Crochet has a bad rap. Who can forget all those “cast iron” crochet projects of the 70’s? The problem, in my view, was the inappropriate choice of yarn and fiber.

When making a garment of crochet, the overriding concern is the “hand” of the fabric. Over the years I’ve found that I like the hand of fingering and sport weight single ply yarns best for crochet, particularly for garments. Hand refers to how the fabric drapes, how soft and flexible it is. The lighter weight yarns with slight thick/thin texture tend to produce the most interesting, pliable and soft fabric.

Fiber choice can also contribute to the success of the project, with natural fibers winning out over acrylic every time. You are not limited to wools though — blends using silk, bamboo, alpaca, tencel and rayon are excellent choices, as these fibers tend to drape well.

There are many wonderful yarns suitable for crochet. The scarf pictured is crocheted with Lanaloft, a sport weight wool single from Brown Sheep with a nice range of solids and handpaints. With 145 yds per 50 gr ball, it takes only three balls (and three evenings!) to make a long, wrappable scarf, about 6” x 72”.

chart included