Tag: A Yarn of Serendipity

What’s going on right now…

The last month was a really busy one. Besides work on and in the house – we now have solar panels on the roof – I was suffering from a cold and had a severe conjunctivitis. So my cochet time was a bit limited.

Meanwhile it is autumn here in Germany. Last week we were on the road when suddenly the temperature gauge of our car went crazy. So we went straight to the garage. They wanted to keep the car there to check what the problem could be. To start with, they found nothing, probably it was due to the humidity – it was often foggy the days before – nobody knows … However, it gave us a nice walk home! It was a pleasantly warm day and we found lots of chestnuts on our way.

In my little crochet world

Ana has released her new pattern, Hope. She designed it as a homage for her father who lost his fight against cancer.
I decided to make a nice shawl / wrap with this lovely pattern to keep my shoulders warm in winter. Hopefully I will be able to finish it the next few days.


Besides I started testing Ana’s new design for a winter Cal. But this is still a secret. I am planning to make a wall hanging with separate panels and all in different heights. Ana uses a yarn with a colour gradient, that much I think I can reveal. I have to go with my stash and couldn’t decide on a colour that suits the theme. So I will make it colourful. I am still struggling a bit with my selected colours and their placement but I hope that everything will work out in the end and it will look nice.

Pam from A Yarn of Serendipity also has released a new pattern: Sage Advice Square. Lovely and rich in texture as always. I will show you all details of my test version in some days.

And I started a little, more private, design challenge together with Pam. Some weeks ago she “founded” a little designing group in our test team. Now we are designing a square together. Each of us designs some rounds – absolutely exciting! I am curious to see what comes out of it and hope I can show you more soon.

That’s all for today – stay tuned!

Head over Heels Square

Last updated on May 13, 2026

A new design from Pam …

Head over Heels is the new design from Pam Knighton-Haener / A Yarn of Serendipity. I had the pleasure to test this lovely Afghan square back in July.

Although I had originally planned to use Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/4 for all of Pam’s tests, this time I felt I didn’t have the right colours for this design. So I went back to Stylecraft Special DK after all.

I really like using this yarn for mosaic crochet, but when it comes to traditional crochet, I often find that the stitch definition could be better. Especially with the variety of different stitches Pam uses in her designs. So, instead of the 4 mm crochet hook I normally use for this yarn, I opted for a 4.5 mm hook this time. I’m still not entirely happy, but the result is better.

I love the colours though. I wanted to try this combination for a long time

Cream, Apricot, Pistachio, Silver and Graphite.

Square I

For my test square I followed Pam‘s colour way 2 with some slight changes for two rounds.

While hooking the square, I was absolutely fascinated by the centre part. This made me wonder how it would look in a different colour arrangement. So I made a second square using the same colours, but this time following my own ideas about how to arrange the colours. I am not sure which one I like better…

I’ve been thinking about applying one of the squares to a cushion cover. Unfortunately the only plain cover I have is in a dark grey. Not a perfect combination. So I’m thinking about getting another cover or making a third square in slightly brighter colours, hm … Well, we will see!

Square Ii

Here some details

Pattern

Head over Heels Square
available on Ravelry

Designer

Pam Knighton-Haener from A Yarn of Serendipity

Technique

traditional crochet

Yarn

Stylecraft Special DK

Colours Square I

Following Pam’s colour way 2
A – Cream
B – Graphite
C- Pistachio
D – Apricot
E – Silver
Changes:
round 7 – colour A
round 8 – colour E

Colours Square II

Round 1 – Cream
Round 2 – Pistachio
Round 3 – Cream
Round 4 – Cream
Round 5 – Graphite
Round 6 – Silver
Round 7 – Apricot
Round 8 – Cream
Round 9 – Silver
Round 10 – Pistachio
Round 11 – Apricot
Round 12 – Graphite
Round 13 – Pistachio
Round 14 – Cream
Round 15 – Graphite

Hook

Clover Amour hook, 4.5 mm

Test No.3/2022 for Pam – The Sweet Delusions Square

Last updated on May 11, 2026

Sweet Delusions – another beautiful design by Pam Knighton-Haener, A Yarn of Serendipity.

It’s my third completed crochet test for Pam this year and there’s still more to come … YAY!

The Sweet Delusions Square is featured in the BAMCAL 2022 – Crochet a Block-a-Month— on Ravelry. It’s the August square.
The pattern is available for free on Pam’s website or as a paid pattern on Ravelry. The paid version includes additional features like the very helpful round-by-roubd pictures and links that help you navigate through the document.

For my version of the Sweet Delusions Square, I used Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/4 again.

I’m absolutely happy with the result!

The colours go really well together. Although I can imagine it in other colours too. Maybe different shades of green with a touch of cream? Or shades of purple? The possibilities are endless!

Pattern

Sweet Delusions Square
available on Ravelry

Designer

Pam Knighton-Haener from A Yarn of Serendipity

finished

14. June 2022

Technique

traditional crochet

Yarn

Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/4

Colours and Placement

28 Light Jeans Blue – colour A
69 Lilac – colour B
46 Old Rosa – colour C
29 Jeans Blue – colour D
97 Mist – colour E
following colour way 1

Hook

Clover Soft Touch, 2,5 mm

Finished Size

about 20 cm

If you like Pam’s designs just have a look at my other tests:

My test versions

I hope you find some inspiration!

New tests for Pam

This year, Pam Knighton-Haener from A Yarn of Serendipity has created some new designs and so far I have already been able to test three of them. Two are already published, so I can show them. The third one is still in the testing phase and will be released in August.

As you may know I have been unsure all the time which yarn to use. Pam’s squares are designed to use a cotton yarn in Aran weight. Depending on hook size – 4,5 or 5 mm hook – the finished size will be 11 or 12 inch – that’s about 28 respectively 30,5 cm.

When I started testing for Pam in 2020 I made my first squares with Drops Paris and Love you 8 using a 4,5 mm hook. I love the colours of Drops as they are soft and subtle but somehow I don’t like to work with Aran weight. It’s probably a matter of practice, but I’m never satisfied with the look of my stitches when I use Aran. Especially since Pam often uses trebles and double trebles. Somehow it stresses me out and I have been looking for alternatives.
So, after a short excursion to Stylecraft Special DK (not as good stitch definition as cotton and harder to block), I came to Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/4. It is a fingering weight with 170 m / 50 g. Much thinner than Aran but I still think my squares are a good size at around 19 or 20 cm. I like the colours, I’m happy with the look of my stitches, I feel less stressed – I’m sticking with it.
Luckily Pam doesn’t mind me using it.

The first Square I tested this year was the

Simple Wonders Square

Pattern

Simple Wonders Square
available on Ravelry

Designer

Pam Knighton-Haener from A Yarn of Serendipity

finished

06. February 2022

Technique

regular crochet

Yarn

Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/4
170 m / 50 g

Colours and Placement

65 Apricot Colour A
97 Mist Colour B
13 Grayish Purple Colour C
Following colour way 1

Hook

Clover Soft Touch, 2,5 mm

Finished Size

app. 19 cm

And the second one was the lovely

Apart Together Square

Pattern

Apart Together Square
available on Ravelry

Designer

Pam Knighton-Haener from A Yarn of Serendipity

finished

06. April 2022

Technique

regular crochet

Yarn

Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/4
170 m / 50 g

Colours and Placement

69 Lilac Colour A
97 Mist Colour B
46 Old Rose Colour C
Following colour way 2

Hook

Clover Soft Touch, 2,5 mm

Finished Size

app. 19 cm

If you are interested in the other squares I tested for Pam, just have a look

From left to right:
Carter Jude Square, Brood of Angels, Margaret Square, all made with Drops yarn

… and Fancy Nancy, made with Stylecraft Special DK

Have a good time

Fancy Nancy

While revising my Pattern Tests page I noticed that I still haven‘t shown my Fancy Nancy square. Shame! So I thought I would write a quick post to catch up!

Fancy Nancy is a design by Pam Knighton-Haener from a Yarn of Serendipity. I tested this pattern already in October last year.

Normally her squares are designed to use an Aran cotton yarn. I must confess not exactly my favorite yarn. At least I haven‘t found one I like to work with yet. So this time I decided to try my standard acrylic DK yarn. Just to see how it works.

I used Stylecraft Special DK in Copper, Parchment and Gold, my favorite autumn colours. I followed her colour scheme 2 and only switched the colour for the last round.

With Aran the squares should be 28 cm (11 inch) or about 30 cm (12 inch) depending on the hook size. With DK yarn my Fancy Nancy became 25 x 25 cm (about 10 inch) tall.

I am very pleased with my result although I assume a cotton yarn would work better. Pat uses a lot of trebles and double trebles in her patterns. These stitches just look better when they are blocked. Unfortunately I still have problems to block acrylic yarn properly.

Fancy Nancy Square

I started testing for Pam in September 2020 and since then had the opportunity to test four of her lovely squares. Well, five, to be correct! I just finished testing her latest design. The pattern has not been published yet, so I cannot show it. But what I can show again are the squares I have made so far.

Carter Jude Square
Margaret Square
Brood of Angels

Maybe I should get some suitable cotton yarn and make some more? One day it would make a beautiful blanket.

All of Pam’s designs are so rich in texture, they would even look great in a solid colour.

If you would like to try one of Pam’s designs just visit her Ravelry store. She also offers some of her patterns for free, have a look!

Brood of Angels

Brood of Angels

is the latest design from Pam Knighton-Haener / A Yarn of Serendipity. Another lovely design for an Afghan square.

As she writes in her pattern intro the  Brood of Angels Square is an interpretation and expression of love for her diverse family. That’s so lovely!

The square is designed for Aran or Worsted weight yarn and is either 11 or 12 inches, depending on which hook size is used, 4,5 mm or 5,00 mm. Although it has round by round pictures It is definitely an advanced pattern.

I tested this pattern in July and it was quite a challenge as I checked not only the written pattern but also the videos Pam made for the more complicated rounds. It was the first time I tested a video and it is completely different from testing a written pattern. You have to make sure that the spoken words match what the hands are doing and that this also corresponds to what is written in the instructions. It needs a lot of concentration.! But it also was a lot of fun and lively discussions and exchange about how to best express the complicated stitch sequences.

The pattern suggests two different colour ways. I followed colour way 1 and only deviated from it in round 17. I used 6 different colours of Drops Paris.

  • Colour A / 66 Plum
  • Colour B / 17 Off White
  • Colour C / 62 Sage Green
  • Colour D / 60 Dark Old Pink
  • Colour E / 58 Powder Pink
  • Colour F / 59 Light Old Pink

I am not quite sure about colour E. It also could be no 32 Light Blue Purple, unfortunately I lost the banderole.

Using a 4,5 mm hook my square turned out to be 29,5 cm – nearly 12 inch – and thus slightly bigger than it should be. But it has the same size as the other squares I made from Pams patterns. My tension always is a bit loose when I am working with Drops Paris. The yarn slips a bit and I really struggle with tension. Going down a hook size doesn‘t help because it makes me fell very uncomfortable.

I would like to try her designs in a single colour DK yarn to see how it works and how it looks. Maybe one day … *sigh*

But now here my finished square

Brood of Angels Square / pattern by Pam Knighton-Haener, A Yarn of Serendipity
Another view of my Brood of Angels Square / pattern by Pam Knighton-Haener, A Yarn of Serendipity

It is my third test for Pam and also the third square I made of her designs.

My first one was the Carter Jude Square. I made it in September 2020.

Carter Jude Square / pattern by Pam Knighton-Haener, A Yarn of Serendipity


And the second was the Margaret Square which I tested this year at the end of April. I wrote about in this post.

Margaret Square / pattern by Pam Knighton-Haener, A yarn of Serendipity

Aren‘t they lovely?

And the best: my next test for Pam will start in October, YAY! Be curios!

And also be curios for the first part of Geometrics Cal and another pattern release by BebaBlanket. Both coming next week.

Margaret Square

Last updated on May 11, 2026

A pattern test for A Yarn of Serendipity

In April, I was able to test another design by Pam Knighton-Haener from A Yarn of Serendipity.

As the name suggests, she designed this lovely square for a person who had a decisive influence on the course of her artistic career: Margaret!

My test version

For my test version, I used a combination of Drops Paris and Drops Love You 8. Both yarns are 100% cotton and classified as #4, Aran / worsted weight yarns. The yardage is between 75m and 85m per 50g.

Edit, May 2026: it looks like Drops Love you 8 is discontinued, but the colours are still available in the Paris range.

I followed Pam’s colourway 1 and only replaced the colours:

Colour A / 17, Off White

Colour B / 30, Jeans Blue

Colour C / 62, Sage Green

I love the result! Especially the combination of Blue and Sage. It’s kind of calming and one of my favorite combinations.

Using a 4,5 mm hook my blocked square is about 30 cm / 12 inch.

I thoroughly enjoyed testing this design. Pam’s patterns are always incredibly detailed and well-thought-out!

The skill level of this design is intermediate but every stitch is explained clearly. Plus there are helpful row-by-row pictures showing exactly where each stitch goes

If you like the Margaret square you should also have a look at at a series of squares she designed in legacy of her grandchildren. I was able to test one of them in September 2020, the Carter Jude Square.

The patterns are available in Pam’s Ravelry Store.