Why I love Crochet

I tried to learn several times over the years and about 4 years ago it just finally kicked in. I am addicted to it now. I love being creative with what I can crochet with yarn. I think my favorite so far is my chair. A small end table, stool, bar stool and ottoman are soon to follow.
 

-Denise Royal

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Posted in: Why I Crochet

Why I fell in love with crocheting

Having only ever knitted two things in my life, that both grew twice as large as they should have.... I spent my youth painting and dancing, persuing non-verbal drama and mime.
When I was 27, I decided to buy a ball of Pastel Rainbow cotton and a crochet hook, after seeing the lovely yarn a friend had just bought 2 balls of. I decided to only get one ball and a hook, and asked her to teach me.


She taught me the basic chain stitch as we returned from a festival we'd been working at, and to make chain loop crystal pouches and berets. Telling me to go to an opp shop (thrift store), and get any crochet pattern there. It would have the abbreviations to make the other stitches for me to learn.

Having a half finished crystal pouch on the go, I tried out the Treble Stitch (Double Treble US), on to the inch long pouch, and voila, it flared outwards !

No longer a pouch it began to turn into a conical shape and Voila, my first Gum-Nut Pixie hat began to take shape! The pattern I had purchased was of a sixties cap with a star pattern, so I began to read my first pattern, not something I have done very much of since then, BTW ! lol

I wore this hat everywhere, and people at my Saturday morning Market in the hills, were constantly asking me to make them one just like it !

So began my role in our community as a hat maker, which is funny, because at the age of 16 I said, " When I grow up I will have a Hat Shop ! ; having just bought a huge bag of old ladies hats from an opp shop, or opportunity shop as we call them in Australia.

Opportunities as a Beanieologist (Hat Maker), continued as I constantly 'freeformed' hat after hat, trying to replicate my hat for my friends. Some were down right horrible, in my mind, 'tho not in the eyes of others. One such hat, of a weird shape, became the favourite hat of someone I re-met recently, and she told me how much she loves that hat still.

What I love about crocheting, is that it is constantly teaching me things, often by accidental 'mistakes'.....and that I can take my art wherever I go. I travelled this vast continent for 12 years as a Crocheting Nomad, and even made a hat detailing the journey. And also...... you can't 'Drop' stitches or Add them on without realising...... like in my two early knitting experiences, One hook and a ball of yarn and magically a fine fabric grows...... It is such a calming occupation I even take it into the Dentist chair and do a few stitches in between nasty processes ! and it relaxes me and focusses my mind !

I mostly always 'Free Form' my work, and have won several awards at the annual Beaniefest in Alice Springs in Central Australia, out near Uluru (Ayers Rock). At present I am working on my competition entry for the year's theme "In Our Element ...Earth, Air, Fire and Water" and a Coral Sea Wrap for a local Fibre Exibitition.
I will blog about them soon and post pix on my Flickr page too
http://www.artnomadix-meg.blogspot.com     http://www.flickr.com/photos/artnomadix

- Megan Jack

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Posted in: Why I Crochet

Crocheting and Me

Crochet has been a part of my life as long as I can remember. My Mum learnt to crochet when I was about 7yrs old, and I kind of learnt right along with her. I remember spending many hours in the back seat of our car, while my big brother was playing football and cricket, crocheting and knitting things for my dolls.

Crocheting is particularly special to me, as I was able to  crocheted a Baby Blanket for each of my children (Georgia and Alexander), except for my baby boy (Zachary) that I lost when he was 7 days old. I was so sick in hospital when he was born, that I wasn’t able to make him a blanket. Luckily my Mum was there to do this for me, and we wrapped him in this very special blanket before he was buried.

I am a craft-a-holic, and always have had some little project to work on….Crocheting, knitting, cross stitch, wool embroidery, scrapbooking or sewing. I have spent most of the last 10 years doing kid-craft with my 2 children, but now that they are both at school it is time to do my own thing again…and that means CROCHETING!!!!

I am in love with yarn and all the wonderful things that you can do with it, and Crocheting works the best for me. Mostly I make beanies, scarves and blankets, but through the internet I have discovered a whole new world of fantastic things I could make that I am never sure what to hook next!!!

I have found it hard in Australia to find others that Crochet or even a good variety of pattern books, so when I come across all of the lovely hookers on Let’s Crochet it blew my mind!!

Sadly, for my husband, my 11yr old daughter has also been stung by the Crocheting bug too…..so here’s to years of happy hooking with my beautiful girl!!!

-Vanessa from Australia

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Posted in: Why I Crochet

Why I Fell in Love with Crochet

I used to hate all crocheted items. All of them. My grandmother knitted and crocheted throughout my childhood until she passed away at age 88. Her house and her body were always displaying new finished projects. I loved her knitting, which led to becoming a knitter myself, but I did not like her crocheting. There was just something about it... In high school, part of Home Ec. class included handwork skills and they taught us to crochet a classic granny square. I hated with a passion the way it looked and that square never went home with me.

Fast forward 30-odd years (to perhaps 2009?) to a Martha Stewart Living program that airs a small segment on amigurumi. She shows us a couple of pieces that are cute and I’m mildly intrigued, but I do not check into it further. Fast forward to July 2010. I’m surfing the ‘net and I spot this super cute little critter. It was like an emoticon come to life! I was in urgent need of finding out how that adorable critter was created. It was obviously handmade, but how? I followed links and there it was—the dreaded word “crochet” loomed before my eyes. I was shocked speechless. I thought there must be some mistake, so I read the words again—“crochet pattern.” I decided at that very moment that if something that cute could be made in crochet, I just had to join that club!

I became instantly hooked on crochet because I had a burning need to learn how to create those tiny bundles of amigurumi cuteness. When I realized there were free patterns available on the Internet, it was like Christmas and my birthday rolled into one! I began to discover the nooks and crannies where free patterns could be found, and I found more than I could ever have imagined! I found an unbelievably wide variety of adorable, beautiful, fascinating, simple, complex, amazing, functional, and ornamental projects. I was astounded that there were so many crocheted items I actually liked the looks of—I had no idea!! I’ve been bookmarking sites, collecting patterns, learning techniques, and planning and working on projects ever since.

From the Internet’s plethora of videos tutorials, I learned to make a magic circle which has become the way I now start every project. From fellow crocheters, I learned tips and tricks and I revel in their helpfulness and friendship. From that moment last July, I’ve learned that every spare moment must be spent finding patterns, picking out the next project, frogging sweaters, or working on another gem. I also had a flash of recall and feverishly dug through my closet to unearth the ancient crochet book my mother had passed down to me years ago. I had used her knitting books since I was a kid, but I figured I’d never use that crochet book. Now I’m so glad I kept it! From it, so far, I learned the single, double, half-double, and treble stitches. I also discovered it was the source of my beloved loopy “bunny” (actually a dog) my mom made for me when I was very young.

To date, I’ve crocheted (in order) a candy kiss, a s’more, a thick wavy-edged hotpad, a bunny, two bogies, a teddy bear, and some swatches. Not much to show for the past 10 months but, then again, I’m a tremendously busy woman who doesn’t have much spare time. Over that time, I’ve ripped out and restarted far more things than I have finished. Truth be told, some were ripped out and restarted 40 or 50 times before I either got it right or gave up and moved on. But I am learning. I realized, even with the limited crocheting experience I have, I now know how to read any type of crochet pattern, why a certain step in a pattern doesn’t work, the value of using stitch markers, how to regulate my stitch tension, and what a particular sequence of stitches will look like. I’m actually learning something brand new and that, in itself, is a wonderful thing. There is so much more to learn and I’m sooo excited!

I still don’t like the look of a classic granny square, and that may never change. That’s just me. But there are so many other types of gorgeous squares, and such a wide variety of patterns and projects out there, it doesn’t even matter. I’m hooked on crochet and that’s here to stay!

-Wendy Trish

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Posted in: Why I Crochet

Reaching out for Help

I really hate to ask, but unfortunately we haven't raised enough money from advertisements to pay for next month's (June) hosting bill for LetsCrochet.com. If you could find it in your heart and are able to afford to do so LetsCrochet.com is now reluctantly open to accepting donations. Even the smallest amount would be helpful. Thank you to those of you who are able to reach out and help. I will be doing my part by searching around the house for things to sell on EBay to raise the money. I don't want to see LetsCrochet.com disappear. Thank you again.

**Update**

Raised: $66.00 of $42.38

Thank you so much to our donators Marilyn, Mary, Nancy, Tricia, Sue, and Jennie!! We now have enough to pay the web hosting bill for June and some extra to put towards July's bill!! I can't thank you all enough!

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Something to Keep You in Stitches

There's jokes for everything you can possibly think of but were you aware of the jokes directed at all of us crocheters? Enjoy!

What do you call a bunch of crocheters working by the side of the road?
A chain gang!

While are crocheters like frogs?
Because they both ripit, ripit, ripit.

We may pull your chain or may just string you along. But in the end we're all fastened off and turned around

A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.
For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover. In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife’s bedside. She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box.
When he opened it, he found two crocheted doilies and a stack of money totaling $95,000. He asked her about the contents. “When we were to be married,” she said, “my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doily.”
“The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious doilies were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with happiness.
“Honey,” he said, “that explains the doilies, but what about all of this money? Where did it come from?”
“Oh,” she said, “that’s the money I made from selling the doilies.”

Why couldn't the ball of yarn go play with his
friends? 

He was all tied up! 

Why are crocheters so funny? 

Because they keep us in stitches! 

What do you call an unmarried stitch? 

A single crochet!

What happened to the naughty little afghan? 

He got into treble!

How many crocheters does it take to change a lightbulb? 

Just one, but when she's done, she's going to want to crochet a cord pull for it, and a light cover, and then she'll need to make matching valances, and of course the whole room will need new doilies and chair covers, and...

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Posted in: humor

Pink Pig Potholder - Free Crochet Pattern

This free pattern originally published in Pot Holders For Kitchen Pick-Me-Ups, Coats & Clark Book 294.

MATERIALS:
J. & P. COATS "KNIT-CRO-SHEEN," Art. A.64: 2 balls of No. 65 Beauty Pink and 1 ball of No. 12 Black ... Milwards Steel Crochet Hooks No. 4 and No. 7 ... A bone ring.

BODY—Front ... 

Starting at back end with a double strand of Beauty Pink and No. 4 hook, ch 12. 

1st row: 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across. Ch 1, turn. 

2nd to 15th rows incl: 2 sc in first sc, sc in each sc across, 2 sc in last sc. Ch 1, turn (40 sc on 15th row). 

16th to 30th rows incl: Sc in each sc across. Ch 1, turn. 

31st row: Dec 1 sc—to dec 1 sc, work off 2 sc as 1 sc—sc in each sc across to within last 2 sc, dec 1 sc. Ch 1, turn. 

32nd row: Repeat 16th row. Repeat the last 2 rows until 18 sts remain. Now dec 1 sc at both ends of every row until 12 sts remain. Break off.

SNOUT ... 

Starting at center with single strand of Black and No. 7 hook, ch 8.

1st rnd: 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across, 2 sc in last ch; working along opposite side of starting chain, make sc in each re­maining ch across. 

2nd rnd: Sc in each sc around, increasing 2 sc evenly on each end. Repeat 2nd rnd until piece measures 1 ¾ inches long. Break off and sew in place.

NOSTRILS (Make 2) ... Starting at center with single strand of Beauty Pink and No. 7 hook, ch 2. 1st rnd: 8 sc in 2nd ch from hook. Join and break off. Sew in place on Nose.

EYE ... Starting at center with Black and No. 7 hook, ch 2. 1st rnd: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. 2nd rnd: * 2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc. Repeat from * around. Join and break off. Sew in place.

With a single strand of Black em­broider a circle around eye and outline of an ear.

MOUTH ... 

With Black and No. 7 hook, ch 4.

 1st row: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Ch 1, turn. 

2nd row: Sc in each sc across. Ch 1, turn. 

3rd row: Dec 1 sc, sc in next sc. Ch 1, turn. 

4th row: Repeat 2nd row. 

5th row: Dec 1 sc. Break off. Sew in place.

BACK ... 

Work exactly as for Front.

With wrong sides facing and working through both thicknesses, attach a double strand of Beauty Pink and with a No. 4 hook, sc closely around pot holder. Join and break off.

FOOT ... 

Using a double strand of Beauty Pink and No. 4 hook, ch 7. 

1st row: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Ch 1, turn. 

2nd and 3rd rows: Sc in each sc across. Ch 1, turn. 

4th row: Sc in next 3 sc. Ch 1, turn. 

5th row: Repeat 2nd row.

6th row: Dec 1 sc, sc in next sc. Ch 1, turn. 

7th row: Dec 1 sc. Break off. Attach thread to first free sc on 3rd row. Repeat 4th to 7th rows incl. Break off. Make another piece in same way. Sew 2 pieces together. Sew in place. Make another foot in same manner and sew in place.

TAIL ... 

With a single strand of Black and No. 7 hook, ch 4. Join with sl st to form ring. 

1st rnd: Sc in each ch around. 

2nd rnd: Sc in each sc around. Repeat 2nd rnd until piece measures 4 inches. Join and break off. Twist Tail to form a loop. Tack loop in place. Sew Tail to pot holder.

With Black, sc closely around bone ring. Sew in place.

_______________________________

To the best of my knowledge, the preceding vintage crochet patterns has passed into public domain. What this means is that the copyright on them has expired. If I am incorrect, please contact me so that I can remove this pattern. Thank you.

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Posted in: free crochet patterns,kitchen,vintage