Crafting

[emmer_moans]

It’s only taken me a year to pluck up the courage to thread my gift overlocker. Made a pair of pants yesterday I’m wearing today - so no pics as I need to protect you from my arse!

Someone said a few pages back you Don’t have to be great - just enjoy it. I’ll remind myself of that next time I’m unpicking a seam… or struggling with which way up to face the fabric.

I love my overlocker. It's a game changer and means I can wash my homemade clothes knowing they'll survive the wash.
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For crochet, I recommend keeping trying, because initially I just didn't 'get' it and once my crochet hook was flung across the room in protest... but then once day it just clicked.

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

For crochet, I recommend keeping trying, because initially I just didn't 'get' it and once my crochet hook was flung across the room in protest... but then once day it just clicked.
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I agree with this. Try watching a few different people explain or demonstrate the same stitch and just keep trying and it will click.

You often see people posting really professional looking crochet items online and claiming it is their first project. Do not pay attention to those people.

We do not know what other crafts they have done or even if they are telling the truth about if being the first thing they have made. Some people are naturally gifted, but do not mistake them for being typical of what a beginner should do.

 

[veronica71]

Another one agreeing about it clicking. It’s like another language to start with and for a while and then it’s suddenly like ohhhhhhhhh

annoyingly as I’ve based my craft fairs and Etsy shop on it I’ve suddenly got the ick with crochet I’m hoping if I take a break the love will come back!

 

[emmer_moans]

Also with crochet, I find some yarn is better than others for seeing your stitches, so if you are learning and trying to see the loops in the chains and stitches, then I recommend cotton yarn of a decent thickness, or a chunky acrylic one. Some of the natural wooly yarns are more difficult to see what you are doing, as a beginner.

 

[LydiaDeetzHat]

Also with crochet, I find some yarn is better than others for seeing your stitches, so if you are learning and trying to see the loops in the chains and stitches, then I recommend cotton yarn of a decent thickness, or a chunky acrylic one. Some of the natural wooly yarns are more difficult to see what you are doing, as a beginner.

thanks Emma.Like i said I had a mad moment of inspiration and thought of using the slightly bigger hook (than yarn called for ) I had and in a super light colour and it's much easier. I now have a several foot long chain lol. I will never actually use anything in creams and pinks etc cos i hate pale. pastelly colours but i's handy to get cheap wool to learn even if you end up trashing it quality wise.

I did ask at the group at work if i got bigger needles and bigger wool would it help and they were like NO..

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

A good tip someone told me, is use a larger hook ( next size up) than needed on foundation chain and then switch to required size after that. This stops your foundation chain getting really tight and difficult to stitch into.

I agree that different colour yarns look better with different stitch types. Even colours make a big difference. Some colour changing yarns look messy with some stitches but fantastic in others. You just have to play around.

I have a few balls of James Brett Shhh DK as I found it being sold off in Boyes. I think they had marked down some stock that they didn't have a lot of left in the same colour batch. It is a lovely rainbow colour but I am scared to use it as it is very light and the reviews say that it is prone to tangle and split.

I also got 5 balls of of another james brett brand that is a sort of variated purple and some that are called Blackberry. Again I am scared of them as look so lovely and I don't know what to do with th now.

I am being more strict with myself now. Trying to only buy stuff that has plans , not just pretty stuff.

This is a really over long ramble, but I am still working on what started off as Attic 24s Stripey-As-We- Go blanket. I stopped following her pattern at some point because I couldn't work out the 'Catherine Wheel' of the ' Zig Zag' section. I could do the bottom half fine, but I couldn't do the top half without it looking messy.

The blankets is now a giant sample stitch blanket. I have still stuck to rule of change colour every row. It contains every single stitch I have learnt at this point, single, double , half double, granny row, suzette, waffle and bobble. It is getting really big and is using up lots of random single balls I wanted rid off. It is currently single bed size.

 

[Snippysnips]

How do people keep themselves going with crafts? I got Disney crochet in the hopes it would inspire me to really get into it, am 90 magazines in an so far have done one square for my blanket I don't know why I can't just seem to get into it when I actually really want too

I also am finding it difficult to be comfortable with my hands if I crochet, I get cramps soon into it, am sorta of just holding the yarn with it going up an over my index finger, is there a better way?

 

[Islawight]

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How do people keep themselves going with crafts? I got Disney crochet in the hopes it would inspire me to really get into it, am 90 magazines in an so far have done one square for my blanket I don't know why I can't just seem to get into it when I actually really want too

I also am finding it difficult to be comfortable with my hands if I crochet, I get cramps soon into it, am sorta of just holding the yarn with it going up an over my index finger, is there a better way?

I’ll always stick something on to watch like a documentary and before I know it I’ve crocheted loads. What kind of hook do you crochet with? I find the clover type hooks more comfortable than the plain metal ones. I did buy a ‘granny’ armchair with arms that I find helps by resting my elbows so it’s more wrist movement that I’m doing.

 

[Snippysnips]

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I’ll always stick something on to watch like a documentary and before I know it I’ve crocheted loads. What kind of hook do you crochet with? I find the clover type hooks more comfortable than the plain metal ones. I did buy a ‘granny’ armchair with arms that I find helps by resting my elbows so it’s more wrist movement that I’m doing.

It's just like a metal one with a rubber handle on it, I've tried putting music on in the background to see if it will help, it just feels off putting at times because I am focused on the end product an right now that's 90 squares (which is my own fault) rathering than just focusing on the moment

 

[Islawight]

Just keep at it. There’s no rush. Unless you’re like me and promise a baby blanket etc and I run out of time and crochet like mad for days. I find crocheting relaxing as long as I get into a rhythm. I’ve recently got into amigurumi and have to count the rows, I forget where I’m at and then want to give up. So frustrating. Your Disney blanket sounds interesting and I’m sure with patience you’ll end up with something beautiful.

 

[Snippysnips]

Just keep at it. There’s no rush. Unless you’re like me and promise a baby blanket etc and I run out of time and crochet like mad for days. I find crocheting relaxing as long as I get into a rhythm. I’ve recently got into amigurumi and have to count the rows, I forget where I’m at and then want to give up. So frustrating. Your Disney blanket sounds interesting and I’m sure with patience you’ll end up with something beautiful.

Thanks, I honestly hope to get there one day, I'd love to give my neice one an have one myself, there's 100 squares in total an the magazine is weekly so not long till it's finished coming out, I'd love to try amigurumi but I worry I'd get frustrated with how small it is

 

[Islawight]

Thanks, I honestly hope to get there one day, I'd love to give my neice one an have one myself, there's 100 squares in total an the magazine is weekly so not long till it's finished coming out, I'd love to try amigurumi but I worry I'd get frustrated with how small it is

You will get there! How lovely for your niece to have something you’ve handmade for her . Honestly, the amigurumi really does cramp your hands as it’s all sc with a smaller hook. I’m going back to blankets haha

 

[Snippysnips]

You will get there! How lovely for your niece to have something you’ve handmade for her . Honestly, the amigurumi really does cramp your hands as it’s all sc with a smaller hook. I’m going back to blankets haha

Thank you, the idea was to keep up with the magazines as they come out so I could give it to her on her 4th bday, I might need to go like crazy to get it done for then now

It all looks so cute as well the amigurumi, I might wait till I've gotten better with normal crochet first an see, I could see my patience running out quickly with such a small project

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

This may sound like an odd suggestion, but I am going to suggest putting your Disney squares to one side for the moment and make something else. It doesn't have to be big, so maybe a scarf, hat , baby size blanket etc. Just pick something simple that you can do in less than a month.

When that is done, go back to your squares and you may find that you feel refreshed and ready to go. I think sometimes a project can seem big and daunting, or you have been working on it for ages and the work just slows to a crawl as you get so focused on finishing that you stop enjoying it and put of working on it, making things go even slower.

One of my friends had been trying to complete a blanket for her daughter for years. Working on it a bit at a time and then stopping for months. I suggested she put it away, so something else and the come back. She went away and made a basket, and then found she was able to finish her blanket within a few week after.

 

[Snippysnips]

This may sound like an odd suggestion, but I am going to suggest putting your Disney squares to one side for the moment and make something else. It doesn't have to be big, so maybe a scarf, hat , baby size blanket etc. Just pick something simple that you can do in less than a month.

When that is done, go back to your squares and you may find that you feel refreshed and ready to go. I think sometimes a project can seem big and daunting, or you have been working on it for ages and the work just slows to a crawl as you get so focused on finishing that you stop enjoying it and put of working on it, making things go even slower.

One of my friends had been trying to complete a blanket for her daughter for years. Working on it a bit at a time and then stopping for months. I suggested she put it away, so something else and the come back. She went away and made a basket, and then found she was able to finish her blanket within a few week after.

Thanks I might try that, I actually make worry worms for my work, there's still a few at my work so maybe I could do a restock, they are quick to do an simple as well, it might help me to feel like I've actually gotten something finished

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

That sounds like a fab idea.

 

[Moongirl69]

@Snippysnips great suggestion, I hadn't crocheted since a bereavement in March. I find it relaxing so I went slowly and managed a baby blanket. Now on my second one

 

[emmer_moans]

I have a half finished jumper to finish but I had put it aside for a few months as I wasn't 'feeling' it. Now I need to decide whether to 'frog it' / undo it, or finish it. I don't think I will wear it so frogging it seems likely. Then I want to start something new.

 

[tigerlilly_xx]

I have a half finished jumper to finish but I had put it aside for a few months as I wasn't 'feeling' it. Now I need to decide whether to 'frog it' / undo it, or finish it. I don't think I will wear it so frogging it seems likely. Then I want to start something new.

Frog it!

I find if I have them thoughts, I’ll never finish it, and even if I do, I’ll hate every second & hate the finished item.

 

[Moongirl69]

I keep seeing the jordan knitted blanket, thinking of giving it a try when I finish the crochet one Im working on.
@emmer_moans definitely frog if you're not enjoying it!