Creativity Project

There is/was this copy + paste status update going around Facebook about making something handmade for people, the first five people to comment. I thought this was a great idea and had been looking for a project to help me stay inspired creatively throughout the year. So I copied and pasted and, to my surprise, got a lot of good response.

Sadly, a lot of people commented saying that they weren't creative, or couldn't make anything. I like to think everyone can make something, sure some people are more creative than others, but there are enough instructions and ideas out there to get anyone started. Anyway, I was just really excited about this so I let these people slide. (this time!)

I ended up with 12 people - one for each month of the year. Fellow yarn-crafters may be thinking, this seems like a lot to add to the (somehow always) infinite list of projects to be completed/started. And maybe it is. It might turn out to have been a crazy idea, but I guess we'll see.

I decided to write down the names on pieces of paper, and just draw them at random. Or have co-workers/whoever I can find at the office do it.

I've already started on my projects for the first person I drew and plan on having them in the mail before month-end.

I'm can't explain how excited I am about this! I just thought I'd share a little about it, to document my progress and hopefully inspire someone else to be creative. Maybe not on this scale just yet, but to at least get started. :)

crochet basics: slip knots

Hello! This is my first post in the 101 series. I'm going to talk about the basics of crocheting. Perhaps you've crocheted in the past and are picking it up again, or you may be a knitter who sees crochet patterns they'd love to try (I'm the opposite!) or maybe you're looking for a new hobby and you're just getting started.

Whichever your path, let me start with some words of encouragement: You can do it! Really, though, crochet can seem intimidating at first, the patterns are written in a crazy-looking, foreign language, the are all the different hooks and yarn, and watching someone else crochet kind of makes your head hurt (how do they do it so fast?).

Believe me when I say, if you stick it out, crochet is an extremely rewarding hobby. You can make so many things... for yourself, for gifts. Practical things, cute things... (but you knew that already!) So stay positive and know that no one gets crochet right the first time they try,  you will make mistakes, and you will have to tear up things you've made. (hopefully not at midnight the night before you needed something to be complete.) But with a little practice, you'll do just fine.

Slip knots
Almost every project will start with a slip knot. (The only alternative I can think of is an adjustable ring or "magic ring" used for pulling a circular opening tight) As with a lot of things in crochet, there are many ways of reaching similar results, so you just have to figure out what works best for you. This is how I make a slip knot:

first of all, you'll need your yarn and hook

hold both the "tail" and ball ends of the yarn in one hand, and a part of it in the other

cross it over itself once

and twice

grab the "tail" end with two fingers of one hand to pull it tight, then cross the loop you made over the ball end of the yarn

pull the ball end of the yarn up through the loop

pull both end the same way while you hold the loop to tighten

put the yarn on your hook

pull it tight (but loose enough to still move) by pulling the ball end

There you have it. What did you think? Do you make your knots a different way? Let me know!

In the next basics post I'll talk about making your starting chain.

(The hook I'm using is a Clover brand size I/9 and the yarn is Lion Brand Cotton-Ease)