The Secret about Crafter's Secret Yarn (and My First Giveaway!)

A couple weeks before my visit back home in the Chicago area ended, I went on a yarn-shopping trip to Hobby Lobby to select some yarn for a Cath Kidston-inspired afghan I'm making. I was perusing the choices when, out of the corner of my eye, a few skeins of brightly colored yarn practically leapt off the shelf at me. As if the colors weren't enough to attract me, the label wrapped around each skein sealed the deal...I had to see just exactly what they were.

I know I'm not familiar with every brand of yarn, but I feel like I'm pretty well-versed with what the area craft stores carry. But this brand...I'd never seen it before. A bright-colored label, boasting pretty flowers, ferns, a ball of yarn and knitting needles told me the brand was called "Crafter's Secret". Whatever Crafter's Secret was, I needed to be let in on it, then and there.

I picked up a brilliant turquoise blue skein of Crafter's Secret yarn and took a closer look at the label. "Who makes this wonderfully packaged, colorful skein of yarn?" I wondered. A turn of the label was all I needed to find the answer: Hobby Lobby. It was one of Hobby Lobby's own brands.

Admittedly, I've not used a lot of Hobby Lobby brand yarns. I'm currently working on my second project with their "I Love This Cotton" and have to say it's the softest cotton yarn I've ever used, and I really, really like it. Knowing that a purchase of any of the Crafter's Secret yarns would be based purely on "want" and not "need", I selected these four skeins and added them to my already overflowing shopping basket.

Now do you see why I couldn't pass them up?! Being a writer and a researcher, I went directly home to my computer to see what else I could find out about Crafter's Secret. And here's what I found: nothing. Still, nothing would put a damper on the delight I felt at finding such beautiful yarn.

In this post about my early springtime projects, I shared the above picture. Soon after, I received several emails as well as questions through social media about Crafter's Secret -- what was it? Where did it come from? What colors did the yarn come in? Was it true that Hobby Lobby was going to do away with other brands and only sell there's? They were all good questions, and I wanted to know the answers just as much as everyone else did. So the writer/researcher in me went to work.

Yesterday, I connected with a very nice customer service specialist at Hobby Lobby whom we'll call A. I enlisted A's help so I could dig deeper and find out for myself and everyone else what the low-down was on Crafter's Secret. Here's what I learned:

Information on Crafter's Secret Yarn

•  Crafter's Secret is indeed a Hobby Lobby brand and will be sold only at Hobby Lobby stores. 
• Area buyers have sole discretion over the yarns each store carries. There's no way to shed light on which yarns will be carried and which ones won't due to the fact that stock varies per area.
• At this time, there are 34 colors in the Crafter's Secret line.
• At the time of purchase, in a Chicago area store, I paid $2.99 for each 7-ounce (199 grams) skein. 

Now for the fun part...the colors. You see, Crafter's Secret yarn appealed to me for another reason. The names are unique, fun and full of life. Orange isn't orange, blue isn't blue, and yellow isn't yellow. Of course, they are to the eye. But the label gives each color a name and personality all it's own.

And that's where the contest and giveaway come in!

While talking to Hobby Lobby Customer Service Specialist A., I requested a list of color names so I would be able to tell you how many color choices there are and what they are. I'm going to give you all the color names (except one that's abbreviated and is even a mystery to me...I couldn't crack the code!), which leads to the contest....

How to Play

1. Look over the color names, and guess the names of the four skeins of yarn pictured in this post. 
2. In the comment area, leave your guess in the order the skeins are pictured, from top to bottom. 
3. You may guess as often as you wish, with each guess being in a separate comment.
4. Guesses will be taken until the end of the day on Wednesday (April 2nd).
5. Whomever guesses them all correctly (or comes closest), wins!

The Prize

Now I'd love to say that the prize is four skeins of Crafter's Secret but, unfortunately, I'm overseas now and can't get to a Hobby Lobby to buy and ship it. Instead, I will give the winner a PDF copy of my first two crochet pattern eBooks, Crochet Crazy Baby Cocoon & Matching Hat Patternsand Four Infinity Scarf Patterns to Keep You Warm.If there are many, many contestants, I'll probably be inclined to give a copy of one to the runner-up, as well. But there's got to be more than at least 10 guessers for that.  The color list is below.

Crafter's Secret Colors:

SKU#          Color Name

704890        ALPINE SNOW
401778        KYOTO PEARL
411561        PEARL FLECK
548982        SAMOAN SAND
705277        MAGNOLIA WAY
109157        BRISBANE BROWN
516666        WARSAW
763102        HONEY RIDER
233643        SUMMER MAGIC
516781        PASSPORT
317404        I LOVE CAMO!
542415        JINX
705640        I'M JEALOUS
705590        PEPPER.COM
669077        BIG APPLE RED
705558        BLACK CHERRY
591768        CKFLKCHERRY (this is the mystery one I can't figure out, maybe you can!)
705517        PRINCESS
109207        PASSION
316992        ARE WE THERE YET?
549006        MIAMI BEAT!
705665        LIL BUTTERCUP
516807        GONE WISHIN'
669085        A GRAPE FIT!
764944        NOSEGAY
590505        UNFORGETTABLE
705293        BLUE MOON
705319        MIDNIGHT TEAL
404186        HYDRANGEA
317412        ROAD HOUSE BLUES
500926        RUSSIAN NAVY
109181        FABULOUS
542332        SPLASH
232553        CASTLE ROCK

So, now you know the secret of Crafter's Secret. If you've got a Hobby Lobby near you, I encourage you to give it a try. My four luscious skeins will be made into a summer afghan in bright, happy colors that remind me of flower, the beach, carefree summer days and the wind blowing in my hair. I look forward to hearing what you think of Crafter's Secret, and...

Let the contest begin!!

UPDATE: And the winner is....Quiltzyx (aka Sue) who guessed two of the four names correctly! Congratulations Sue!

From top to bottom, the yarn colors I have pictures are:

• Splash (turquoise blue)
• Passion (raspberry pink)
• Are We There Yet? (orange)
• Miami Beat! (yellow) 

Thank you to everyone who participated in my giveaway! I look forward to hosting the next one soon. 

How Many Skeins of Yarn Fit in a Crochet Crazy Suitcase?

Oh my. Time to pack and head eastward toward the land of sauerkraut, Oktoberfest and medieval castles. On the other side of the Atlantic awaits my boyfriend M, who's been enjoying a very spring-like winter with extra motorbike rides while I've been freezing my tootsies off in Chicagoland. As hard as it is to leave my family, all good things must come to an end (including the Spring Fling Link-a-Long which closes tonight). I know I will return as soon as possible.

Packing is a problem when traveling between continents. My time in Germany has taught me to appreciate the little things even more and has opened my eyes to some of the things we all take for granted in life...like red and green-colored sugar for Christmas cookies, flavored coffee creamer and canned pumpkin (all things I must admit to having minor meltdowns about at one time or another). I've removed clothing from my suitcase to make room for baking supplies or other things I knew I wouldn't be able to find in Germany. Could I just use a second suitcase? Sure, but at $70-125 a pop, I choose to go the creative route and get it all into one suitcase under the 50 pound limit.

This time the packing conundrum is not over baking supplies or Christmas presents, but yarn. There have been times when I've sacrificed the yarn for other things (can you believe it?!), but I wouldn't DARE do that now. Yarn and crochet have become too integral to my daily life, my joy and sometimes my sanity to leave my new yarn purchases behind.

The brands I love in the US are not available in Germany unless I order them online at a much higher price plus expensive international shipping. Although I have found yarn there that I like, when you live in another country it's just nice sometimes...and very comforting...to have things from home.

Over the course of my visit here, I've purchased these scrumptious yarns for some fun crochet projects which I talked about here...

And now for the moment of truth. Here they are packed in my suitcase...

Leaving me just a little bit of space for my clothing, five pairs of shoes and my toiletry bag. Oh my. I'm intent on not leaving my yarn behind.

So, how many skeins of yarn fit into a Go Crochet Crazy person's suitcase? The answer is: 25. Now you see what happens when you Go Crochet Crazy!

As you read this blog post, I am either at the airport or somewhere between the Midwest and Germany. I don't say goodbye because that's too difficult; just "see you soon".

So, see you soon robins, redwing blackbirds, cardinals and downy woodpeckers who come to my bird feeders. See you soon furry friends, Alice, Ernie, Sophie and Patches. See you soon baseball field and nearby farms, and funnily enough, Walmart, where I can buy all the things I miss when I'm overseas. Most of all, see you soon family members friends. I will start missing you the minute I leave.

But my travels have taught me that after every "see you later", there's always a "hello". Soon I will say "hello" to the horses on the nearby farms and the myriad birds that flock to the fields for tasty morsels. I'll say hello to our small Mayberry-like town with the slower-paced lifestyle that reminds me of life here in the 1970s. I'll walk down the poplar tree-lined path that leads me past fields of flowers and whatever vegetables the farmers are growing this year, and say hello to the beauty of nature I feel fortunate to be surrounded by. And, most of all, I'll say hello to boyfriend M, who's been patiently waiting for me these last several weeks.

And, finally, to you...it's "see you in a bit!"...from a different time zone, but still the same me...going crochet crazy as ever.

Yarny Sale News & National Craft Month

March is National Craft Month, and Joann Fabric and Craft Stores are celebrating with some fantastic sales, while Michaels is Thinking Spring! If you're planning any new crochet projects, now is the time to stock up on the yarn you need. Here's are a few yarn goodies I'm highlighting from the selections both stores are offering:

Joann Fabric's "Big on Creativity" Sale, March 2-22

• Redheart Super Saver Yarn, 2 for $5
• Lions Brand Vanna's Choice Yarn, 2 for $5
• Bernat and Purl Essence Yarns, 25% off
• Caron One Pound, Lions Brand Pound of Love and Lions Brand Homespun, $2 off

Michaels' "Think Spring" Sale, Weekly Ad for March 2-8

• Hot Buy Yarn! Lions Brand, $1.99
• Loops & Threads Snuggly Wuggly, $3.99

And again....drum roll, please.....

• Sugar n Cream, 4 for $5

Get your Michaels' online coupons here and your Joann Fabric coupons here. Since I am not in any way affiliated with either store, I have nothing to gain by sharing this information. I offer it merely as a service to my comrades, armed with crochet hooks and ready to create all sorts of wonderful, yarny delights!

I'm especially excited about Joann's sale on Redheart yarn because I have an upcoming project that's a variation of the Giant Granny Square Afghan I blogged about, and it requires 10 skeins. This weekend, I'll be paying a visit to pick out 10 different scrumptious yarny colors. :)

Tomorrow, I have more exciting news of a crochet and yarny nature. In the meantime, Happy Shopping!!

Scrapbuster Crochet Cat Toys -- 20 Minutes & Some Leftover Yarn

Yesterday I blogged about the scrapbuster crochet afghan I'm making for Baby S, who's now a little more than a week old! When I finally had time to crochet last night, I really wasn't in the mood to work on a long-term project. It was rainy, windy, a low dense fog had settled in, and I was on Day 4 of a horrible head cold. What I needed was a project that would give me instant gratification and help me use up some more of my yarn scraps. (Free pattern below.)

My cats were kind of lazing around, too...all of us ready for some warm spring weather with windows wide open. We all needed a little entertainment, so I spent 20 minutes (on each) and some of my yarn scraps to make these:

Scrapbuster Crochet Mice

If you're a cat lover like I am, than you know they can be a finicky bunch. But I'm not one to be easily outdone. The secret, final ingredient would make them love their new crochet mice!

These were so easy and fun to make; I finished all three in less than an hour, with interruptions. The pattern is simple. I'll follow with photos of how well the toys were received. **Feel free to use the following pattern for your own personal use or for profit, but please link back to this blog post and give credit to me.**

Scrapbuster Crochet Cat Toys

K Hook (6.50 mm)
Yarn scraps
Stitch marker

Ch 3, slipstitch together to form a small loop.
Round 1: Ch 2, HDC six times into the loop.
Round 2: Lay your stitch marker (a different color piece of yarn) over the space following your last stitch to mark the beginning of a new round. HDC 2 times into each stitch. Total 12 stitches.
Rounds 3 - 7: HDC once into each stitch.
Round 8: *HDC one time into each of the next two stitches. HDC2TOG (half-double crochet two stitches together for a decrease)*. Repeat from * to * to the end of the round.
Round 9: Alternately HDC into one stitch and then decrease all the way around.
Finish: Cinch the yarn tight to make a pointy, nose-like end. Knot and cut off the excess yarn. For the Whiskers: Cut two pieces of yarn about 3 inches (7.5 cm) each, and thread them through the nose area. Tie in a knot and trim the mouse whiskers to the desired length. For the Tail: Ch 7, SC into the second chain and in each chain to the end. Fasten off. Use the excess yarn to tie the tail to the bottom end of the mouse.

After crocheting the three mice and adding my secret ingredient, I was excited to give them to the cats. And, of course, I knew they'd all be as excited to receive the new toys as I had been to make them.

Patches was too busy napping on a soft crochet afghan to play.

Ernie was very enthusiastic about his new mice!

So was Sophie!

Alice was too busy thinking about important things, such as world peace or her next meal.

As you can see, the crochet mice were received with mixed reviews. But I won't let my enthusiasm be dampered. My cats are amongst the ficklest of fickle, and I know they'll enjoy batting and bunny-kicking their toys around during those few moments that fall between nap time and mealtime.

Scrapbuster Project -- Free Crochet Afghan Pattern

It seems just lately that everyone's working on scrapbuster projects. I'm not sure if we feel the need to justify our next yarn purchase or make room for it. As much as I love looking at those small balls of colorful yarn, the organized, fastidious person in me likes to use things up and move on.

As I searched for a good scrapbuster project, I came across several multi-stitch afghans that people are working on. But I'd just completed something similar as an infinity scarf for my upcoming pattern eBook. I didn't want to make another scarf, although the Granny Square Scarf I blogged about here would be an ideal scrapbuster project.

Finally, I decided to make a baby afghan for my daughter R's newborn baby girl. R has tons of blankets from when her son was born almost two years ago, but consented to me crocheting this one because baby S loves a good heavy blanket and this one has a flowery motif.

Here's the yarn I started with.

The baby afghan I'm crocheting for my scrapbuster project will measure about 40 inches wide (100 cm) by about 36 inches high (90 cm). The pattern below is for this size. Adjust accordingly to make a larger afghan.

My scraps come from various brands and weighs of yarn...remember, I'm a rule breaker. To follow this pattern, you need to know how to chain, HDC and DC. I'll explain how to do the Cluster stitch within the pattern. I'm using a J Hook (6.00 mm).

**Feel free to use this pattern for personal use or for profit. I only ask that you remember to give credit to me, Mary at Go Crochet Crazy, and link back to my blog page.**

"Flowers in Bloom" Scrapbuster Afghan

**This pattern would also make a lovely scarf if adjusted accordingly**

Ch 93 (crochet a wider chain for a larger blanket, but make sure your final chain number is divisible by 3)

Rows 1 - 3: Chain 2,, counts as first HDC. HDC in each stitch to the end of the row.

Row 4: Change colors. Chain 3. Skip 1 stitch. *DC, Ch 1, DC all in the next stitch. Skip 2 stitches*. Repeat from * to * until the last 2 stitches. DC, Ch 1, DC in second-to-last stitch. DC in last stitch.

**You'll use the Cluster stitch for the next row. To do this: YO, insert into the stitch, YO and draw through 2 loops. YO, insert into same stitch, YO, draw through, YO and draw through 3 loops. YO, insert again into the same stitch, YO, draw through, YO and draw through all 4 loops. 

Row 5: Switch colors. Ch 3. Skip first DC. *CL into next Ch 1 space to make a flower, Ch 2*. Repeat from * to * until last Ch 1 space. CL in Ch 1 space, then DC into last stitch.

Your work will look something like this.

Row 6: Switch back to same yarn used in Rows 1-3. Ch 2 (counts as first HDC). *HDC in top of CL. 2 HDC in Chain 2 space*. Repeat from * to * until last two stitches. HDC in CL, HDC into last stitch.

Row 7: Chain 2, counts as first HDC. HDC in each stitch all the way across.

Repeat Rows 4-7 until you crochet to the desired length. Add an additional row of HDC to make both ends of the afghan even. Finish off the edges with your favorite edging. I'll be using a scalloped edge.

Here's where I'm at so far with my scrapbuster project:

Since I'm also working on another project at this time, I anticipate needing a week or two to finish this afghan. I'll pop in and update with photos as I go along. Let me know if you decide to give this a try! Or tell me what scrapbuster projects you've enjoyed crocheting.

Project Update #1

I promised I'd return to update you on the progress of "Flowers in Bloom", my scrapbuster baby afghan project. I actually took a break from it one day to make Scrapbuster Cat Toys, which you can see here.

Since taking this picture two days ago, I've actually gotten another set of cream, green and flowers added. But this will give you a good idea of how it's turning out. Expect to see color variation in some places. As tempted as I was to go out and buy what I ran out of, I have continually reminded myself that this is a "scrapbuster project". So far, I'm loving how it's coming along.

What do you think? Do you have a favorite scrapbuster project?

Project Update #2

With great joy, I've taken this project off-the-hook today and will be able to present it to three-week-old Baby S later this afternoon (read more about it in this blog post). So, without further adieu, allow me to show you the finished product. What do you think?

Crocheting the last few scallops for the edge.

"Flowers in Bloom" is ready for its new home

**I'm excited to be participating in Oombawka Design's Link & Share Wednesday!**

Favorite Yarn Brands: Are You Loyal or Do You Try Them All?

I'm game for trying anything and, as a crochet rule breaker, I'll try different yarns even if they're not recommended for a particular project.While I'll play around with any type or brand of yarn given to me, I tend to gravitate to a select few when I'm doing my own shopping.

Until very recently, I hadn't spent any time crocheting with cotton yarn, which I talked about in yesterday's post. Now that I have, I've got to say my first love for cotton yarn is Yarnspiration's Sugar n Cream. The color selection in solids, stripes and twists inspires me to create. Soft to the touch but durable, I have many plans for upcoming cotton yarn crochet creations.

 
But, of course, my cotton yarn experience isn't very vast. I've looked at, felt and priced other cotton yarns. And then I always gravitate back to Sugar n Cream.

Over the past years, more acrylic yarn has worked its way through my fingers and off my hook than anything else. Again, I'll try just about any acrylic yarn if it's given to me or I find a great deal...and I mean a great deal. But, given my druthers, I choose Redheart's "With Love"  and Lions Brand. The large, soft skeins make me want to crochet large afghans or chunky scarves. There are more colors than I can choose from, leaving me feel like a kid in a candy shop trying to figure out which treats to choose.

Do you have favorite yarn brands? Tell me what you like for different crochet projects. I'd love to hear from you and possibly be introduced to a new favorite!