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Sunday 9 June 2013

First steps in the crochet world

This week has been for me all about crochet. I laid out the crochet books around on the table and was studying, studying, studying... Finally, after months or perhaps years of wanting, wishing, dreaming of being able to crochet all those gorgeous projects out there, I started to rehearse my modest knowledge of crochet. I've known very basics from my childhood and I do mean BASICS. This time I'm determined to push this knowledge way ahead. I think I'm a bit of a toddler in a crochet world - shaky on her feet and a bit unsure with the need for some guidance. Crochet is such a lovely technique - relatively easy to master, relaxing and  so feminine and it's always worth to know it, you know, another useful craft skill to add to the array of your crafting skills. It can be a follow-up to your knitting skills as these two like to go side by side sometimes. 

Right at the moment, I'm using some lovely hand books about crocheting including my new book (I blogged about it here) and with trial and error I started re-learning the basic crochet stitches.

After some theory, I started making swatches for each of the crochet stitches. Double crochet was the one I began with. This one was easy to learn and I quickly got the knack of it. It came out dense, pretty even in  its weave and looks quite good, I think. 


Half treble crochet was the next one I practised. The swatch no. 1 came out wonky and uneven. First, the stitches started mysteriously multiply in my rows, then they were disappearing equally enigmatically. Clearly, something was wrong. Re-read. Re-analysed... and discovered I had been wrongly interpreting the instructions. With trial and error I made the 2nd swatch and this one came out much better -  constant in the number of stitches as I had used the stitch markers. 


Treble Crochet was the 3rd step. Easy to master as it's very similar to half treble crochet.  It's longer and gives less dense weave. The crochet volume builds up very quickly with this stitch.


Bored with making swatches I temporarily turned to crocheting in rounds. I started making a simple crochet bowl, whose structure is based on the double crochet only. Yesterday it looked like a small round coaster.


Today I sped up with work and the bowl started to get its shape :)



There will be a yarn colour change coming my way soon. Don't know yet how to do it but with some visual help and practice I should be ok to introduce the new yarn.
More crochet workshops after work next week. I'm really looking forward to it.

Tonight I'm liking up my crocheting adventures to Hand-made Monday blog hop and I'm off to visit some lovely crafty blogs.

10 comments:

  1. I am majorly impressed! I can't wait to see what goodies you create. When you said, "First, the stitches started mysteriously multiplying in my rows, then they were disappearing equally enigmatically," I laughed outloud. I've done very little crocheting, but I have experienced this.

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  2. I am so excited to find someone at the early stages of crochet! I started almost a year and a half ago and have just had so much fun and pleasure out of it so far. Keep us posted on the progress of your 'bowl'.

    Just a wee tip - if you wanted to keep your coaster flat, you have to do two double crochets into a stitch every few stitches. If you are on Round 8 this is usually every 8th stitch. If a bowl starts to form, put two double crochets in a stitch more often to flatten it out.

    xx

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  3. Hi MArtha,
    your first stepps look great :O)
    I am looking forward for your crochet things!
    Have a happy new week,
    Big hugs
    Claudia

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  4. Excellent for a first attempt. Love the bowl.

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  5. It looks like you're doing really well with the stitches - I've tried crochet before and got very muddled but I've seen some lovely things since I discovered Handmade Monday, I'm seriously tempted to give it another try.

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  6. Welcome to the world of crochet but be careful it's seriously addictive. I think that Erika Knight book is wonderful. I hope your going to show us a pic of the finished bowl.
    Ali x

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  7. Martha, you are making great progress for your first efforts at crocheting! You are so good at knitting that you will soon get the hang of crocheting as well. It takes me a long while in crocheting and knitting to get the hang of doing something new and having it all come out right. Your knitted bowl is off to a good start and I bet it will be very pretty when you are done. Please post the finished product so we all can see!

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  8. Martha, you are making great progress with your first efforts at crocheting! It is always harder than we think and frustrating too. The bowl is turning out quite nice and you will have to post the finished product. Enjoy your new adventure with yarn!!

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  9. Hooray for you! It looks like you has mastered the stitches of the crochet world. I love the little bowl you are working on. Hope you can share a picture of it when it's finished.

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  10. Wow - you are steaming along. Well done you. It is lovely to see someone picking up this skill and being so enthusiastic about it.

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