Corona spring and organising and I found this stash of cotton yarn that I didn’t know I had. I think I picked it up in a charity shop a million years ago. It’s 100% cotton, and there is about 32oz (1kg) of it. Has any one for a suggestion for a pattern, I’ll thinking of a shawl.
Not knitting, because I hate knitting. So crochet. The yarn isn’t very soft, so a looser pattern. I like a huge shawl and I’ll probably dye it after making it up, because the white or a bit meh.
Well cotton yarn can be very hard on the hands and wrists, so a large project like a shawl could become painful for you. But cotton is fantastic for dishcloths, wash cloths, hand towels, and bath mats. All of which are smaller individual projects. That’s probably what I’d try.
I did not know that, is it because it’s not as soft?
It hasn’t any stretchy give to it. I don’t enjoy working with it very much but I really like those cotton dish towels, they are great. I plan to use up the one ball of cotton yarn that’s sneaked into my collection for a cloth or two.
It doesn’t really glide through your fingers as smoothly as other fibers, so you’re literally pulling a little harder the whole time, subtly fighting the yarn with your own tension. Like a sewing machine needs it’s tension set depending on your project, your hands have to compensate for the lack of glide. So even though it doesn’t necessarily feel like it, you’re working your hands a lot harder. If I do something like a single dishcloth, no big deal. If I try doing a hand towel, I need to take breaks, and work on other (non crochet) things to let my hands and wrists recover. Sometimes I overdo it and end up having to wear my wrist braces, because it doesn’t FEEL like it’s any different while working.
Whatever you choose to make, be sure to take breaks, stretch your hands, wrists, and shoulders often, and if at all possible, go for a comfortable ergonomic hook. Or add a squishy hook holder to the classic metal ones. I find wood makes it worse, but something with a seriously smooth plastic or an aluminum hook in an ergonomic handle is much better.
I also think a shawl would not drape very nicely…but I have made a lacey type of tank top with cotton yarn before…it is done in sections so it does make it easier…
I am making a large afgan from yarn that looks similar and this is exactly my experience! Thanks for the explanation. I never knew why but I just know I have to take frequent breaks while crocheting cotton.
My big project is this but I don’t think you’d have enough yarn for such a large project: Haakplein Nostalgia (picture + pattern in Dutch)
An afghan is probably more suitable for this type of yarn than a shawl because the finished item will be quite heavy.
Ok, thanks for the explanations you guys. I think the best solution with be to give it to my sister… She makes afghans and she’ll appreciate it.
Thanks for heading me off from what sounds like it would be a difficult, frustrating project…
I like that random white/pink/mauve/charcoal ball, with a tiny yellow splash!!!
I say wall weaving!!
That ball is gorgeous. I actually bought it from a deadplace crafter about a million years ago. Of course with my head-like-a-sieve I can’t remember who hand spun it. And I have been convinced for years that I gave it to a friend to make something for me with it (she moved away and we lost touch) but no. It was lurking at the back of my craft room shelving unit for ever.
I’m going to have to do something with it now. I’m thinking of knitting a funky hat for winter. I can knit, I just don’t enjoy it, but the yarn is really lovely.
That Afghan is gorgeous. So much work!!
Now you’ve mentioned dye I am starting to wonder what a traditional project like that would look like dyed in colours like pink and purple.
Yasss!!! Do a chunky knit hat!! Maybe they’ll see it and comment!
The first thing I thought when I saw this was macrame plant hanger with matching macrame wall hanging
It would be perfect for macrame, But I am old enough to remember when it was deeply unfashionable first time around and I am afraid I’ve never got over that. 
My gran had the owl thing, she made it. Even though it’s pure kitsch, I loved her crafts so much the nostalgia factor overwhelms any sort of unfashionable connotation for me.
Not so much acid wash, or those fluorescent kerchief hair bows, oh lawdy. I can’t believe that Frankie-Goes-To-Hollywood high jeans fashion era is coming round again, it is OOGLY! lol.
going to echo Miss Jennie here but I have found that metal hooks are MUCH better for cotton. don’t even try to use a plastic hook… I shudder about the one time I did that…
I think a baby of child’s outfit in white. Maybe a dress
White cotton yarn you can tea dye with strong tea. Online you can find tutorials for this.
One of my other houses has a window, narrow and length of front door next to it.
Back then had no OA yet…I crochet roses with slightly bigger hook than yarn and each day did few rows until I finish it.The pattern was from a magazine from the 1980s.Back then had the regular grey hooks.
After I got online I got the colorful aluminium hooks and they work a lot better with the cotton yarn, but I only do small projects and not much. They are from Herrschnerrs USA. There I buy cotton yarn too, theirs is good quality and soft/smooth.
I never got the ergonomic.
