Lopi Blankets 2021

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Lopi Blankets

Lopi’s ready-made blankets are back! These blankets are gorgeous heirloom pieces, prefect for your home or cottage, ideal in the living room or at the end of the bed, and they also make beautiful gifts. Made of Icelandic wool, they are extremely durable, lightweight, breathable and warm. The fabric is additionally combed after weaving to make it soft. The blankets come in a wide variety of patterns and all are reversible. The offerings are extensive this year with twenty-seven styles available, so there’s something for everyone (I’m partial to the ones with the colour blocks, the monochrome textures and the graphic polka-dots). To see larger images check out the Lopi 2021 Blanket Catalog HERE. We also have a sample in store for you to see and feel. 

Please note, these are ready-made blankets, they are not a knitting kit and unfortunately do not come with a stunning landscape as a back-drop.

  • Sizes vary, see images for dimensions
  • 27 styles are available for 2021
  • Fully reversible
  • Made in Iceland
  • Hand Wash (or machine wash on delicate alone) in cold water with delicate wash (Eucalan or Soak), lay flat or hang to dry. 

Pre-Orders

All pre-orders must be received by September 16th and will ship/be available for pick-up in early November. We will only be ordering these blankets once this year, and will only be filling pre-orders, so be sure to place your order if you want one! 

USE code LOPI21 at checkout to take $20 off your Lopi blanket purchase!

The Wool

Icelandic wool has historically been crucial to the survival of the nation as it provided both warmth and protection throughout centuries of harsh weather. It is also quite unique compared to the wool of other sheep breeds. The inner fibres are fine, soft and highly insulating while the outer fibres are long, glossy and water repellent. Therefore products made of Icelandic wool are extremely durable, lightweight and breathable

The Manufacturer
Ístex Ltd. is the main wool manufacturer in Iceland, with over a century of wool tradition behind their products. They create wool blankets, with narrative threads that weave together a modern sensibility of style, the artistic inspiration of a dramatic landscape and the unique quality of Icelandic yarn.

NEW FREE PATTERN The Cottage Wrap

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Cottage Wrap

This simple wrap combines two fundamentals of knitting to create a reversible, welted texture: stocking stitch and reverse stocking. It is knitted on the bias, increasing in width as you go, so you can make it any size you like and use any tension of yarn you like – it’s a great stash-buster! The pattern may look long and complicated, but it isn’t, it’s just written with detail for inexperienced knitters and people with short attention spans. The pattern repeat is long, so a chart is included to guide you and help you keep track of where you are in the pattern. You can use any yarn you like, which makes it a great stash buster (see amounts below).

Its called the cottage wrap because it’s a great thing to wrap around your shoulders on a cool night, but maybe especially at the cottage. It is a freebie, from us to you. Please enjoy this pattern as we all emerge from our nests with joy and trepidation.

Orange Cottage Wrap

Size

  • Depends on your yarn and the size you desire
  • approx 82”/205cm long (from tip to tip) & 20”/50cm deep (at longest point)

Yarns

The amount of yarn you use is flexible and depends on the type of fibre you choose and the thickness of the yarn – you’ll probably need 2 scarves worth of yarn. Yarns that are knit as a looser fabric will go further, yarns knit tighter may require some extra, especially bulky to super bulky weight yarns. Use a needle size that works for your yarn. 

General Yardage Requirements

  • 3sts/inch – 550m/610yds
  • 3.5sts/inch – 690m/755 yds
  • 4 sts/inch – 825m/905 yds
  • 4.5 sts/inch – 915m/1005 yds
  • 5 sts/inch – 1000m/1100 yds
  • 5.5 sts/inch – 1100m/1200 yds
  • 6 sts/inch – 1185m/1300 yds
  • 6.5 sts/inch: 1260m/1370yds
  • 7 sts/inch – 1275m/1400 yds

Red Cottage Wrap

Notions

Lastly ….

This pattern has been percolating for a long time … it was a victim of a bit of “scope-creep“, the result of some underlying issues with perfectionism (and the sundry crud that that springs from). I’d like to say thank you to my sample knitters Tessa and Adrienne, who made the wraps in the pictures and helped edit the pattern. Thank you to Erica, Noel and Rosie for just putting up with me. Thanks to Judit who helps me clear the blocks. Thanks also go to everyone whose been so patient and waited for me to finish the pattern. This pattern was far from being my dissertation and definitely not my life’s work, but it was a bit of an albatross. I’d like to raise a toast to letting go of our tethers and stretching our wings: may it be the first of many similar experiences for us all. In the words of my then eight year old nice: “You watch this girl go!”

~ Haley

NEW T-Shirt Yarn Phildar Phil Creativ’

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Phildar Creativ’

 Phildar Phil Creativ’ is a super bulky weight T-Shirt yarn made from recycled fabric reclaimed from the garment industry. T-Shirt yarns are generally great for home projects, they are especially popular to making baskets! ‘Tarn’ is extremely good for crochet, and also works extremely well for wall hangings.

  • 100% Recycled Fibres (50% Polyester, 50% Other Fibres)
  • 400g/ 90m to 100m
  • 10mm/US15 to 12mm/US17 needles/hook
  • Knitting Tension: 9 sts & 13 rows = 4″/10cm
  • Made in France

Projects for T-Shirt Yarn

Here are a few searches for patterns that feature “T-shirt Yarn” or “Tarn” :

Photo: viliana

Mandala Floor Mat

Materials

Photos: Eilen Tein

Nest

Nest is exactly what it looks like – a nest for your pet (or someone else’s pet). I would make one of these in a second, but unfortunately small enclosed spaces encourage breeding behaviour with birds (which comes with hormonal shifts), and Gruau has already getting a little too personal with my lunch bag.

Materials

Photo: Heather Moore

Grasslands Hanging Basket

The hanging basket is a new-ish idea for me, but I quite like it, as it serves a dual purpose of oragnizing stuff (getting it off the floor) and decorating.

Materials

Photo:  Thilde Folke Olsen

T-Shirt Yarn Basket

How much do you want to fill your house with little crocheted baskets? This pattern is from the UK, so the terms are slightly different than north America, so here’s a UK/US a Chart of US vs. UK Crochet Terms . The only difference in this pattern is that dc (double crochet) means sc (single crochet).

Materials

So You Wanna Make your Own T-Shirt Yarn …

If you are feeling inspired to make your own t-shirt yarn, I unfortunately don’t have a lot of insight for you – I’ve tried it a couple of times but didn’t get very far. Here is a tutorial for you, and a few of my insights:

  1. You need A LOT more material than you think you do. Like WAAYYYYYY more. In the tutorial they suggest 7 to 8 XL sized t-shirts to make a basket. So it’s probably a good idea to collect your materials ahead of time and then start cutting.
  2. The quality of the fabric matters. The really inexpensive t-shirts fabric fray, I suggest passing those over.
  3. The fibre content makes a difference. You know how some shirts have more give than others, some flows and some are stiff? That’s going to be a factor for your t-shirt yarn, because the yarn will behave differently, stretch more or less, and end up different thicknesses.
  4. It also goes that if you want to make something that is stiff and stands up, like a basket, you’ll want to start with fabric that is stiffer and has less give.