Have you ever imagined what it would be like to walk through a doorway and find another world on the other side?
One of my favorite meditations is to close my eyes and imagine walking down a spiral staircase from my head down past the windows of my eyes all the way down deep into the center of my being until I find a door that opens onto a meadow with a path that leads into a magical wooded grove. It's where my creative spirit lives.
Now, I'm certainly sure that a playdate with his creative spirit is NOT what Dustin was thinking of when he shouted about the curiosity door in Stranger Things, BUT! Whether it's science or color choices or indeed just about anything in life, I do agree that we should never stop being curious!
(Here's a link to that clip in the show: https://youtu.be/vvSOyy7rnvI)
And so that is how I approached this design. With curiosity and wonder. I had an intriguing selection of 13 different colorways from Teal Torch Knits, all inspired by Stranger Things, but not necessarily what immediately appeared to be a cohesive set. And so I played with them.
I laid them all out in the order I received them and then I started shuffling them around. I took a picture and de-saturated it (or you can look for a grayscale filter on your phone) to see the values of dark and light colors - sometimes this will surprise you! It's a trick I highly recommend.
Even once I had decided on an order, though, I wasn't married to it! I changed my mind at least once mid-way through, once I saw how the colors were working up within the panels of stitch sequences. And, as I mention in the pattern, if I were to do this same project all over again, I would probably choose a different order!
The point was that I remained open to change. I stayed curious. I embraced the joy of simply allowing the colors to take me on a journey, remembering moments from the show they were inspired by as I came to each new colorway name, seeing how they interacted with one another and not being afraid to switch things up if I didn't like how two colors played alongside one another!
So I invite you to join me on a color journey through a doorway to curious things! This design makes a great stashbuster project, as you can see in some of the fabulous pictures in my pattern tester gallery below. But it's also beautiful in a curated set of colors, of course. It would also be a perfect staple accessory worked up in your favorite solid or tonal neutral!
Let's have a look at some of the specifics, shall we?
STITCHES & TECHNIQUES (you can find quick links to video tutorials for most of these on my website; the links will take you to the specific tutorial on my YouTube channel:
Foundation half double crochet (optional)
Single crochet
Half double crochet
Double crochet
Treble crochet
Chainless double crochet (optional)
Working into the 3rd loop of hdc stitches
Color changes/stripes
GAUGE:
Before blocking: 33 sts and 23 rows = 4” (10 cm). Finished width of sample was 9.5” (24 cm).
After blocking: 31 sts and 21 rows = 4” (10 cm). Finished sample measured 10.5” (27 cm) wide by 62” (157.5 cm) long after blocking.
SUGGESTED MATERIALS:
TTK Sock Minis by Teal Torch Knits (20 g, 92 yds 84 m), light fingering weight (0: lace) yarn, 75% SW merino wool and 25% nylon, 13 skeins
C/2 (2.75 mm) crochet hook
stitch marker(s)
scissors
darning needle
The pattern itself includes a color coded symbol chart in addition to detailed instructions for all special stitches, to include foundation half double crochet (which is optional), working into the 3rd loop of hdc stitches, as well as my favorite chainless dc as an option. There is also a link to an informal video tutorial that will walk you through each stitch in the pattern.
I've also included a detailed size chart with guidelines for additional size options ranging from 6-24" wide and 62-80" long! I even made a second version of this piece with just two colors, which I also detail in the pattern in case you prefer a more structured plan.
Whichever option you choose, I do hope you'll enjoy the journey along the way and finish with an accessory you'll adore for years to come!
Speaking of journeys (and inspiration, to boot), let's take a look at some of the fabulous projects from my pattern testers! They included Courtney, Maritsaknits, Julie-Ann Amos, Keinaphels, Dawn Lambert, and Chai-Tea-Hooker - be sure to check out the project gallery on Ravelry, too, to see more pictures!
The pattern for The Curiosity Door is available on both Ravelry and in my Etsy shop and if you haven't joined us already, I'd love for you to come be a part of our Facebook group and share your progress with this project so we can all cheer you on! You can also tag me @crochetcetera or with #theCuriosityDoor on social. I absolutely cannot wait to see what you make with this one!