I have been SUCH A FAN of Nkese Lewis for so long that I cannot believe I get to bring her voice to the Stitch & Hustle community with this two part series on Crochet Styling. She uses bold colors and makes incredible crochet creations that often have me in awe. The woman has an eye for color and styling. It’s not just her amazing styling skills though. We connected on Instagram over a year ago and what I love is that our connection was not just rooted in fiber but in love and love of God. We can chat about anything from prayer to that amazing sweater she just made. She is authentic (and not in the buzz word way) and inspiring. YES I AM A FAN.

Truly - Nkese is a craft enthusiast who refuses to buy anything she can make for less with a little time and patience. In her spare time she can usually be found crocheting in public, listening to music or listening to an audiobook. She is a wife and mother of three who claims to be her children’s biggest and loudest fan (and if you have seen her Instagram you know this is truth). Her favorite time of year is the fall because that means fall fashion and FOOTBALL. What else is there? Get her Crochet fashion insights below and be sure to follow and use her #afteryarnglow hashtag for a bi-weekly slide show in her stories. 

If there is one thing I have always loved it’s clothes! There is just something so expressive about the clothing we choose to wear and how we style them. It says so much about who we are without using words. So last year, when I figured out how to make my own garments with yarn, I stopped buying things I knew I could make myself and started buying ALL THE YARN instead!!

In this two-part post series on Crochet Styling, I will share a few tips I’ve learned and developed about picking your yarn, styling your makes, and taking awesome Instagram worthy photos. This series begins where every project begins - selecting the yarn. Selecting the RIGHT yarn!

I’ve learned to be pretty selective when choosing yarn these days. I wasn’t always that way. I didn’t know or understand yarn had different weights, textures, and were made from different fibers. I know that kind of sounds like a duh moment, but I honestly thought you just bought yarn from the craft store and made everything with that yarn. We don’t have any Local Yarn Stores where I live and no one in my circle knew anything about yarn. So when I finally became more informed about all things yarn related I started choosing yarn with these five principles in mind. 

LET’S GET TO IT!! 

Destash! Of course no one wants to hear or read that. (Did I actually just type that? I sure did!) Truth is, more often than not there is yarn in your stash that is perfectly suitable for what you want to make. I know the idea of buying new yarn is exciting. But how often does that same yarn end up sitting on the shelf next to the yarn you already had, not even being used for what your originally purchased it for?

Yarn weight. When you’re making garments it helps to know the difference in yarn weights. For example the difference between DK and Worsted and what would be the best use each one. I have to admit for a long time I had no idea what this DK yarn people spoke about was. But it has quickly become my favorite yarn weight to use, especially living in a warmer climate. Speaking of that, be mindful of yarn weights according to the climate you live in. It will really determine how often you’re able to wear those beautiful things you’ve created with your hands.

Complimentary Colors. When you’re deciding on colors for your garments you want to try and choose colors that look good against your skin tone. Are you bold and bright, soft and light or somewhere in between? If you’re not really sure what those colors are, take a look in your closet or in your drawers and see what colors you gravitate towards. You can also ask a friend or family member which colors they think look the best on you. For example, bold and bright colors look best on me like yellows, oranges and pinks. That is why I chose this beautiful pinkish/berry color to make the Abbington Wrap that I’m wearing. This bold color not only matches the accent lines in my skirt, but it also gives just the right pop of color to compliment my brown skin.

Pick something from your wardrobe. Matching your yarn to something you already have in your closet will save you both time and money. Outside of knowing your colors and picking the right yarn weight, this tip is probably the next most important thing. If you are making the garment to fit you, also make it to fit what you already own. That way if you do need to buy yarn your not purchasing an entire outfit. The yarn for your garment would be the equivalent of buying a top to complete your outfit.

Switch it up. It is so easy to get in a rut of using the same color palettes over and over again. (I’m guilty of that when it comes to mustard yellow.) But when we limit ourselves to only certain colors, we are not only limiting the expression of our true selves but we are also limiting our creative expression period! Branch out a little bit! Try something new! Pick a color you would have never dared to pick before. You will never know what else you like or what else looks good on you if you get stuck in the habit of always choosing the same color yarn.

Those are just a few tips to help you get started! I hope you enjoyed this post and stay tuned for the follow up post which will include tips on how to style your makes and how to take awesome photos in the most unconventional places. 

And continue showing your CROCHET STYLE!