Crochet Intro

You want to learn to crochet?  You have already found your favorite groups/sites/blogs on social media.    You have your yarn, hook, and a lovely sweater pattern full of detail and multiple color changes.  You are on your way to being the best crochet designer out there.

You see this

                                      When in fact you will only see and do this

When I first learned to crochet many decades ago the only thing I made were Granny Square Blankets.  I only knew the basic stitches and counting the stitches were no problem because the pattern called for repeat groups/clusters.  That’s all I made until I grew bored with that and found another hobby.

I picked the hook up again and thanks to the world wide web I can learn to crochet anytime of day or night and the added bonus a personal teacher thanks to YouTube videos.  It’s nothing wrong with making Granny Squares, that square will open your mind to endless possibilities.  I always tell beginners to always start off with something simple like a square.  That basic square will be your best friend for a week or two.  Your friends will have more than enough coasters from you and they won’t have the heart to tell you to stop, lol.

Before you begin your coaster, stop by Red Heart and bookmark it.  They have loads of patterns, tutorials and videos.  The major yarn companies offer the same services.  I have a few sites that I absolutely love and some I just don’t bother.  The ones I don’t bother with are a personal preference, such as I don’t like the font or pattern instruction layout.  What are some of your favorite crochet pattern sites?  Make sure you leave a comment below.

Mikey, from The Crochet Crowd  (website) is a great blog to follow.

Let’s make a Granny Square

Sit back and watch the video a few times and follow along.  If you think you are ready then click here and make your first coaster.

I’m new to blogging so this is a work in progress and I have to figure out all the bells and whistles.

Comments, suggestions or just say hey is always welcomed.

“A day without crocheting is not a good day”

Cloche Hat

I spend way to much time on Raverly.  I’ve seen this hat before and passed it by.  It was passed by because I was on a beanie fix.  Naturally, when I saw this hat again it was added to my growing library.

The Spring Blossom Cloche from Cre8tion Crochet took me back in time.  While I was crocheting I even watched Bonnie and Clyde so I could get in character, lol.   Bonnie is defiantly what you would call a ride or die chick.

Back to the hat…

Easy and endless color combinations is what made this fun to make.  I’m thinking of giving this to my 80 year old Granny, who by the way will be going to Antarctica next month.  Yes, you read it correctly, ANTARCTICA.  Why would seniors pick there?  Her answer was that was the last continent she had to visit.  My Granny is a world traveller and always on the go.

I’ll play around with the colors some more and try adding a detachable flower.  As I’m typing more ideas are coming to me.  I better quit while I’m ahead.

Blogging

I’m sort of new to blogging. I can’t tell you how many blogs/sites I’ve started and not followed through with. I went as far as paying for a hosting service thinking that would motivate me. Many ideas flow through my head on the set up but I get discouraged when I can’t get my ideas to appear on the screen. Within a month I should have this WordPress down to a science.  Blogging is not something that you can do in one day.  It takes time and PATIENCE.

Like building a building you have to do it one layer at a time.

Something Quick

What’s quick, fast, simple and easy to make?  If you answered hats, you are correct!  Making hats will open your creative doors.  When I first tried making hats I started with a simple beanie.  Not all crochet patterns are written the same.  It took me a long time to find that perfect basic beanie.  Check out Busy Mom Designs for her basic beanie pattern.

This is it! The Basic Beanie crochet pattern is perfect for making hats in any size! This pattern is great for beginners and can be completed in a short amount of time. Make perfect gifts for preemies, newborns, kids, teens or adults! This pattern is great for making charity hats. ~Busy Mom Designs

Basic Beanie

Completed: Crochet project bag and some adventures in crochet

Oh the joys of looking back at your first project and comparing it to now. I know I’ve made some disasters like making a hat for a baby that ended up the size of a giant, lol. My sister has now picked up the crochet hook and shares her first projects with me. They are quite different but we all started out that way. She laughs at the fact that she can show me a picture of yarn and I can tell her which brand it is. In time, we will all reach the level of satisfaction that we want to achieve.

Infectious Stitches

A couple of weeks ago I started to learn crochet. What, crochet? And you didn’t like knitting, why would you even try crochet? And do you really need another hobby? Well, I want to have some projects that I can easily take with me on the train. While you can technically take hand-sewing projects on the train I find this a bit too much trouble because you need to bring thread, needles, pins, scissors and a bag to put all the cut off threads in because I don’t want to litter and then I’m constantly worrying that I’m dropping pins all over the place and that someone else will sit in them. A knitting or crochet project requires much less stuff and I think these might work better for travel related crafting. I’ve tried knitting twice and both times this wasn’t very successful so crochet (only 1 hook!) seemed like…

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Cozy at Home Crochet Socks Crochet Pattern

I’ve always wanted to try making socks and I’ve had this pattern on my list for awhile now. I need to just bite the bullet and give it a try.

Knot Just Yarn Blog

One of the most requested patterns for us are crochet socks. Most sock patterns we find are thin yarn and are specialty sock yarn. Interestingly, Red Heart has just released a pattern for socks done with Red Heart With Love. You can substitute your Red Heart Super Saver for these as well.

Using thicker yarn the socks don’t look as nice as the stitch work looks too bulky and you can see your feet through the socks. Not these, a fabulous design taking into account thicker yarn and being practical at the same time.

Enjoy this free pattern, Cozy at Home Crochet Socks Crochet Pattern.

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Goals for the New Year

The craft side of my life is in a state of confusion.  Finally, one hobby that I enjoy and stuck with for over a year.  Since I enjoy it so much it’s time to perfect my talent and branch out.  I’ll set up some personal hobby goals for 2014 to stop the confusion.

 

 

Goals for 2014

 

• Organize crochet magazines/binders/books
• Organize yarn
  • color
  • type
  • ball up ones attached to forgotten WIP’s
  • untangle and ball up (if not possible save for scrap/stuffing)
• WIP’s
  • place ALL WIP’s in container
    • separate into categories and place in bags
    • pick a WIP and finish completely
  • place finished WIP’s in another container
    • clean
    • photograph
    • showcase
    • sell