Swatching Patterns

After finishing the Halloween quilt last week I really needed to switch to crochet to work out some stiffness in my hands. I had printed out four free patterns that I liked, but I couldn't decide on which to make as my next crochet project. So I decided to test all four by making a twenty-stitch swatch (working the pattern but using only 20 chain stitches in the foundation row.)

This rectangle granny square blanket pattern is one I've tried before, and I had the same problem with it this time: I can't figure out the pattern the way it's written (and that's on me, not the pattern maker.) I improvised to finish the swatch, but I really need to watch someone make this one to see what I'm doing wrong. Since I want my next project strictly for hand therapy, my inability to interpret the pattern made me decide against it.

I found this moss stitch mood blanket pattern while looking for one-row patterns, and swatched it out of curiosity to see if it was like the temperature blanket pattern I used for my calendar mood blanket last year. It is, and the minute I began swatching it I knew I didn't want to make it. Although moss stitch is pretty, and so are the blankets made with it, when you spend a year crocheting it every single day you kind of get over it.

This chunky swatch came from a Lion Brand pattern that uses three skeins of yarn held together while being worked into a V-stitch. I love V-stitch for scarves and wraps, and I've done three-yarn patterns with the baskets I've made. Unfortunately my hands didn't love it, and the bulkiness of the pattern would be difficult to manage right now.

This V-stitch baby throw pattern, which has a one-row repeat and can be made with worsted weight yarn, ended up being the easiest, prettiest and most appealing swatch to me. My hands didn't object to the stitching pattern, and I don't have to count stitches or deal with a bunch of complicated instructions. Clearly the winner.

I am saving the other patterns with the swatches clipped to them for posterity, as I never know when I might try them again.

I got about half of the first row on the throw done last night, and my fingers feel better this morning, so it was a good choice. I think I'll make it in rows of light-colored and white yarn in ocean colors. We'll see how it works out.