I decided recently to have a go at crochet. So many of you make beautiful things for your homes and I was seriously inspired to make a few granny squares.... Oh dear. I got in such a muddle... For the life of me I couldn't get the stitches even. In fact I ended up wrapping the wool round the hook as I would do when I'm knitting. It was not an inspiring success. I couldn't bring myself to take any photos of the muddle so you will just have to use your imaginations! I felt like Bambi on Ice!
Anyway, I think I've mastered a form of chain stitch and I can do a very lumpy double stitch. I was defeated by slip stitch. It's clearly a very important stitch to know, but the pictures in websites aren't especially clear for a thicko like me!
All I can say is - it's a good thing I'm not relying on my crochet skills to keep me warm!
Having said all this, I love the look of crochet and would enjoy learning a new skill properly. Can anyone suggest a good website? Can anyone explain a slip stitch? Is it the 'off-side rule' of crochet??
I've never tried to crochet , but like you have seen such lovely things on people's blogs that I feel I should learn. I spoke to a lady at a craft fair in Skipton who said she had learned through watching tutorials on Youtube last year. She was obviously very talented as her work was beautiful. None of my family crocheted - not my grandma or her sister, or my mum, so I think that's why I've never learned. My MIL can crochet, but I've never had the kind of relationship with her where we could cosy up on the sofa for her to teach me something. She didn't like me before she even met me!
ReplyDeleteIts easy once you get the hang of it, but better if someone has shown you. John Lewis usually have someone in the wool dept who can show you. xxxxx
ReplyDeleteOh dear, I know this feeling well! I sat with a friend a while ago whilst she showed me several different stitches and I did them whilst she was watching but by the time I'd got home I'd forgotten and got myself in a mess and went back to knitting. I do hope that, unlike me, you persevere with crochet and start to make some lovely things soon:)
ReplyDeleteI only learnt last year, and I've only tried a granny square so far, but I learnt from You Tube. There's so many tutorials on there that you can find one which appeals to you. I sat with my hook and yarn whilst I watched and kept rewinding any bits I wasn't sure about. Keep at it, there's some gorgeous things to make once you can crochet. This explains the slip stitch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf6lqiNcm4o&feature=related
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone! I'll hang on in there!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Jan,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment over at mine. I learnt when a new magazine came out with a dvd, it seemed I was never going to get it but all of a sudden it clicked. Please don't give up, it really is wonderful to be able to make blankets, etc. A very good website is Attic 24, I learned a lot from Lucy who runs it and I still go back to her for tutorials. I see you're in the West Midlands, I'm in Telford and would be willing to meet for a coffee somewhere to help you if you would like. Please don't feel obligated though as I realise the West Mids is pretty big! Good luck xxx
It took me a while to overcome the mental block I always seemed to get when attempting crochet. Knitting will always be my first love but crochet is so much faster, you seem to have a finished item in next to no time.........I'll let you into a little secret, I still hold the hook as if I'm knitting, but it seems to work for me, lol.
ReplyDeleteI noticed in an earlier post that you'll be spending your holiday in Knighton, I live in Herefordshire and Offa's Dyke is a fantastic walk.