A Yarn of Serendipity – Hooked on Häkelmaschen

Tickle Me Pink – A Bold Take on Colour

Pattern test of the Tickle Me Pink crochet square: a beautiful Afghan block with a bold colour combination and my personal take on choosing colours.

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of testing another design by Pam Knighton-Haener from A Yarn of Serendipity: the Tickle Me Pink Square!

I have to admit, I was a bit curious about the name as I’d never heard that expression before. Of course, I looked it up on Google. If, like me, you’re not a native speaker either, it means to be delighted or overjoyed about something.

Pam’s new pattern is now available on Ravelry and on her other platforms. You will find a link to Ravelry at the end of this post.

The pattern

Tickle me Pink is another stunning Afghan square. It matches Pam’s other designs perfectly in both style and size, so you can mix and match them however you like.

The design reminds me a bit of Art Nouveau, the “Modern Style” of the late 19^th century.

The crochet square is designed using a #4 Cotton yarn (Aran / worsted weight). And, as always, the size is a bit adjustable by using either a 4.5 or 5 mm hook. Depending on this, the finished measurements are 11 or 12 inches (28 or 30.5 cm).

The pattern is rated with an intermediate skill level and has all Pam’s usual features like

written in US terms
two different colourways to follow (one with three and another one with four colours)
detailed explanation of all the stitches used
clear and detailed photos for each round that show the exact placement of the stitches
easy navigation between written instructions, stitch definitions, and photos

My test version of the Tickle Me Pink Square

Again, I went with Stylecraft Special DK for my test version as it’s the yarn I currently have the widest colour selection in.

Stylecraft Special DK is 100% Acrylic and has 295 m/100 g (size #3 – Double Knit, Light worsted).

I worked with a 3.75 mm hook and my finished square turned out about 24.5 cm (about 10 in).

Colours, colours, colours

What colour do you choose when a design is called ‘Tickle Me Pink’?

Pam had already gone for shades of pink for one of her colour variations, so I wanted to show something different.

Somehow, I had the feeling that bold colours would definitely work well for this design. So I opted for a combination of Violet, Claret and Parma Violet. A combination that’s completely outside my comfort zone – ugh!

Don’t ask me how I ended up choosing Violet. It’s a colour I rarely use because I find it hard to pair with others. Neutrals such as white or cream often create too much contrast. Combinations with yellow (the complementary colour of violet) or green (a secondary colour) seem quite popular. But personally, I don’t like either of those. I do like the combination of violet and orange (the other secondary colour), but only if orange is the dominant colour. All in all, that doesn’t leave many options!

So, at first I was quite hesitant about my colour choice, but then decided to just give it a go. What can I say? I think the result is really, really good! Strong but pretty! Although I’m sure the design will look good in soft, pastel colours too.

Colour board for my Tickle Me Pink Square

A – 1123, Claret
B – 1277, Violet
C – 1724, Parma Violet

I followed Pam’s colourway 1 and replaced the colours like shown in the photo above.

My conclusion

All in all, this was another pattern I really enjoyed working on. The design is beautiful and well thought out, but what I liked most this time was stepping a little outside my usual colour choices.

It’s always interesting to see how different colour combinations can completely change the look of a design – and this one definitely proved that to me.

My finished test version of the Tickle Me Pink Square

Pattern link

In case I’ve sparked your interest

Tickle Me Pink Square on Ravelry

Happy crocheting 💕

Pattern Test: The Joanne Square – A Beautiful Crochet Afghan Square

Pattern test of the Joanne Square: a beautiful crochet Afghan square with a floral design, plus my yarn and colour choices.

Ooops, I haven’t shown you the results of my latest pattern test yet….

Even though I’m not doing much pattern testing at the moment, I just can’t say no to Pam Knighton-Haener from A Yarn of Serendipity. So I jumped at the chance when she asked back in February.
She designed another lovely Afghan square: The Joanne Square.

The pattern was published in early March and, as always, is available in Pam’s Ravelry shop as well as on her other platforms. You will find the link to Ravelry at the end of this post.

The Joanne Square goes perfectly with Pam’s other designs and combines beautifully with them.

I like how the pattern gradually develops from the centre, changing from round to octagonal to square. If I had to describe it, I’d say it resembles a flower mandala.

The pattern

The Joanne Square is designed using size #4 Cotton yarn (Aran / worsted weight).

However, the pattern works just as well with any other yarn weight. Only the finished size and, in some cases, the amount of yarn needed will vary.

Using the original yarn, the square will measure 11 or 12 inches (about 28 or 30 cm), depending on whether a 4.5 mm or 5 mm crochet hook is used.

The pattern is written in US crochet terms and considered as an intermediate skill level. Besides basic stitches, you will also come across some special ones. But don’t worry — they are all explained in the pattern. Detailed round-by-round photos help clarify the instructions and show the exact placement of each stitch.

Pam offers two different colourways: one with four colours and another with just three. But of course, it’s entirely up to you whether you want to use one of the given colour schemes or create your own.

My test version of the Joanne Square

For my test version, I went with Stylecraft Special DK and followed colourway 2, the one with three colours.

Stylecraft Special DK is 100% Acrylic yarn (size #3). I worked with a 4 mm hook and my square turned out about 25 cm (almost 10 inches). As I used a different yarn weight, it is somewhat smaller than stated in the pattern.

My colour choice

Colour A – 1842, Cypress
Colour B – 1005, Cream
Colour C – 1822, Pistachio

I usually find it difficult to combine only two or three colours. This time, I quickly realised that I wanted to go for shades of green. Probably because I’ve been longing so much for spring. But Pistachio is one of my favourite colours anyway. Normally I love to combine it with Meadow or Duck Egg. This time I wanted a bit more contrast, so Cypress was my choice. I think the two colours complement each other quite well. The slightly bluish undertone of Cypress really brings out the Pistachio, highlighting the flower-like centre of the square even more. At least, these were my thoughts …

My conclusion

As always with Pam’s patterns, everything is clearly laid out and easy to follow.

Although the pattern is classified as intermediate, I am convinced that an advanced beginner can tackle it. It’s definitely worth a try.

I’m absolutely in love with my Joanne Square. The variety of stitches made it a really enjoyable project, and I can definitely see myself trying a few more colour combinations as soon as I find the time.

Pattern link

If you’d like to take a look at the pattern, you can find it here:

Joanne Square on Ravelry

Testing the Wheel of What Square by A Yarn of Serendipity

I had the pleasure of testing the Wheel of What Square by A Yarn of Serendipity – a beautifully textured Afghan block that’s easy to customize with colours and perfect for mix-and-match patchwork blankets.

Last reviewed on May 12, 2026

A new design by Pam Knighton-Haener

A few months ago, back in August, I had the pleasure of testing another pattern for Pam Knighton-Haener of A Yarn of Serendipity. Pam has just released her beautiful new design: the Wheel of What Square.

The Wheel of What Square is another lovely Afghan block that perfectly complements all of Pam’s other designs. Like most of her squares, this one is designed in Aran / worsted weight yarn (#4). It measures about 11 or 12 inches, depending on whether a 4.5 mm or 5 mm crochet hook is used. All of Pam’s 11–12 inch squares share the same stitch count per side, so you can easily mix and match them to create a gorgeous patchwork blanket.

About the pattern

The pattern is rated as intermediate, but as always, Pam provides detailed, round-by-round photos that make it easy to follow along – even if you’re not an advanced crocheter.

Pam also includes two different colour versions in her pattern:

Version 1 uses four colours
Version 2 is worked in a single colour for a clean, classic look

My Test Version of the Wheel of What Square

For my test version I used Stylecraft Special DK from my stash and a 4 mm hook.

I opted for some light, summery colours.

As I used five colours in my version, it was difficult to stick to Pam’s original colour scheme.
As so often, I created my own combination – the one you can see on the left in the photo.

My finished square measures about 25 cm (10 in). It’s a little smaller than Pam’s sample simply because I used DK / light worsted yarn (#3), while she used Aran / worsted weight yarn (#4).

I‘m totally happy with how it turned out!

A Spark of Inspiration

I have to confess, after my square was finished and blocked, it was still lying on my desk for quite a while — I just didn’t get around to taking pictures. But seeing it every day sparked a new idea in my mind:

Every time I looked at it, I thought “This design would look amazing in Christmas colours!”

So of course, I had to try it!

My Wheel of What Christmas Version

For my Christmas version, I again used yarn from my stash – a mix of Stylecraft Special DK and Yarnsmiths Create DK, with the same 4 mm hook.

This time, I followed Pam’s Colourway 1, but replaced her shades with my own festive choices:

Colour A: 3090 Claret Red – Yarnsmiths Create DK
Colour B: 1824 Cypress – Stylecraft Special DK
Colour C: 3045 Off White – Yarnsmiths Create DK
Colour D: 1834 Lincoln – Stylecraft Special DK

And the result?

I absolutely love it!

The colours give the design such a warm and festive touch – perfect for the holiday season.

Final Thoughts

The Wheel of What Square is another beautifully written and well-thought-out design from Pam. It’s fun to crochet, looks amazing in any colour combination, and fits perfectly with her other squares.

If you’d like to try the Wheel of What Square yourself, you can find Pam’s pattern on Ravelry.

Discover the “Around the World Square” Afghan Pattern

Last updated on January 11, 2026

Some weeks ago I had the pleasure of testing another design by Pam Knighton-Haener from A Yarn of Serendipity:

The Around the World Square – The Pattern

With the Around the World Square Pam designed another lovely Afghan square.
The pattern offers two colour schemes, one with 5 colours and one with 7.
It is designed with worsted weight / Aran (#4) yarn and will have a finished size of about 28 cm (11 in) or 30 cm (12 in) depending on wether you work with a 4.5 or 5 mm crochet hook. The size and the number of stitches per side, of course, fit perfectly with all her other 11 / 12 inch squares.

The pattern is rated with an intermediate skill level. As almost always in Pam’s patterns, there are also a few special stitches here. But – also as always – everything is well explained. Besides, there are plenty of detailed pictures to help. Therefore, I think that even an ambitious beginner can crochet this square.
The pattern is available on Ravelry, and if you hurry, you can still get a 30% discount until the end of July 2025. The discount also applies to all other patterns by Pam. It’s worth a look!

Around the World Square – My Version

Yarn and colours I used

For my test-version I used Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/6 from my stash.
Rainbow Cotton 8/6 is a 100 % cotton yarns and has 105 m / 50 g (115 yards / 1.76 ounces).
Hobbii classifies it as a fine/sport weight yarn. Personally, I find that it is one of the thicker types, almost a DK weight. I therefore mostly use a 3.75 or 4.0 mm hook to work with it. For the Around the World Square I decided on my 4.0 mm Clover Amour hook. And, looking at the result, this was the correct choice.

Here my colour choice…

Unfortunately, by now, some of them are discontinued in the 8/6 quality.

My colour placement

I decided on a version with 5 colours. At first, however, I wasn’t sure whether my colours would really go together. That’s why I didn’t simply replace the colours of the five-colour version with my own. Instead, I once again created my individual colour placement. Even though I had doubts at first, I think the colours match quite well.

I have listed my colour placement here.

My square came out with about 26 cm (10.5 in) and I’m absolutely happy with the result!

Tested Pattern Review: Dahlia of Yore Square

Last updated on January 9, 2026

Last week I showed you the new design by Pam Knighton-Haener from A Yarn of Serendipity: the Dahlia of Yore Square.
I had the pleasure of helping to test the pattern. So, today I‘d like to show you my version of this lovely design.

But I have to admit, I wasn’t familiar with the word yore at all. Though, I had to look up the name of the design first. In case you feel the same way since English is not your native language either, here is the explanation I got from Google:

Yore means “long ago” and is used in the same way as “yesteryear”, “days gone by” and “old times”. Yore has a sentimental or nostalgic undertone and implies that the old times described are in some way superior to the present.

My yarn choice

With my yarn selection I tried to do justice to the name of the design. I decided on Drops Muskat as the slightly muted colours and silky sheen of the yarn emphasise a vintage look for me.

Drops Muskat is a mercerised cotton yarn and has about 100 m / 50 g. It is rated as a Double Knit (DK) / light worsted yarn weight (#3), great to work with a 4 mm hook.

In the past I had used this yarn before for another design of Pam, the Sage Advice square. Therefore, I knew that it is not easy to crochet. The yarn is spun from many thin threads and you have to be very careful not to pull any of these threads. But the result is fantastic, isn’t it?

My colour choice

Drops Muskat
– 87 Pomegranate
– 09 Nutmeg
– 82 Silver Orchid

The colours were a bit hard to capture with my iPhone. So, in my photos, the Silver Orchid looks a little more silver than it does in reality.

My colour placement corresponds to colourway 1 from the pattern. I replaced
– colour A with Silver Orchid
– colour B with Nutmeg and
– colours C and D with Pomegranate

Only in rounds 15 and 16 I used colour C instead of colour B.

My finished and blocked square measures about 26 cm, that’s about 10 ^1/4 inch.

About the pattern

The Dahlia of Yore pattern is available on Ravelry. The difficulty is rated as mid-intermediate. There are a few special stitches, but all are well explained. Additionally, detailed photos for each round help in case something should be unclear.

And, as always, the size and the final stitch count of the Dahlia of Yore Square match to Pam’s other squares perfectly. So it’s easy to integrate the square into a larger project – perhaps in a blanket or a cushion cover.

It‘s definitely worth trying! I absolutely happy with mine!

Another new design by Pam: Dahlia of Yore

Pam Knighton-Haener from A Yarn of Serendipity just released a lovely new design: Dahlia of Yore Square, a beautiful afghan square – just look at that …

Dahlia of Yore

My test-version of this lovely square will follow in a few days. I am just preparing the photos!

Beautiful 6 Inch Squares – designed by Pam

I was just going through my emails and came across a slightly older email from Pam. It was from September last year and she was telling me that the book 60 Quick Granny Squares would be available on Amazon from the beginning of November 2024. Ugh, I had completely forgotten! Time to catch up!

60 Quick Granny Squares – The Book

I don’t normally write book reviews and I don’t want this to be one either. Actually it is more about some desings by Pam Knighton-Haener from A Yarn of Serendipity – a designer for whom I sometimes test.

Back in 2023 she was asked by a book publisher if she could design some 6 inch squares.
She said yes and five of her designs are now presented in this book.
I would like to introduce them – or rather my test versions of them. But first a word about the book

Unfortunately I don’t own it yet, so I can’t say too much about it. But I took a look at the extensive reading sample on Amazon. So I can at least give a brief summary:

In the preview I especially love the fact that all 60 designs – created by different designers – are shown there at the beginning! (A lot of books don’t offer this.)
All designs feature Cascade 220 Superwash yarn. It is a DK (#3) yarn, 100 % wool, with a yardage of 200 m / 100g. AND all designs look very beautiful!

The patterns are both, written and charted. Some of the squares are more beginner friendly, others a little more challenging.
In addition to the patterns, the book also describes various techniques and gives helpful tips. E.g. how to start a square, how to change colours, how to join the squares, and so on.
And there are some projects at the end for which the squares can be used.
A book that is definitely worth a second look!

Pam’s Designs and my test versions

As said before Pam designed five squares for this book: Shift, Sunflower Sizzle, Wriggle, Running Routes and Sol. I had the opportunity to test these designs back in 2023.

Even though the squares are actually designed for a Double Knit yarn, I used a different yarn for my tests. Two to be precise:
Drops Safran and Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/4.
Both are sport weight (#2) yarns in 100 % Cotton and have a yardage of 160 m / 50 g.
Unfortunately I had not noted the hook size I was using. I assume it was a 2.75 mm hook, I’m not sure though. Due to the thinner yarn my squares turned out about 4.5 inches, which is about 11.5 cm.

For all 5 designs I used the same three colours:
Dark Taupe and Orange from Drops Safran and Apricot from Hobbii Rainbow Cotton.
A bit 70s style but I still like them!

And here the colour details …

My new versions of Running Routes, Wriggle and Shift

I lately reworked three of the squares with a different yarn. Just to see how the squares will look in 6 inch / 15 cm and – to be honest – first of all to try a new colour combination.

I used Stylecraft Special DK and a 3.75 mm hook for the new versions. They became pretty much exactly 6 inch / 15 cm tall.
The colours are completely different though – using pink and grey tones instead of brown and orange.

Here my new colour combo in Hint of Silver, Pale Rose, Parma Violet and Powder Pink:

Lovely aren’t they? I especially love the combination of Pale Rose and Parma Violet. What do you think?

To catch up completely I will now hop over to Ravelry to add my versions to the projects. I just saw that the book is also presented there. Some designers have already added their designs.

By the way Ravelry: if you take a look at Pam’s designs there you will probably notice that these 6 inch squares combine really well with her 12 inch squares. Perhaps this will lead to ideas for a new project? I’ve had something in mind for a while, but unfortunately haven’t found the time to realise it yet. Hope to manage it soon! I will let you know!

Have a lovely time 💕

Mystified Square

Last updated on May 12, 2026

I’m happy to finally be able to show you my version of the Mystified Square.
It is the new design from Pam Knighton-Haener / A Yarn of Serendipity. The pattern has just been published. AND: it has been chosen by the Ravelry BAMCAL group as their block of the month for November.

Ravelry BAMCAL

Do you know the BAMCAL on Ravelry?
BAMCAL stands for Block-A–Month Crochet-A–Long. This crochet-along is organised every year by a group on Ravelry.

The CAL runs throughout the year. Three different Afghan squares are featured each month. Two of these, measuring 6 and 12 inches respectively, are chosen by the moderators. A third square is chosen by the group members in a poll.

All patterns are free – at least for the month they are chosen. You can decide to make one or all of the squares – it’s up to you. At the end of the year, you can combine all your squares into a blanket. Alternatively, you can make anything else you can think of.

I absolutely love this idea! Maybe I should join in next year?

Mystified Square – The Pattern

The Mystified Square is designed for Aran / worsted weight yarn (#4). But it will also work very well with other yarn weights. Of course, using a different yarn weight will affect the final size.

With worsted weight yarn, the finished square will be 11 or 12 inches (28 or 30,5 cm). This depends on whether a 4.5 or 5 mm crochet hook is used.

The pattern is classified as mid-intermediate. It uses various stitches, including some special ones. But no worries, they are all very well explained. And a picture tutorial helps with each round.

The design comes in two colourways, each with 5 different colours. Of course, you can also create your own colour scheme. I bet the Mystified Square would also look great in just one colour!

The pattern is available on Ravelry.

My Test Version

I already tested this pattern for Pam some weeks, or rather months, ago. I think it was in early August.
Of course, everything had to be kept secret until the pattern was finally published. Hard time :-)

As always, I did not use the suggested Aran yarn. I still don’t like working with it and feel a bit uncomfortable using a 5 mm hook. So, this time I decided to use up some Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/6 (a #3 yarn) from my stash.

I followed colourway 2, but replaced the colours as follows

Hobbi Rainbow Cotton 8/6 (50 g / 105 m)
- A – 065, Apricot (discontinued?)
- B – 73, Pearl Gray
- C – 047, Dark Old Rose
- D – 049, Peach (discontinued?)
- E – 012, Volcano Gray

Unfortunately it looks like two of my colours are already discontinued. At least I couldn’t find them in the actual Hobbii shop.

I like the way the colours come together. I just realised that they’re a bit tricky to capture in photos. The Dark Old Rose in particular is a little reluctant to show its true beauty…

Using a 3,75 mm hook my square turned out to be about 25 cm / 10 inch.

I really enjoyed working on this pattern and am happy with the result!

Are you going to try the pattern? If so, have fun 💕

Tied Up with a Bow: Crochet Square by Pam Knighton-Haener

Last updated on May 12, 2026

Finally I can show you an Afghan crochet square that I made some weeks ago.

In August I had the pleasure to test another one of Pam’s lovely designs: Tied Up with a Bow. She now released the pattern and it’s available on Ravelry and in all her other shops.

In case you don‘t know Pam yet: Pam Knighton-Haener is an American designer and the person behind A Yarn of Serendipity. Most of the beautiful Afghan squares you can find here on my blog are designed by her.

The pattern

The Tied Up with a Bow Square is designed using a #4 yarn (Aran / worsted weight). The final size will be 11 or 12 inch, depending on the hook size you use. And of course the final size and the final number of stitches per side match all the other squares Pam has designed.

The skill level is rated as mid intermediate. As with all of Pam’s designs, various stitches are used. Of course everything is explained in detail and there are clear pictures for each round to help with the stitch placement.

Talking about the pictures: Especially for one of the special stitches, the modified star stitch, I found them very helpful! For this stitch, it was much easier for me to work from the pictures than from the written instructions. However, that may be just personal.

My test version

During the test I made a version with Drops Safran, a sport weight yarn (#2) with a yardage of 160 m / 50 g. Usually I use a 2,75 mm hook when working with this yarn, but this time I didn’t feel comfortable and switched to a 3 mm hook. I have to admit, a 3 mm hook made it a bit loose.

My finished square measures about 22 cm / 8 1/2 inch.

My colours and colour placement

I had actually chosen 5 colours for this design. For some reason I couldn’t find a matching spot for two shades of green I had chosen, so in the end I only used 3 of my colours

71 – Marzipan
22 – Light Brown
28 – Orange

My second version

After testing, I just had to make a second version.

I lately fell in love with the colour Lincoln from Stylecraft Special DK. I have had two balls in my stash for ages but have never used them. Inspired by Pam’s single coloured version, I thought that the Tied Up with a Bow square would certainly look nice in this colour too. I didn‘t get disappointed …

For this version I used Stylecraft Special DK in the colour 1834 – Lincoln. Only round 11 is made with colour 1822 – Pistachio.

I used a 4 mm hook and the final square is about 26 cm / 10 inch.
I am absolutely happy with the result!

Pinwheel Square

Last updated on May 12, 2026

Another test for Pam

I recently had the opportunity to test a new design from Pam Knighton-Haener / A Yarn of Serendipity: The Pinwheel Square.

The pattern was just released and is available on Ravelry.
The skill level of the pattern is categorised as mid-intermediate. As always, the written instructions are very clear and accompanied by detailed photos for each round.
Made with Aran / Worsted Weight yarn (#4) the final size of the square will be 11 or 12 inch / 28 or 30,5 cm – depending on the size of the crochet hook used. And of course, the final stitch count matches all the others from Pam’s squares.

My yarn and colours

As you may know, I often use a light weight (#2) cotton yarn for these tests. For example Schachenmayr Catania or Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/4. The reason is simply that I’ve accumulated a wide variety of colours of these yarns through crocheting amigurumi, so I am happy to use them up. Besides the great colour range, both yarns also have good stitch definition.

Somehow this time I decided to go with my stash of Stylecraft Special DK.

I recently used a similar colour combination for another overlay mosaic crochet test.
It was all in neutrals, and I loved the result.
I was curious to see how a colour palette like that would look in traditional crochet.

Well, I am more than happy with the result!

I used a 4 mm hook and the final size of my square is 26 cm – about 10 1/4 inch.
If you are interested in my colour way, here my notes.

Happy hooking 💕