Crafting

[TheStrawberryThief]

Something else I wanted to add. I find learning new things very frustrating and time consuming, but it is so satisfying when you crack a technique and get it to work.

Also, I find that if I am struggling with something I look at a few different videos explaining what to do, as sometimes people explain things in different ways, or will forget to mention something because they think it is obvious. I watched 3 people explain the solid granny square and it took until the 3rd video ( after 2 false starts) before it clicked as to how I did the corners.

@LydiaDeetzHat please do not give up. It took me over a year to learn to drive, and I only managed to pass because my instructor was going to retire so it was my last chance unless I wanted to go elsewhere. We can get you making a scarf much faster than that.

 

[veronica71]

I’ve crafted all my life and in some ways I love how accessible social media has made it but in others it’s taken so much from the process. I’ve tried to have an Etsy store for my makes and as a result had to have a social media presence and there is sooo much time spent in making videos and photos and believe me it is not all as it seems. Please don’t let it make you feel bad, practise really does make perfect xx

 

[LydiaDeetzHat]

@LydiaDeetzHat
Do you think you could try and explain what you’re having the issue with and then maybe we can talk you through it? ( I firmly believe that if you have mastered the chain then you can crochet ).
Is it where to put the hook into the foundation chain, how to hold the hook, the tension?

its moving onto the next step which is working into the chain to make a stitch.. sorry IDK what the different stitches are called . my friend showed me but idt i have remembered it right .. something like you put the hook in the chain then you have 2 stiches on it then you loop the thread round and pull it through both. it seems difficult and like its all bunching up and im not sure if its meant to look like that.. I have the piece she worked on with me and it doesnt look right to me

on a side note the holding the wool round your fingers etc never works for me so i don't bother doing it

 

[Miss Begotten]

its moving onto the next step which is working into the chain to make a stitch.. sorry IDK what the different stitches are called . my friend showed me but idt i have remembered it right .. something like you put the hook in the chain then you have 2 stiches on it then you loop the thread round and pull it through both. it seems difficult and like its all bunching up and im not sure if its meant to look like that.. I have the piece she worked on with me and it doesnt look right to me

on a side note the holding the wool round your fingers etc never works for me so i don't bother doing it

Hold the yarn however feels comfortable. As long as you can keep the tension reasonably even.

Have a look at this - she’s using thick yarn and going really slowly so you can see what she’s doing.

 

[WeepingCassandra]

I've realised very recently that my issues with crochet/knitting/cross stitch (which tbf I used to do a lot as a kid) all stem from the fact that I can't count and I can't remember numbers very easily XD

 

[ElectricDreams]

I picked up knitting really easily and was making quite complicated things early on. I never got away with crochet but after a lot of perseverance I finally managed to master granny squares. However I cannot follow a pattern, can't remember what the stitches are called and if I don't do it for a few days I forget everything and have to start again! I love knitting soft toys and wish I could do the same with crochet but I get in a muddle increasing and decreasing and working in rounds in crochet. I've tried watching videos on YouTube but I don't learn well that way, I prefer to follow a written instruction/series of pictures. I'd love to properly master crochet as I find it much quicker than knitting and I don't have to watch every stitch.

 

[emmer_moans]

I'm getting so down about this.. I keep seeing ppl on YT - sustainable vloggers, or booktubers who decide to teach themself knitting and crochet and then the next minute in no time al all they're banging out hats and jumpers and doing stuff with no pattern like making scrunchies in different stitches with stripes and patterns and here am i not even getting to the stitch stage or being able to do a granny square or straight one colour scarf

They probably don't do anything else all day though.
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I once threw my crochet hook across the room when I was trying to learn

I also advise investing in a good tapered hook. I love the Clover Amours because they glide like a hot knife in butter. Some of the plastic ones and wooden ones get on my nerves.

 

[LydiaDeetzHat]

They probably don't do anything else all day though.
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I once threw my crochet hook across the room when I was trying to learn

I also advise investing in a good tapered hook. I love the Clover Amours because they glide like a hot knife in butter. Some of the plastic ones and wooden ones get on my nerves.

I have a few really good ones i picked up at the Work crafting group as well as some shiny metal coloured ones gifted to me ages ago (not as big a variety size wise as i'd hoped) I also thought it might hep to use a bigger hook than the size indicated on the wool which it does so Igot one from Amazon as close to the fancy ones as I could. I took some pics last night of my piece. I will see if I can manage to upload later - i have them on my phone and will have to FB messenger then tome and then access, download to laptop and post..

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

I go back and forth on if I should by a Tulip hook. I take them in and out of my amazon basket all the time. I can't decide, do I want them because they are good? Or do I want them because they are red?

 

[emmer_moans]

I go back and forth on if I should by a Tulip hook. I take them in and out of my amazon basket all the time. I can't decide, do I want them because they are good? Or do I want them because they are red?

Have you seen this, the lady reviews them - may help you decide either way:



Quite often she reviews the latest releases and gadgets to help you see if they are worth buying. If you only crochet a certain size of yarn most of the time, then perhaps treat yourself to that hook rather than a full set? I probably only use between 3mm-6mm, most of the time. I have bought Clover Amours separately over time as and when a new project says a new size. Probably I might end up with half a set before long

 

[anniemouse]

Have you seen this, the lady reviews them - may help you decide either way:



Quite often she reviews the latest releases and gadgets to help you see if they are worth buying. If you only crochet a certain size of yarn most of the time, then perhaps treat yourself to that hook rather than a full set? I probably only use between 3mm-6mm, most of the time. I have bought Clover Amours separately over time as and when a new project says a new size. Probably I might end up with half a set before long

I do the same with the Clover Amour hooks but I mostly use a 2.5, 3 or a 4mm. The set is pretty but I decided to just get what I need and when.

 

[ElectricDreams]

Anyone else have those days where you feel like you've achieved nothing with your crafting despite having some great ideas and plenty of time and space to do it? I'm so frustrated, everything I try to do feels like it's taking me ages and I'm not achieving what I'm hoping to

 

[anniemouse]

Anyone else have those days where you feel like you've achieved nothing with your crafting despite having some great ideas and plenty of time and space to do it? I'm so frustrated, everything I try to do feels like it's taking me ages and I'm not achieving what I'm hoping to

Yeah all the time. I will knit like 10 rows of a sock and spend the rest of my time procrastinating and drinking tea.

 

[ElectricDreams]

Yeah all the time. I will knit like 10 rows of a sock and spend the rest of my time procrastinating and drinking tea.

If this was me, I'd knit my 10th row and realise I'd done the wrong colour or I'd dropped a stitch on the 2nd row, then spend the rest of the afternoon trying and failing to put it right, before giving up completely

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

Sometimes what we think is nothing is useful. I have spent hours and hours practicing and unravelling, but it usually means that I get all the kinks out and that the finished product is better.

 

[nothanksbabes]

I picked up knitting really easily and was making quite complicated things early on. I never got away with crochet but after a lot of perseverance I finally managed to master granny squares. However I cannot follow a pattern, can't remember what the stitches are called and if I don't do it for a few days I forget everything and have to start again! I love knitting soft toys and wish I could do the same with crochet but I get in a muddle increasing and decreasing and working in rounds in crochet. I've tried watching videos on YouTube but I don't learn well that way, I prefer to follow a written instruction/series of pictures. I'd love to properly master crochet as I find it much quicker than knitting and I don't have to watch every stitch.

I'm the same but opposite! I could instantly crochet really complicated patterns, but knitting I am so slow at and I don't know how to fix mistakes (of which there are many) when all the stitches are interdependent on each other. It's like I'm fluent in crochet and knitting is a foreign language.

I much prefer knitting for garments, although I love crochet, I think it can either look a bit twee or too bulky, where you can get really nice draping fabric with knitting. I also love Fair Isle and Shetland knitting but that's a bit of a stretch for someone who can just about knit a dishcloth.

Here's my friend's little lad in the cardi I made him (plenty of room to grow into it!) and a tea cosy I made last night out of scrap yarn. Apparently I'm the only person in the world who wanted to crochet a cylindrical tea cosy so I made up the pattern myself. I really like the 70s colours together.

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

I love the cardi. The retro colours look lovely for autumn, especially teamed with the cute dungarees and the pumpkins. That is one stylish kid.

Granny Stripe and Granny Square type patterns really suit the retro colours

 

[anniemouse]

I love the teapot. So cute (as is the cardi)

 

[Miss Begotten]

Has anyone used super chunky yarn?
Friend has just given me a big ( massive ) ball of really thick yarn she found in a charity shop. It’s too big for needles so I’m thinking I could hand knit a blanket with it?
It also smells a bit - do I wash it before I knit it up or after?
This is the closest thing I can find to what it looks like

Bernat Blanket Big - Grey (51005) - 300g

Product Name: Bernat Blanket Big - Grey (51005) - 300g. Brand Name: Bernat. Brand (Navigation): Bernat. Yarn Name: Blanket Big. Shade Code: 51005. Shade Name: Grey. Man. Part Code: 161251. Yarn Weight: Super Chunky. Ball Weight (in Grams): 300. Length: 29. Needle Size: 25mm. Colour: Grey...

www.woolwarehouse.co.uk

 

[whathastheworldcometo]

Has anyone used super chunky yarn?
Friend has just given me a big ( massive ) ball of really thick yarn she found in a charity shop. It’s too big for needles so I’m thinking I could hand knit a blanket with it?
It also smells a bit - do I wash it before I knit it up or after?
This is the closest thing I can find to what it looks like

Bernat Blanket Big - Grey (51005) - 300g

Product Name: Bernat Blanket Big - Grey (51005) - 300g. Brand Name: Bernat. Brand (Navigation): Bernat. Yarn Name: Blanket Big. Shade Code: 51005. Shade Name: Grey. Man. Part Code: 161251. Yarn Weight: Super Chunky. Ball Weight (in Grams): 300. Length: 29. Needle Size: 25mm. Colour: Grey...

www.woolwarehouse.co.uk

I would put it in a freezer first for a few days to make sure it doesn't have moths (this might also kill the smell) and then maybe put it in a bowl with warm water and some detergent. I wouldn't put it in the washing machine before you knit it up, it would get all tangled up.