The Ever Project

Yarn Hackers: The Coolest Crochet Ever

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 4 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

Hacking is more than just 0's and 1's

0's and 1's are just binary.

Sure, if you don't know what binary is, it can be a scary word. Not to worry, though: binary just means that something is only one thing, or another. On or off. Black or White. Knit or Purl.

Just like long strings of binary makes up complex computer code, a few simple stitches in crochet make up complex crochet projects. Sure, it helps to learn a few special tricks to get the results you want...

So you experiment, right? That's just what hackers do.

Yarn Hackers is the personal crochet blog of Rachel Keslensky, and when she's not working on her webcomic, she's crocheting.

She posts patterns and conceptual pictures of what she wants to make. She posts pictures. She posts tips and plans for what she wants to do. And it's actually decent stuff - not just sweaters and hats you'd never even consider making for yourself, but cool bags, cute ideas, and nifty solutions!

And even if you don't like what she makes, just go and improve upon her patterns to make your own!

Follow along as she makes all sorts of things she just thought up one day and decided to make. Maybe get a few ideas for good stuff of your own.

Who knows? You just might learn something.

How do you Hack your Yarn? 

How "Handy" are you with your yarn?

Yarn Hackers focuses mostly on Rachel's crochet, but every now and then she still thinks knitting looks pretty cool...

Loading poll. Please Wait...

Just Hack It!

Knitting and Crochet can both make similar results - so if you know how to knit better than how to crochet, feel free to adapt these patterns into knitted projects!

 

Which is Cooler: Knitting, or Crochet?

Loading Fetching blurbs now... please stand by

Knitting! The universe is held together with a Stockinette Stitch!

Emm says:

Knitting rules, but crochet is cool.

Posted June 29, 2008

Crochet Rocks! I'm a Happy Hooker, damn it!

MomwithAHook says:

Both have their positives. I'd say crochet because I can get a hat done in 2 hours in crochet but it would take me hours sometimes a day or two in knit.

Posted September 10, 2008

Chelsea says:

I started knitting first but crochet is so much more versatile. By the way I'm only 17, cheers!

Posted August 18, 2008

MamaKay says:

Crochet! Knitting is too easy to mess up, too hard to undo, and too tiring using kneedles in both hands!

Posted July 30, 2008

judi says:

crochet is more relaxing! you don't have to keep two hands in the air.

Posted July 13, 2008

strawberrycouture says:

Both are cool. Crochet is faster. Knitting is more intricate. Check out some neat knitting stitches on htt://knittingfool.com

Posted July 11, 2008

 
 
1 of 1 page
 

Flower Choker - Lion Brand Incredible

The Top Five Reasons Yarn Hackers is the Coolest Crochet 

  • No stupid patterns to follow! Fed up of having to decipher crochet code? You're in luck! There's no patterns involved on Yarn Hackers (aside from the general shapes of items), so you're free to cut loose with the pattern as you like!
  • All types of yarn get used! Love Lion Brand's Incredible? Or Lily's Sugar and Cream? Maybe you're into some specialty stuff, like Canadian wool... you're in luck, because Rachel believes there's a perfect utility for every yarn! It's just a matter of finding out what...
  • Totally awesome philosophy! If you can think it up, You can crochet it! (Yes, we're sure there's a utility for a crochet'd robot somewhere. Or at least a robot with a skin that's been crochet'd together.)
  • Pretty pretty pictures! Well, what good is a blog about crochet without a picture of the results? And it's not those staged, fake pictures of smiling children wearing hats they wouldn't be caught dead wearing in real life -- these are items that people actually want to wear and use, because let's face it; life's too short to make ugly crochet.
  • Anyone can learn to do this! Don't get frustrated because your work doesn't look like the items in the pattern -- because every pattern is what you make of it! If it's all yours to make, you can always fix it to make it right! Every project is always a chance to learn something new!

Denim Capelet - Lion Brand Incredible

Great Books for Yarn Hackers 

Here's a taste of some of the books I've used (or at least read!) and think that you should try too!
The Crochet Stitch Bible

The Crochet Stitch Bible

by: Betty Barnden

Probably THE most important book for any Yarn Hacker. This book contains hundreds of special stitches, patterns, and techniques to make the yarn do what you want it to, and it contains all patterns and stitches in both "crochet code" AND visual graphs for different lacework patterns! If you're going to hack, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better book!

Amazon Price: $19.79 (as of 11/20/2008) Buy Now

Not Your Mama's Crochet: The Cool and Creative Way to Join the Chain Gang (Not Your Mamas)

Not Your Mama's Crochet: The Cool and Creative Way to Join the Chain Gang (Not Your Mamas)

by: Amy Swenson

An awesome attempt to throw in more modern crochet patterns. The book recommends some expensive, hard to work with yarns, so it's best to look at their patterns and find a yarn you can actually work with before tackling these projects.

Amazon Price: $10.19 (as of 11/20/2008) Buy Now

Hip Hats to Crochet (Leisure Arts #3908)

Hip Hats to Crochet (Leisure Arts #3908)

by: Leisure Arts Mary E. Nolfi

Good base patterns for hats. Pick your yarn wisely, however; some of the colors they use in these hats are downright garish! It does recommend blending with novelty yarns like Lion Brand Incredible, which is certainly a great idea if you're looking for a new way to embellish a section.

Amazon Price: $6.95 (as of 11/20/2008) Buy Now

Crochet Shrugs (Leisure Arts #4357)

Crochet Shrugs (Leisure Arts #4357)

by: Kay Meadors

Gorgeous patterns, but not tried any of the ones in the book yet. Make sure you have enough yarn to do what you want, and make sure you size your work (and yourself!) up right. These patterns use LOTS of yarn, so whatever you pick, do so wisely...

Amazon Price: $6.95 (as of 11/20/2008) Buy Now

Do Something Good for the Environment with Your Crochet!

Learn how to make Reusable Market Bags that reduce your dependency on harmful plastic shopping sacks!

Yarn Hackers RSS Feed 

Here are some of the most recent posts on the Yarn Hackers blog! Check out the progress of your favorite projects, made while you watch!

Loading Fetching RSS feed... please stand by

Get Started Today!

What are you waiting for? Go check out Yarn Hackers and get some inspiration!

Speak Up! 

Love this lens? Let me know!

(no login necessary!)

Want More Crafting Lenses? 

featured lens Make your own Custom Jewelry with Shrinky Dinks!

If you've somehow managed to grow up as a child without playing with Shrinky Dinks at least once... our condolences! This amazing shrinking plastic we call Shrinky Dinks (also known by the more generic term shrink film), once licensed for all sorts...

featured lens Cut Down on Waste with Reusable Market Bags!

Well, guess what uses lots of oil? Plastics! Now, sure, we're addicted to cheap plastic as much as we are to cheap oil, but as consumers, there's an easy target for saving resources, and it's one we won't miss a bit: our shopping bags! Sure, there...