Do you love new crochet patterns? Do you love friendly competitions? Then you’re going to love the Yarn Off Crochet Design Challenge!
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But what exactly is a Yarn Off? Well, it’s like a bake off, but with yarn!
Each designer will have the same basic “ingredients” to work with, but the outcome will be different!
What are the guidelines?
- Same Yarn
- Same Colors
- Same Theme
Everything is the same to start, but then we use whatever hook we want, and of course we choose our own stitch work too!
We also won’t know anything about each other’s designs! It will be a complete surprise!
Then we let you vote on your favorite crochet design! It’s going to be so much fun!
Who is participating in this Yarn Off?
Sonya from Blackstone Designs and Jennifer from A Crocheted Simplicity! (You knew that, didn’t you?!)
Me and Jenn have been doing CALs and other events together for many years, so we thought we would shake it up a little!
What yarn will we be using?
For the first round of Yarn off we will be using the beautiful and squishy Wonderfluff from WeCrochet in the colorway Hare Heather!
Wonderfluff is a lightweight and soft Bulky Yarn (#5) made up of 70% Baby Alpaca, 23% Nylon, and 7% Merino Wool.
WeCrochet says this about Wonderfluff: “Softer than a kitten, fluffier than a cloud, Wonderfluff is a technological marvel! Silky baby alpaca and fleecy merino fibers are blown into and caught in a lightweight tube of nylon mesh. The result is a yarn that’s beautifully bulky yet lightweight and warm, with surprising resiliency.“
And I can attest that there are no lies detected! It has been a snuggly dream to work with and the finished project is coming out so cozy, but also not heavy.
For most yarn you get a suggested crochet hook (or knitting needle) to use with it, but with Wonderfluff they suggest a range!
For crochet hooks they suggest between a K/6.50mm and an M/9.00mm!
For knitting needles they suggest between a #10/6mm to an #11/8mm!
You get 142 yards per 50 gram ball too, which goes quite a ways with this chunky yarn!
What’s the schedule?
How often we host these Yarn Off Crochet Designs Challenges will largely depend on you!
If you like them and we see lots of community participation, we will host them every other month!
So make sure to leave comments on posts, join in the voting, share with your friends…etc.
As for the schedule for each challenge, it will run for three weeks:
- Week 1: Yarn Reveal and Review, Starts February 10th
- Week 2: Project Reveal and Voting Opens Monday, February 20th; Voting Closes, Winner revealed, Prize Winner Announced, Patterns released Thursday, February 23rd.
Oh, did I forget to mention there will be prizes too?
For the first Yarn Off, WeCrochet has generously offered a $50 Gift Card, to the WeCrochet site, to one winner! Make sure to pop by their Facebook page and give them a big thanks!
There is soooo much awesomeness you can get one their site for $50! Seriously, the yarn and tool prices are so amazing!
What do you think about the Yarn Off Crochet Design Challenge?
Let us know in the comments!
Voting
Voting is closed! Thank you for participating in the first Yarn Off Crochet Design Challenge with your votes!
Results
These patterns are available, forever free, on the participating designer’s website! (Jennifer’s will be available later today)
Thank you for voting! See you Thursday for the winner reveals, prize winner announcements, and pattern release!
Happy Crocheting!
Written text and photographs © 2023 Sonya Blackstone of Blackstone Designs. All Rights Reserved.
Sonya Blackstone is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Sounds like fun!
I love this idea!! Sounds like it is going to be lots of fun. Looking forward to seeing the pattern reveal.
Fun idea! I’ll be watching!
Sounds like fun
This is such a fun and creative event. Look forward to participating
Hi Sonya,
I think it is a cute idea. Are you limited as to how much yarn you can use in your projects?
Dana
Yes, we both ordered 4 balls of yarn and had to work with that! Coincidentally, I think we both ended up using only 3 LOL!
Sounds fun
This sounds fun. No pressure on the designers haha.
It will be interesting to see what design they come up with individually.
I can’t wait to see what you two create! I love this idea.
I love this! I can’t wait to see what you both come up with. That yarn looks so soft!!
Sounds fun!
This sounds like alot of fun. Love the concept of a yarn off.
What a cool and fun idea! Can’t wait to see what you ladies come up with.
This is so neat. Can’t wait to see the finished pattern.
Can’t wait to see what you both come up with!!
Sounds like so much fun! I can’t wait to see what you both create!
Wow! Never have I come across a Yarn off or had a chance to vote. Exciting and curious to see the designs. Thank you for this.
Looking forward to it ❤️
Can’t wait to see what you two come up with!
Can’t hardly wait to see what the projects turn out!!
This looks like so much fun! I can’t wait to see your finished projects!
This sounds awesome! Can’t wait to see what you both come up with. I know they will be amazing as always.
New and exciting. Can’t wait to see the projects!
<3
Oh! How unique! I love both of you ♥️ I am excited to see what you create!
Thank you, Terri!
How fun! Love a little friendly competition. Interested to see your designs and how this yarn works up!
I was surprised at how nice this yarn was to work with. Sometimes wool can be fickle, but it is a great yarn!
What a fantastic idea!
Thank you!!
I can’t wait to see what you two make with what sounds like a heavenly yarn!
It really is a beautiful yarn! It was nice to work with!
Can’t wait to see what the next challenge is. It’s so much fun to see what different people come up with given the same yarn.
It’s been a lot of fun! We were both surprised at each other’s finished piece!
You both are beautiful and so creative.
Thank you!
Wow, you ladies made this a very hard decision. I love both.
Thank you!! <3
Oh what FUN!!!!
It is!!
What a fun idea!
Thank you!
Both cowls are great …. I’m amazed at how quickly you are both able to design something new.
<3 ... We've been doing it a while ;)
What a great idea ladies! Something a little different. The cowls are both beautiful and I can’t wait to see what else you’ll come up with going forward
Thank you!!
Love both of them!
Thank you!
I like them both, but I like the lace one a little better. I’d like to make both of them.
I voted!
Thank you for voting! <3
What a great idea! It was hard to choose a favorite. They are both beautiful.
Thank you for voting! <3
Some things in life are so hard and this is one of them, how to vote when both are gorgeous I ummmed and ahhhrrred before landing on Trio Lace Hooded Cowl it looks so cute, But I truly love both of them and your both winners X♥X
Thank you for voting! <3
I voted! But they both are beautiful.
I voted
Fun! It was a tough choice, but I voted!
Sounds like fun. I voted good luck girls.
Voted! Can’t wait for the pattern.
i love the full coverage and the ease of the easy hooded cowl
Love the lace because it is lighter-less bulky–I preferless bulk on mmyhead- I am not a big wearer of hats!LOL!
I’m from Saskatchewan so the Easy hooded cowl was what caught my eye! It was -33°C overnight last night! Brrrrrr! Love them both though!
This looks fun and might be just what I need to get back in the swing of things. Voted for my preference and off to find a good sub as I’m allergic to alpaca
I like them both but the Easy Hooded Cowl is beautiful!
Both designs are gorgeous!
So closed my eyes & poked the screen lol
Good luck to both designer’s
Both designs are beautiful. But, I got my vote in. I’d look forward to making both design s
I really liked the look of the easy hooded cowl but I thought the trio was more practical because it might stay up as a good better. Depends how cold it is. Lol
I voted! It was a hard choice. They both have parts I love!
So hard to choose! Both great designs from 2 awesome yarn artists, but I voted.
I voted, but was hard to choose.
I really like the Trio Lace Hooded Cowl, I voted!
They are both wonderful, but I voted for the easy hooded cowl as I think I’d wear it more.
Both are so pretty. Wish I could use wool yarn to make one.
Voted, but they are both great.
I voted! It was impossible to pick a favorite because I like them both equally but had my grandkids pick one for me..lol. They are 2 and 4 years old. <3
Both are lovely but the easy one gets my vote
Such a neat idea! I love a bit of friendly competition and I’m always fascinated how the same yarn can look completely different just by using a different stitch and hook combo. Both are equally beautiful!
Beautiful cowls! I voted for my favorite! Thanks for this contest! Have a good week!
Both are so cute. Can’t wait to see which wins!
It was a tough decision, but I did end up voting. Thank you for letting us vote! I can’t wait to see which one wins and make both patterns.
Both are gorgeous, but I did manage to vote.
I voted for the east hooded cowl. It is beautiful! 🙂
They are both nice but Sonya I have say that is the prettiest Hooded cowl I have seen yet, and can’t wait to have a go making. This yarn off idea seems great fun. Maybe we can get involved by perhaps voting for the next make when we vote . For the present item in the future xxx
It’s hard to decide because I really like both of you them.
Hard to choose. Loved them both but I did finally pick one.
Voted. Wishing you good luck. Looking forward to new projects.
I voted!! Both are lovely and the prize looks awesome! Thank you for the chance to win.
Both cowls are ones that I am sure I would make. great Job!!!
I voted. Thank you!
Both lovely but I ended up choosing the Trio Lace Hooded Cowl as the ties will make it a snugger fit around my neck which gets cold very quickly! Looking forward to voting in more Yarn Offs over the coming months xx
Both are cute but I’m love the pom poms detail ❤
These are both beautiful, voting was hard! The yarn looks amazing to touch <3
both lovely, and I voted!
They are both lovely, it was a tough choice!
I voted! Yarn Off is such a great idea ❤. Lovely designs from both of you!
the trio lace hooded cowl is my fave but both look stunning so its not an easy choice!
I voted think this idea of a Yarn Off is great.
I voted
They’re both gorgeous! It was a difficult choice, but I voted. 🙂
Ok voting was fun – no wrong answer kind of fun
I follow both of you lovely ladies, so I knew it would be a close call. But I always tell people it’s the little details that make things go from nice to wow and in this case the pompoms were it.
Great Job Ladies! The Trio lace looks so light and soft. The Easy hooded cowl looks super warm. This was a very hard choice, but I voted.
I voted, but it wasn’t easy, they both are wonderful!!!!
WOW… that was a really hard choice ♀️I seriously, had such a hard time Deciding, I will definitely be making both ❤️❤️
Thank you so much
This was a very hard decision!!! They are both beautiful. I like the lacier design best so that is what I voted for.
I voted they are both awesome
I love both cows and it was a tough decision. I did pick one, though!! So much fun!!
These are both beautiful!! The decision was very hard. I voted!
I voted! Looking forward to the patterns. Both are awesome!
I just love the idea of this and especially that we get to vote on our favorite one. I picked the easy hooded cowl. It looks like a great pattern and I can imagine I am wearing it right now. It makes me feel warm and cozy. Oh well, I guess I will have to make myself one like it.
I voted!
Beautiful designs and what a fun challenge!
Voted! Shocked to see what a big difference there is between the numbers, thought it would be much closed since it was so hard to decide-both are very nice!
Hi Heather!
Pay no attention to those numbers in the bar graph, they are not accurate!
The results will be posted on Thursday! <3
Both cowls are so pretty! It was hard to choose a favorite, but I voted for one!
Beautiful designs! I voted. Thank you!
Both designs are lovely, but I did vote for my fav.
I like the lacy one best. They both are nice though.
Very hard to choose as both beautiful designs. I did vote for only one though.
Hi Sonya,
Both designs are great and I love your lacy Hooded Cowl, so had to give you my vote.
Cheers!
I voted, but that was a tough decision! Both are very beautiful!
Hi Sonia,
Yay! I have voted for the pattern I loved the most. Both are beautiful, though.
Subha
I love them both! So hard to just pick one.
It was hard to choose but I voted.
Hi! This was fun, but where were the winners announced?
Thanks!