What Should I Crochet Next?

I can be indecisive, and I am no stranger to new project paralysis, or the dilemma of ‘what should I crochet next?’ Crochet toys, blankets and clothes can all be really different to create. Mentally, knowing you’ve settled on the right project is half way to actually getting it done. Whilst embarking on something when your heart isn’t really in it means it’s almost certainly doomed to end up on the work in progress pile forever. So if you’re casting around for inspiration, and undecided about what to make next, I’ve come up with this article to help you weigh up ideas and pick the perfect project.

Contents

• Where to look for inspiration
• Do you like working on a big scale, or a small scale?
• Should it be a long term project, or a quick fix?
• Do you fancy making something functional, or decorative?
• Are you using up your stash, or buying new supplies?
• Will you give you creation away, or keep it for yourself?

The bigger the better!

Make: a storage basket

Storage baskets are such a fun way to play with scale in crochet. Have a look for super bulky cotton yarns, and use them with a giant 10mm (size N) hook to make baskets big enough for stowing away blankets and kids’ toys, or even standing a plant pot in. Alternatively, get your hands on some arm-knitting yarn, and ditch the hook altogether! Loop the yarn around your wrists and make some genuinely ginormous sculptural stitches that you can turn into baskets, seat pads, rugs, and super quick blankets.

Cute and dinky

Make: embellishments

Small crochet shapes, like flowers and heart make fun little embellishments and patches for decorating or mending other items. For example, make some tiny hearts to decorate a denim jacket, or a daisy chain of little flowers to add to the collar of a knitted sweater.

I’m in it for the long haul

Make: a blanket

Blankets really are a labor of love. If you want to work on it without carrying the whole thing around, make your blanket in squares. This is great if you want to crochet on your commute, or during your lunch break at work. If weaving in ends and joining the squares has put you off before now, try making large 12” squares in a single color, each showcasing a different stitch, for an elegant blanket full of interesting textures.

I’ve got an afternoon

Make: face pads

Crochet pads are a brilliant, environmentally-friendly alternative to cotton rounds for removing make up, cleansing, and gently exfoliating your face. Make them from leftovers of cotton or bamboo yarn, and throw them in the washing machine after each use. Not only are they the perfect way of making sure small ends of yarn don’t go to waste, they’re the perfect quick fix for working on between stages of a bigger project.

It’s got to be functional

Make: a crochet pot hanger

Macramé pot hangers are enjoying a massive revival at the moment, but you don’t have to learn macramé to make a hanging home for your favorite houseplant. With a few simple crochet stitches, there are plenty of patterns for crochet pot hangers too. Alternatively, use the same principles to make a hanging storage bag for fruit and veg, and free up counter space in your kitchen.

Decorative will do

Make: a crochet mandala on a hoop

Crochet mandalas are a fun way to focus on color and texture, without worrying about some of the bothersome technical aspects of crochet, like gauge. They are all about making something beautiful, just for the sake of it. Best of all, they can be as big and intricate, or small and simple, as you like. One of my long term crochet ambitions is to collect a gallery wall of different crochet mandalas all hanging in their hoops. Watch this space to find out if I ever get there…

Using up my stash

Make: a striped blanket

Striped blankets where every row is worked in a different color and stitch are a fab alternative to the traditional granny square blanket for using up leftover yarns in your stash. Be bold, and don’t worry about switching colors half way through a row (provided the weight of the yarn remains the same). Go even further and use different weights of yarn for complete rows as your confidence mounts. The whole point is to end up with something joyously jumbled, which tells a story of all the other projects that came before it and donated their leftovers.

I could go shopping

Make: a top

When it comes to the garments we wear right next to our skin, we usually have some pretty clear ideas of which fibers are most comfortable, and which colors flatter us best. So making a vest or bralette is exactly the excuse you need for making a trip to the yarn store to buy fresh materials (your stash will still be waiting for you later!)

Gifting

Make: a monogrammed mug cozy

Customized, personalized items are the pinnacle of homemade gifting – something completely unique that only the recipient will ever have. Mug cozies are economical and fairly quick to make, and you don’t need to worry about size. But they don’t have to be mundane! Customize them with a monogrammed initial to elevate them out of the ordinary. There are lots of techniques you can experiment with too, for exactly the right look. Take a look at:

• mosaic crochet initials
• Tunisian crochet letters
• corner-to-corner crochet designs
• cross stitch onto single crochet
• and appliquéing initials in a ribbon of single crochet.

It’s going to be mine, all miiiiiiine

Make: a sweater

You know that feeling when you put on your favorite sweater, and it hits at just the right height on your hips, or it’s the *perfect* amount of cropped? Or maybe the length of the sleeves is just so. Feel like that all the time by making a crochet sweater fitted exactly to you. Handmade clothes tailored to fit you just right are a delicious luxury, and definitely worth the effort.

I’ll be binging Netflix at the same time

Make: block stitch

Block stitch is my favorite stitch. For me, it really hits the sweet spot between being visually striking, and being simple enough to work on whilst doing something else as well. Like listening to a podcast or catching up with a TV series. It’s neither boringly simple, nor overly intricate, and there are endless ways to play with color in each row. Use it to make blankets, covers for scatter cushions, bags, laptop cases, scarves, and beanies.

Challenge me!

Make: amigurumi

You need to be dead inside not to be fascinated by the possibilities of amigurumi. From Dobby the house elf, to a replica of your loyal Labrador, the possibilities are mind-bogglingly diverse. I’m pretty certain that you could put the name of absolutely anything else you like into a search engine along with the word amigurumi, and you’ll be blown away by the patterns on offer. From house plants to mythological beasts, and iconic women to bulldozers. Amigurumi can be fiddly, and requires a fair bit of attention to counting rows and stiches, and accurately adding in increases and decreases. But seeing them take shape is worth it.