Do you crochet? Let's hook & chat!
 

I've been crocheting for 15 years. I took a bit of a break when I first got into stamping. But just this year I saw all the crochet flowers & went I can do that. Well 1 thing led to me crocheting everything in sight lately.:mrgreen: I make a bit of everything. I'm working on hats & scarfs right now for Christmas presents. You can see pics on my blog.(in my siggie)


So come on in and tell about what you like to crochet & what you're working on. Ask questions, share pics & patterns, chatter away.

Hi Shelley, thanks for starting this thread! I know that this is not crochet related but for anyone that can use a thread and needle this is a cute idea and you recycle too!
http://www.skiptomylou.org/2009/11/0...at-and-scarf/:)

I've been crocheting for years - my grandmother taught me when I was about 8 years old. I prefer yarn rather than thread, and generally make afghans most of the time.

I got involved with a group called Heartmade Blessings several years ago, which gives handmade afghans to people who've lost a loved one or suffered some other type of tragedy or hardship. Volunteers make squares and send them to volunteer assemblers, who create the afghans. Each afghan contains squares from many different people. Through my involvement with Heartmade Blessings, I began designing square patterns, and have a website with a lot of free patterns - mostly for 12-inch afghan squares:

Yarncrazy Crochet World

I just started crocheting about a month ago. Was looking for something I could do easily while nursing my son. I've made about 15 beanies and a couple scarves, haha. Been having fun with it!!

While I've been a crocheter for 18 years now (taught myself from a book in the 7th grade after wanting to learn more than the chain stitch and single crochet that my mom knew), it's been taking a back seat to my stamping for about two years -- my yarn stash has been mostly sold at yard sales or donated, and my poor hooks have been feeling very neglected!

I started getting involved with crocheting for charity after I'd finished a layette for my boss' new granddaughter and wanted to keep working on baby items. First I made caps for the NICU at the local children's hospital, and that led to my being involved with a group called Afghans for Angels, which provides tiny crocheted and knitted layettes and afghans to hospitals and bereaved parents whose infants are miscarried or stillborn. Ironically, our chapter leader ended up needing the group's services seven years ago after losing her baby girl to a cord accident at 24 weeks. Never used to talk about it much as I worked on items at the hair salon because people would often give me weird looks if they found out I was making clothes for "dead babies," KWIM? Usually I just let them think I was making doll clothes or preemie caps. I wouldn't mind getting involved with a local chapter here, but none of their websites appear to be valid anymore.

Baby clothes and blankets in general are my preference, because the small size means quicker gratification with a finished product. I do want to try my hand at making a summerweight blanket for my bed, though -- just have to find a source for heavyweight cotton thread in the quantities I need that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. :)

I'm working on a granny square blanket for my niece's new baby. I have to stick to things baby blanket size or smaller, or I start to lose interest. I started out last year, crocheting scarves for the WWII museum knit your bit campaign. I love the bunny pattern, too, and am using it to make other animals.

Hello ladies. It's nice to meet you all. Right now I'm working on a hat to go with my striped scarf pattern. I've frogged it 3 times already. So frusterating when you can't make something you know should be simple come out right. Grrrrr... Here's hoping 4th times a charm.

These are to cute.

I just checked out your blog & realized I have your yo-yo square bookmarked to try. I love that pattern.

I've been crocheting since early this year after taking a class at a local college. I'm finding that I'm now tending to grab the hooks and yarn instead of stamping **GASP**
Since I don't have a dedicated stamping space, it's so much easier to grab my bag of yarn, curl up on the couch, and not even realize that an hour or two have passed by. It's when my bones and joints are creaking trying to get off the couch do I know that I've been sitting for too darn long!

I've only relegated myself to washcloths and squares. Gave me a chance to try different stitches and practice getting an even tension. Gauge? I'm avoiding that for now... gives me a headache trying to think about it! I did tackle my very first project, a baby blanket for my goddaughter. It took me two months and I ended up not giving it to her since I didn't like how it turned out. How I weaved in the ends made it look sloppy. I'm creating another one and hope to have it done for Xmas. I may need to reach out to some crocheting sisters here for tips on proper weaving techniques. Can't I just knot those things together?? LOL!

Shelley, LOVE the wristies you made, May need to add that patten to my growing stash of projects to try.

frosted_gorilla, your bunny blankets are so CUTE!

cdjkssss, I didn't know there were charity groups that accepted squares. I'll have to keep that in mind when I have left over yarn.

My favorite technique is to crochet over top of the yarn ends for a couple of inches, then take a needle and double back through several stitches of the previous row. This helps to avoid unsightly bulges in the fabric, and reversing the direction helps lock the end in place and makes it less likely that it will work itself loose when the item is washed -- sort of like with machine sewing where you backtrack at the end of the seam to finish it off. :)

Welcome Good-day. Nice to meet you. Feel free to ask whatever.

I always try to work over my ends.
http://crochet.about.com/od/skillste..._Over_Ends.htm


If you can't work over your ends. Here's how to weave them in.
http://crochet.about.com/library/bl_weave_ends.htm


Glad you like the wristies. If you try them I'd love to see pics.

Well I ended up having to frog it half way but, I finally got it figured out. So 1 down 4 to go. I hope they go easier. :rolleyes:

I've been crocheting for about 30 yrs. Lately have been making some winter hats to donate to charities.

Alison

Tried a new pattern tonight! Love it!! Made it a little big, but not too bad. Still trying to work out when to stop increasing because they keep getting a bit bigger once you stop.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...g?t=1257484948

super cute, Jen!

Thanks for the tips Shelley and Rachel. Hoping to have better luck now that I have visual instructions!

That happens to me all the time. Im a visual learner and sometimes I'm reading the pattern and I'm going.. huh?? Then I try and try, get pissed off, try and try again, and finally get it. It's such a Homer Simpson moment when it finally clicks... d'oh!

Good luck with the remaining 4! You'll have to share some pics.

SO CUTE!

Thought I'd share this fun pattern that a friend had sent....

Welcome. And good for you. Right now I'm trying to finish up Christmas stuff.(i started late sigh)But then I want to do some hats & stuff for charity. It can take so little effort to do so much good.

This looks great. I have the same problem with hats, hence frogging my first one 4 times. LOL

Well I was winging it & writing the pattern as I went, so it probably wasn't unexpected to have to redo so many times. But I was in a mood & it ticked me off. LOL I did have that d'oh moment though. The rest are going much better now.heehee

Thanks & I'll try to get some pics up on my blog soon.

To cute. These would be great to clip onto the side of your bag so you wouldn't loose the hook you're working with.

Hi Beth. Long time no chat. Welcome to the crochet thread.

Oh, could you share your pattern? Your hat is too cute! TFS!

Hi, I learned how to crochet many years ago but never really did it, until I had a baby and saw all the cute stuff for them. I mostly make hats for her and have gotten such a great response that I sold a few too.

If you didnt know, check out http://www.ravelry.com/ It's a great site that has tons of patterns. Knitters seem to be the majority so I set my raverly to just crochet patterns.

Here is the cutest pattern for a baby/preemie hat! I found it on raverly and am in the process of making it. http://squishychocolate.blogspot.com...e-crochet.html

This is a first for me, making hats for charity. In the past, I always made kitty blankets for our humane society back in Maine. Easy as can to be make.
I used three strands of 4 ply yarn together and made a square big enough for a cat to lie on comfortably. Used half double crochet stitch. These work up very fast. I even made some for my own cats. They'll also work for small dogs.

Alison

Just came across this thread. I am :shock: after doing the calculations and realizing that I first learned to crochet 20 years ago! (Eeek! That makes me feel old!) I've several projects going at the moment - a quite large, multicoloured Christmas doilie that will probably become my Christmas tree "skirt", a number of angel "ornaments" in various stages of completion, and a very fine thread bookmark. I've bought the thread, but have yet to get started on making some of my own crocheted flowers for my cards.
Recently I have been very pleased to be able to teach someone else to crochet.

In my to-do pile of patterns as well.... :(

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/90097AD.html


So I started on this pattern last night. Working in a round is hard for me already... I've had to frog it 3 times and I was only on round 2. LOL. And then working with Homespun yarn... WOW, those ripples were throwing me off. So after walking away before strangling someone with said yarn, I came back to it and finally did get the hang of it. My first time working with a bulky yarn and a big hook... it crochets up pretty quickly. One of the many planned XMas gifts I'm starting late....

Hi! I love to crochet and have been crocheting for 12 years. My mom tried to teach me when I was younger, but I wasn't interested ~ I was too busy riding horses then. :) I crochet many different things: blankets, hats, scarves, coasters, hot pads, towel toppers, dishcloths, doilies, purses, ponchos, thread flowers, and much more....

A few weeks ago I learned a new technique - Entrelac Crochet. I LOVE the look of it. Here's my practice piece: Middle of baby blanket After I finish a ripple baby blanket I'm working on, I think I'll make a baby blanket using all entrelac crochet.

Last week I made this black, turquoise, & white scarf to match my winter coat: My Scarf Full view of my scarf

I've taught friends how to crochet. Currently, I've been helping a friend crochet, we get together once a week for about 3 hours. Fun! :)

I love the look and feel of Homespun, but have decided that I hate crocheting with it. I took all of my stash of Homespun (and it was a lot) and gave it to my mother, who does mostly knitting. She loves it.

Babies are a perfect reason to crochet. I learned a little crochet when I was really young, but didn't get into it until years later when my best friend had a baby. I wanted to make her a blanket. So I had my mom teach me again, and it just took off from there.

I haven't tried ravelry yet. Is it a forum? Another good place is Crochetville.


That is a cute little hat. Can't wait to see yours.

These would be a great way to use up scraps.

It is.

I sometimes make a big ball of yarn using scraps and you get some interesting patterns using them. I just like the idea of giving some love to the homeless kittys. Of course, my cats "test" each finished one for fit. LOL

LOL well on the up side you should have a nice longlife with a relaxing hobby like crochet;)

I've considered doing a larger thread project but I just keep coming back to the image of me beating my head against a wall. I guess I should try it, just to see if I can stay sane.

Flowers are so fun. I have a couple patterns, & links on my blog. There is also a huge thread over in the techniques forum. Here

Kitties are great helpers.:mrgreen::rolleyes:

This is lovely. Can't wait to see your version. Glad you got it figured out. I love working with bulky yarn(instant gratification), but it does take some getting used to. And sometimes you just need to take that deep breath. LOL

I started my christmas list a month ago & that felt to late for all I want to do. We can keep each other motivated.:-D

Hi & Welcome. That entrelac crochet looks cool. And I love both of those scarfs. Very pretty.