I finally managed to make a start on my Elf Coat, and the first step was to make sure I had the required tension.

The pattern requires 9 stitches and 10 rows per 2 inches. This was recommended using 6.5 mm Tunisian Crochet hook.

I went away for a mini city break (the break was mini, not the city) last week (end of January 2025), during which I decided to make a start on the swatch. I had finally unwound the disastrous ball I'd made the week previous (see Elf Coat Update 2 – A chair does not a swift make) and rewound it on into a new ball, so was ready to start.

After a long and wet walk in Cambridge, I managed to find somewhere dry and warm to crash with a drink and a burger. I made went to start my swatch only to realise my Tunisian Crochet set didn't have 6.5mm hook. So my only choice was to try with a 6mm hook. This gave me 8 stitches to 2 inches, which was close, but not what was required for the pattern.

The next day, I went on the hunt for a 6.5mm hook. I couldn't get a compatible TC hook, but found a good normal hook which would be fine for a small swatch. The 6.5mm hook gave me fewer stitches per 2 inches than the 6mm, which in hindsight makes sense.

I reached out on Mastodon and got some good help suggesting I both make a bigger swatch and to drop down to a 5.5mm hook (which my kit did have) to see if that worked better.

My third tension square was made using the 5.5mm hook and large enough that the swatch ruler covered it and I finally got my 9 stitches per 2 inches. I think the rows a bit more, but I don't think that matters as much.

With this, I am now ready to cast on my first section of the 'skirt' section of the coat. I think I'll start with the 'peaked section' of the skirt, which I will put at the back in the middle, to give it a bit of shape. The rest of the panels will be straight.

#crochet #TunisianCrochet #FiberArts #FibreArts

My first batch of yarn for my Elf Coat has finally arrived! It's had a tortuous journey to get to me. I originally ordered it in early December and it was posted before the Christmas rush. However, the postie decided not to leave it at my door and just returned it to sender without trying a redelivery or leaving it with a neighbour. I'll put it down to a new postie on a Christmas job who didn't know the code to get in or the ins and outs of the mail.

I contacted the mill who were now on Christmas break and they offered to send me another parcel once they were back in the New Year, which I accepted. I got an email to say it would be delivered but that because they couldn't get in, they took it to the local post office. I got home, checked the closing time; I still had an hour. I quick marched up to the post office only to find it shut an hour early. “They'll be open Saturday 0900-1700 though!” Ok, I'll go back. Finally picked it up on Saturday and opened the box. The colours look amazing in person, pictures don't do them justice!

Last night, in a fit of excitement to get started, I decided to ball up the dark blue skein. I still had a ball winder from my last Crochet Journey, but I'd given the swift away to Charity some time ago. I researched how to wind it without a swift and found I could use the back of a chair. “This can cause issues, however, as it can cause tangling” said many of the sites I read. “I'll be fine,” I thought “How hard can it be?”...

I spent a good 2 hours and several restarts due to uneven tension and a messy ball before I finally had something vaguely resembling a ball of yarn. I have no doubt it will fall apart on me during unraveling, but it should be enough to get a swatch done and check my tension for the project.

As a certain Scottish Actor once said: “Allons-y!”

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