With the holidays approaching I thought I would share some of my favorite yarns, Crochet/knit accessories, and just other things that I use and enjoy. So, if you are looking for something for a gift, for yourself, or just for fun check these out.
Full disclosure here, I am a member of the Scheepjes Designer Collective so I will only be listing Scheepjes Yarns. However, I really like Scheepjes yarns and all the opinions on them here are my own.
Also, all the links on this page are affiliate links, this means that I earn a small commission when a purchase is made after clicking on these links. This doesn’t cost you anything extra and it supports my design work. Honestly, even if you click on the link and ultimately decide to purchase something else instead from the same shop, I might still get a small commission. I also choose all of these items myself and all the opinions on them are my own.
Thank you!
Yarns
Scheepjes Color Packs – I love yarn color packs. They are great way to see all or a lot of the colors in a particular range of yarn and they are a lot of fun to use. Plus, those little balls of yarn are just so cute.
Scheepjes Catona – If I had to pick only one yarn that I would ever use, I would pick Catona. I love crocheting with cotton and Catona is 100% mercerized cotton and comes in 109 colors.
Scheepjes Bamboo Soft – Bamboo Soft is such a soft and beautiful yarn. I don’t have any patterns using this yet, but I am working on one. I particularly like the combination of Blue Opal and Rich cream colors. Blue opal is both deep and saturated in color.
Scheepjes Whirl and Whirlette – Whirls are full cake of 1000 m of a slow color changing yarn. They are a cotton blend (60% Cotton x 40% Acrylic) and come in big range of colors. The are perfect for a light shawl or any time you want multiple colors in a project without having to change yarns
Scheepjes Terrazzo – Terrazzo is composed of 70% Recycled Mulesing Free Wool x 30% Recycled Viscose and I will admit that this yarn was not love at first site (or squish) for me. However, now that I have worked with it more, I really like it. It is very light but can achieve great structure and I love the colors and tweed effect.
I could keep going and list Scrumptious, Maxi Sugar Rush/Maxi Sweet Treats, Unity, Organicon and many others as I like nearly all of Scheepjes yarns but I will leave it here for now. You can many of these other yarns here:
- Scheepjes Yarns at Jimmy Beans
- Scheepjes Yarns at Yarn Addicted and Co (US only)
- Scheepjes Yarns on Amazon
Favorite Crochet tools
These are items I use all the time for crochet (and knitting). All the links go to Amazon.
Project Bags – My favorite project bags are Bumpkin’s waterproof wet bags. I got them when my kids were babies for other purposes but now, I use them to take my projects on the go. I can throw them in my purse, and I feel like my WIP is protected.
Stitch Markers/Safety Pins – Safety pins are super handy, I use these colored ones for both stitch markers and for labeling motifs on larger projects. I also have a set of these very large safety pins for keeping motifs organized.
Fabric Stiffener – I use Aleene’s Fabric Stiffener & Draping Liquid to stiffen all my snowflakes.
Blocking Supplies – Blocking crochet and knitting can really bring a lot of polish to a finished project. I like to block with mats and pins as they are flexible and will work for just about any shape and size.
A Small Scale – I use my little scale a lot when crocheting. Admittedly, part of this is for design work. However, I still think it is very useful particularly if you are trying to estimate if you have enough yarn left or are doing a scrap buster project.
Audio Books
While I crochet, I often listen to audio books. Check with your local library to see if they have a digital app with access to audio books. My local library has a very nice one and a lot of books are available on there to check out for free.
I also have use Audible to purchase and listen to audiobooks for a long time. I remember receiving CD’s with audio books in the mail back when I first joined. Now they have a fairly easy to use app and audiobooks are automatically added to your library when you purchase them.
- You can get yourself an Audible membership here
- Or give Audible as a gift here
I listen to a lot of science fiction, some of my favorites are anything by John Scalzi, The Martian by Andy Weir, and We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor.
Just for Fun
These are some things that are unrelated to crochet but I enjoy. All the links go to Amazon.
LEGO – I like building with lego bricks too. I find it particularly enjoyable to build alongside my kids so that it becomes a family activity. I like a lot of their sets, but the two flowers have a place on my desk. The new “Pretty Pink flowers” looks very nice too.
Boardgames I play with my kids – my little ones are about 5 & 7 right now and we go through fases where boardgames are really popular. These are ones that they like, and I enjoy playing with them.
Boardgames for Adults (or not super little kids) – I enjoy a good board game night, and these are some of my favorite games. The Crew and Pandemic Legacy are cooperative games, so you are working together as a team.
Puzzles – I like putting together puzzles too. Particularly if I am feeling under the weather. I particularly like this one from Buffalo Games and Aimee Stewart for its theme and cheerful colors.
Other Random Favorites
These are some other random things that I use all the time. All the links go to Amazon.
Air Frier – I use my air fryer at least once a week if not more. It is my favorite way to cook broccoli and chicken.
Stand Mixer – Among other baking things, I like my stand mixer for making pizza dough which is a favorite in my house (I use this recipe – not an affiliate link).
Fancy Rice Cooker – I got this fancy rice cooker as a gift, and I really like it. It is so easy to clean and makes great rice. As a bonus nearly every recipe I have tried from their website has been very good.
Comfy Maxi Dress – Can I admit that I have this dress in more than 4 colors? I usually wear them with shirt or a crochet “top” over, but they are just so comfortable and have pockets.
Thank you!
Support My Work
Thank you for reading my blog, you are supporting my design work just by being here! Here are some other ways you can support my design work.
- Follow me on Instagram or Facebook – I post new pattern releases and such on my Instagram feed and Facebook page, following, liking, and commenting will keep you up to date and help other find my design work.
- Join my Facebook group – This is a place to ask questions and get help from me and the community, share your creations and talk about my patterns.
- Browse my self-published patterns – I have several patterns on Etsy and Ravelry. My portfolio of designs is not extensive yet, but I am continuing to add new patterns.
- Watch my Videos on YouTube– I occasionally make YouTube videos to help with my patterns. Watching the videos, subscribing to my channel, commenting on and liking the videos will all support my design work. Even if you just play my videos in the background supports me as a designer.
- Affiliate links – Shopping through my links supports me at no additional cost to you as I get a small commission through my affiliates. My Amazon shop, Jimmy Beans Wool, Yarn Addicted and Co on Etsy (US shipping only)
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