Tag: Pattern Tests

Last updated on May 13, 2026

In August 2022 I was able to test another pattern for Pam Knighton-Haener from A Yarn of Serendipity: the Sage Advice Square, another lovely Afghan square.

The pattern

The Sage Advice Square was designed using an Aran / worsted yarn weight (#4). Depending on the hook size it is supposed to be either 11 x 11 inches (using a 4.5 mm hook) or 12 x 12 inches ( using a 5 mm hook). That makes approx. 28 cm respectively 30.5 cm in the square.

The design is full of texture and features a variety of stitch combinations. It was absolutely fun to test it!

The skill level is rated as easy intermediate.

The paid pattern includes round-by-round pictures that show the stitch placement and clarify instructions. It also has an ‘easy navigate’ function that allows you to switch from written instructions to pictures or stitch explanations without any scrolling.

Besides there is a free version – without the additional features – available on Pam’s website.

You’ll find the links at the end of this post.

My yarn choice

My plan to use Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/4 for all the test pieces I make for Pam (with a view to eventually piecing all the squares together into a beautiful blanket) is slowly fading away. Once again I had the feeling that I didn’t have the right colours in my Rainbow Cotton stash to do justice to this lovely design.

So I used a yarn that I’d actually ordered to try out for a completely different project: Drops Muskat.
Drops Muskat is a mercerised cotton yarn, classified as DK yarn (#3) with a yardage of 100 m per 50 g. It comes in 45 colours and has a lovely shine that gives it a bit a vintage touch (at least in my eyes). It does tend to split a bit, so you have to be careful when crocheting, but I’ve worked with yarns where this was even worse. And in my opinion, the end result is well worth the effort.

Some more details about my version

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Patterns Links

Sage Advice Square on Ravelry

A Yarn of Serendipity website

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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 2022.

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.

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!

Here some details

Pattern link

Head Over Heels Square on Ravelry

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

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And the second one was the lovely

Apart Together Square

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

Have a good time