Mystery Earwarmer Crochet a Long (CAL) 2024 - Vol 1

You’ve been asking for a crochet-a-long so I thought it would be fun to do a mystery crochet a long. We’ll explore 12 stitch patterns I just love – a combination of simple, plain ones and fun, textured ones – but with toddler, child and adult sizes and patterns for DK weight and worsted weight yarn, you will have the whole family with cozy ears!

As I mentioned, each earwarmer will come in 4 sizes, have free written crochet instructions here on my Cre8tion Crochet blog, and a video tutorial to go with it. I will share instructions for a Lightweight #3 Yarn as well as a Worsted Weight #4 Yarn, specifically, I will be trying out a new to me yarn – Araucania Huasco Kettle Dyed Yarn, which is available in DK Weight and Aran Weight (as well as Fingering Weight and Chunky Weight!).

Araucania Huasco Kettle Dyed Yarn is a beautiful, tonal yarn comprised of 75% Superwash Merino Wool and 25% Polyamide Nylon that is perfect for soft, cozy projects, especially wearables, accessories and even blankets! The superwash process together with the nylon makes this a nice, durable yarn. Plus I love that it’s machine washable!

I’m even thinking of trying out Jody Long Ciao Yarn for the lightweight earwarmer designs – it looks so soft and plushy!

I’ve been testing different yarns to see which one I like the best for projects like earwarmers, beanies, scarves and more to use in future designs and offer for sale in my Yarn Crafts and Coffee Shop both online and in person, and with all the colors, weights and that lovely fiber combination in the Araucania Huasco Kettle Dyed line, I can’t wait to give it a try!

If you are allergic to wool and looking for a similar yarn, you can check out these:

Lightweight Yarn: Juniper Moon Herriot 100% Baby Alpaca

Worsted Weight Yarns: Mirasol Misma 100% Baby Alpaca or Ella Rae Cozy Alpaca 70% Acrylic & 30% Baby Alpaca

This yarn is available for pre-order. Araucania and Jody Long are new brands for me and the Yarn Crafts and Coffee Yarn Shop so I am taking pre-orders to build up my stock with all your favorites. You can purchase through end of day EST on August 18th, 2024. Plug in code 081830PK to save 30% off your purchase! Free shipping in the US on orders of $75 or more, otherwise it’s a $10 flat fee.

Are there different styles of earwarmers?
You can work an earwarmer a couple of different ways: in the round, as a rectangle and then joined to create a tube, with a mobius twist, and worked as a rectangle and then sewn together to create a twist.

I will admit that my favorite way is to work it as a rectangle and add a twist, but really, it also depends on the stitch pattern, and when in season the earwarmer will be used.

For this crochet a long, we’ll be exploring different methods for working earwarmers. Make sure to drop me a line below letting me know which one is your favorite style so I know, and can work more like that!

The first 6 designs are not going to be much of a mystery at all as we’re going to work from my Volume One series – the same stitch patterns that coordinate with my Let’s Crochet Some Scarves, Vol 1 eBook. After that though begins the Mystery for the last 6!

Of the first 6, the only one published is the Little Pebbles Earwarmer, so if you want a sneak peek, you can use this free crochet pattern to get started on some right now! This will be our second design in the crochet a long. I will be reworking the design in the Araucania Aran Kettle Dyed Yarn and adding a video tutorial. It was originally written for Worsted Weight #4 Yarn, but I will be also adding instructions for the Lightweight #3 Yarn too!

Earwarmer Crochet-a-Long Schedule:
The Crochet a Long for the first 6 earwarmers from Volume One will run from September 7th through October 12th, and the Mystery Earwarmer Crochet a Long will run from October 19th to November 23rd with each design going live on Saturday so 12 Saturdays of crochet fun! There will be a Bonus Mystery Crochet Pattern released on November 30th.

Early bird gets the worm! Regular price for the new eBook will be $36, but for now, you can snag it for just $12!

Let’s Crochet Some Earwarmers, Vol 1 and Let’s Crochet Some Earwarmers Vol 2 are currently available for $12 each through September 6th, 2024. On September 7th when the crochet a long kicks off with the first pattern update, the new sale price for each eBook will be $24, and when I complete the Crochet a Long at the end of September, the new regular price for each eBook will be $36 (that will be for 12 crochet patterns in each volume, each with 4 sizes).

Currently, there is only a welcome PDF included in each one – no designs are available just yet. If you purchase one or both eBooks, each Saturday when I update the design in the eBook, you will receive a Ravelry update and see the update available in your Library.

Aside from the written instructions for each pattern, the PDF will also include at least 1 photo for each one, finishing photo tutorials at the end, and a couple pages of QR codes for the clickable links that are within the patterns (in case you print the patterns, and still want to check out the links).

I would love to have you join my Yarn Crafts and Coffee Facebook group! Please tell us about the yarn you’ll be using, ask questions and share photos along the way! This is an open crochet group so feel free to share other projects you’re working on as well. While this is a mystery, it is not a secret so feel free to share your projects on social media as well!

Materials for Lightweight #3 Earwarmers:

• Estimating 70 – 225 Yards of Lightweight #3 Yarn – I’m not 100% decided on which yet, but I will be using either Araucania DK Kettle Dyed Yarn or Jody Long Ciao Yarn (maybe both!)
• Undecided if I will use my G6/4.25mm or H8/5mm Crochet Hook
• Tapestry Needle
• Tape Measure (gauge is essential)

Materials for Worsted Weight #4 Earwarmers:

• 50 – 125 Yards of Worsted Weight Cotton Yarn – I’m going to be using Araucania Aran Kettle Dyed Yarn
• H8/5mm Crochet Hook
• Tapestry Needle
• Tape Measure (gauge is essential)

Material Notes:
I haven’t worked an earwarmer in a lightweight yarn before so I am estimating the yardages based on my experience with working lightweight beanies. I will have more exact yardages required once I have the yarn in my hands and can start working – the same with the hook for the lightweight yarn. I enjoy using an H8/5mm hook with lightweight yarns, but I may go down to my G6/4.25mm after I get started.

There are many yarns that would be perfect for earwarmers! The first question I would start with is will it be for warm weather or cold weather? Something like the granny stitch and a cotton blend yarn like Berroco Modern Cotton would be perfect for late Spring into early Fall, and something like the bobble stitch and a wool blend yarn like my chosen Araucania Huasco Kettle Dyed Yarn would be perfect for chilly morning runs or nights out and Winter time.

As I mentioned, I have been testing lots of different yarns on the hunt for the best one to use for myself, recommend to you and sell in my shop. With that said, I’ll share some great yarn alternatives for each one I’ve picked.

Lightweight #3 Yarns:

• Cotton Blends for Warm Weather: Lion Brand Coboo, Berroco Modern Cotton DK
• Cozy Wool Blends: Jody Long Ciao, Berroco Vintage DK
• Cozy Non-Wool Alpaca Blends: Juniper Moon Herriot, Lion Brand Baby Alpaca, Lion Brand Feels Like Alpaca
• Acrylic Yarn: WeCrochet Brava Sport

Worsted Weight #4 Yarns:

• Cotton Blend for Warm Weather: Berroco Modern Cotton
• Cozy Wool Blends: Berroco Vintage, Lion Brand Wool Ease, - WeCrochet Swish
• Cozy Non-Wool Alpaca Blends: Mirasol Misma, Ella Rae Cozy Alpaca
• Acrylic Yarns: Lion Brand Heartland, Lion Brand Jeans, WeCrochet Brava

Because the finished size of the earwarmers is essential to fit correctly, gauge is essential so you’ll want to make sure you have your soft tape measure handy. If you don’t check gauge, and your gauge is not correct, then the finished earwarmer will not fit correctly – it will either be too small or too big.

eBook published in November 2024