Stash-busting Crochet: Making it up as I go along

I have 1.4 kg (3 lbs) remaining of an aran weight single ply wool that I acquired around 25 years ago.  I bought Tahki Windsor Tweed in five colours:  fuchsia, green, turquoise blue, burgundy and medium blue.  I’ve used it sparingly in projects and never quite sure how to combine all these colours to use it up in one finished object.  Earlier this week, I tried out a number of knitting and crocheting ideas but none really worked for me.

It’s the largest bunch of yarn in my stash right now and, as per my self-imposed stash-busting challenge, I’ve either got to use it or donate it.  I’ve read so many reviews of this yarn that suggest it’s only for outerwear and it’s not all that soft.  I’m reluctant to donate it because it would be cruel to give it to people who would spend valuable hours knitting it into garments or blankets that might not sell.

So, today I embarked on a mystery object.  It’s a mystery because I’ve always wanted to make one of these finished objects which involves knitting and felting.  The pictures of them in use are adorable and I just can’t stand not having one of my own.   However, if it doesn’t work out, I may decide to fashion whatever I produce into something else.

I’ve decided to crochet rather than knit.  And to hold the yarn double rather than produce a loosely knit or crocheted thing before felting.  Because I don’t know how the crocheted yarn will felt, I’ve decided to tackle the object in stages.

The first stage was supposed to be a “bottom” but it’s a bit wiggly.  It’s because I’m winging it and I increased too many double crochet stitches on the third round.  I thought I could fix it but it didn’t work out.  It reminds me of Grade 2 when the teacher had us bring in old 78 rpm records.  She baked them in the oven and they wiggled just like this crochet piece.  Then we glued various dried pasta shapes all over them.  She spray-painted the final result with gold paint.  It was supposed to be a centerpiece.  What a waste of a good recording!  I still feel for my poor father having to decide which of his records to donate to this unworthy cause.  But I digress.

This crocheted thing is 45 cm (18″) wide and weighs 195 g (7 oz).  It’s in the washer felting now.  If it felts funny, it’s going to become the “top.”  If it felts really wonky, it’s going to be a “sculptural top.”  The yarn has tweedy bits all through it but according to a Raveller, all those tweedy bits fall off during the felting process.  Given the end use of this object, I don’t think that will matter.

Of course winging it means one works with whatever one gets and whatever final result arises is what was intended all along!

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