crochet basics: starting chain

Oh my! I've been really busy this past week. Too busy. So for now I'll leave you with a video a made, I thought a video might be more helpful than pictures in this case. (All it's missing is some metal background music, don't you think?)

Starting Chains

A few quick tips about starting chains:

• Abbreviated in patterns as "ch" and followed by a number
• If you have trouble with your work twisting once you start, try making your chain with a size bigger hook than you plan on using for the project
• Remember to count your chains correctly! I made a ch 10 in the video
• If you're making up your own pattern, chain 3 extra for double crochets, 2 for half-double and 1 for single
• Also important if you're making your own pattern, remember that your chain will stretch once it has stitches in it

That's it for now, I hope you enjoy the video!

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)

new start

photo by stephaniekac

Well, I think that was a long enough break, don't you?

I really enjoyed teaching my crochet classes at the beginning of this year. We had a lot of fun and learned new things. We decided to take the summer off since so many people were going to be out-of-town or busy with other things. I'm hoping to start something again next year, but it will probably be something more like a crochet club (those exist, right?) that meets once a week to hang out and stay motivated on projects.

As for this blog, a bit of brainstorming and requests from friends gave me an idea... I think I'll be using it mainly to post tutorials, crochet lessons and helpful hints. Being left-handed, I plan to do most of them that way, but I may enlist the help of my (other-handed) sister too, she just doesn't know it yet.

So I hope you'll like what I have to share and if you have any specific questions or requests for me, I'll be happy to take them! Just post a comment here or send me an email. I'm here to help!

Taking a break...

A break from posting about crochet-related stuff. My beginner classes start this weekend as does my spring cleaning. (early, I know) So in order to concentrate more on those things (and to take one thing off my to-do list) I'll just be posting about what I'm actually doing. Makes sense, right? :)

So check back as I plan to update about my spring cleaning progress. With inspiration from Unclutterer, Simple Mom and Erin Doland of Unclutterer's book I'm going to start this Saturday the 27th and try to be finished in four weeks. (I have a lot of stuff).

Wish me luck!

Absence

Sorry for my lack of uhh... everything lately. January was a busy month planning for my mother's 60th birthday party and in our family February is THE month for birthdays with a new baby due on the 25th! (Not me -- my oldest sister!) Anyway, I promise to come back with something interesting soon and to do a Valentine's Sunday update on my WIPs.

In the meantime, here are some interesting links:

A custom apple that I made got mentioned in a blog post by a nice lady name Jill. :)

Schedules for my upcoming classes - if you're in the Greensboro area

A lady puts Unclutter Your Life in One Week to the test - look out! it made me want to run home and organize my closet!

An article about creative uses for Evernote - I just started using it this week, we'll see