Whoever invented crochet was a genius. My mom just taught me how to crochet and I've started a scarf. I am absolutely in awe of the person who invented this craft. You take yarn and weave it into a relatively strong fabric without cutting it or anything. And unlike bead-weaving or cross stitch or other similar crafts I've done, the tools are about as simple as you can get (yarn and a hook) and you create the piece pulling up the tail of the yarn rather than threading in the head of the yarn. It's all loops pulled up into one another. It boggles my mind that someone would have thought that would work. I've watched my mom crochet in the past, and I've seen countless afgans and scarves, etc, but I never really appreciated what a wonderful invention crochet is until I started doing it myself.
My crochet skills at the moment are fairly rudimentary, but I think I'm catching the hang of it. Anyone else here crochet? Feel free to post tips, advice, or musings on the wonderful craft that it is.
[ March 17, 2005, 03:45 PM: Message edited by: KarlEd ]
Posted by Myr (Member # 5956) on :
I do!
I'm new too though, I'm spending a lot of time knitting a blanket thinggy and when I'm done with that, I'll go back to learning more crochet Posted by mothertree (Member # 4999) on :
Karl, why must you steal everything sacred from womanhood? . . .
I have a great pattern for a barbie dress, I think you'll love.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Well, knitting was a guy thing first, not sure about crochet.
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
God, you are so- wait...
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
LOL mothertree and PC.
Actually, when I was a teenager, my mom crocheted a whole wardrobe of Barbie clothes for my sister. Right now I envision myself sticking mostly to afgans and scarfs, or using the techniques of crochet to make panels to be mixed with beads and found objects for art projects.
Posted by maui babe (Member # 1894) on :
I taught myself to crochet about 20 years ago as a young mother. My mother always crocheted afghans and doilies and things when I was growing up. I asked her a few times to show me how, but she was not very patient with me, and would just have me make endless chains.
I prefer making smaller projects to large ones... I get bored easily I suppose. I've made hundreds of crocheted beaded ponytail holders over the years, and at one time was very popular with the boys in my neighborhood because I made crocheted hacky-sacks.
I have a good friend who makes all sorts of crocheted things. Her standing joke is that she'll crochet a volkswagen for you if you can get her enough steel wool.
I've recently been teaching myself to knit, which is more exotic to me. When I was growing up, I would look at my mother's patterns (which always had patterns for both knitting and crocheting) and I always preferred the knitted things. Knitting isn't really harder than crocheting, just different. And it's basically the same idea of loops inside loops, just a different system of getting there.
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
I feel similarly about knitting, Karl. It's just so amazing that a big tangled ball of string can becomes something so organized and useful.
I want to learn to crochet, too. I've seen some fo the patterns my mom can do, and it's amazing.
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
My mom knitted a project once and to say she prefers crochet would be an understatement. If I ever go that route, I'll have to teach myself or find someone else to teach me.
Posted by maui babe (Member # 1894) on :
Well, I guess it's not true that I'm teaching myself completely - more like re-teaching. I had a very sweet older British lady give me a few lessons in 1986 on basic knitting. I had too many small children at that time to do much with it, so I didn't keep up with it. I bought some knitting needles and a how to knit book a few weeks ago. The book was pretty useless, though and I ended up looking for basic knitting instructions on-line. I *think* I could have taught myself from scratch with the instructions I found here, but I had some rudimentary exposure to it a long time ago, so who knows?
Posted by HesterGray (Member # 7384) on :
I tend to start a lot of projects, and then get too bored to finish them. I did finish crocheting a hat that I wear all the time in the winter. I started an afghan a couple years ago, but I haven't gotten very far on it yet.
Posted by Theca (Member # 1629) on :
I love crocheting. Unfortunately my cat loves helping me crochet, so I haven't done very much the past three years.
Posted by ReikoDemosthenes (Member # 6218) on :
My grandma taught me to crochet this past Winter...however she only taught me one stitch so I'm looking forward to her coming back this Spring so I can learn some more stitches. It's really enjoyable to just relax and actually make something practical.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
My grandma taught me to crochet about ten years ago, but I never really picked it up. This winter I read a book and taught myself to knit, that I actually like and do quite often, i've made a bunch of hats and scarves now about to start making socks.
Posted by Lost Ashes (Member # 6745) on :
Dude, stop now!
Crochet is a gateway craft. It leads to harder addictions like knitting, spinning and sometimes, in worst cases, macarame`...
Trust me, my wife started with crochet...
Of course, as she feverishly works at her next fix, I do have a warm scarf and nice wool socks to keep me comfy.
Maybe not all addictions are bad. Posted by Mormo (Member # 5799) on :
"Crochet is a gateway craft" Posted by Starla* (Member # 5835) on :
I bought a magazine how-to a few months ago, and I just got a starter kit just the other day. It's kind of girly--a bracelet, belt, bikini top, necklace and granny-square bag. I don't know if I can cut it. I've never been good with knots---unless they're the kind you don't want. I might just give it to my sister.
Hello! ***Runs back into the night***
Posted by Constant Reader (Member # 7282) on :
It's great for obsessive compulsives like me! I still don't practice enough to be really good at it and I can only make blankets but it's fun!
Posted by mothertree (Member # 4999) on :
I learned to crochet in 4-H at the methodist church down the road. I think I was 9. I just made granny squares for a long time, and then I discovered I could crochet berets. Don't worry, I never wore one to school. At my first job after college, there was a lunchtime crochet club and that's when I entered the world of crocheting twine and string to make lacy things. The barbie dresses was part of trying to get my daughter into it. I should get back to it.
I have forgotten how to knit exacly as many times as I learned how.
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
I've had a mitten sitting on my desk just begging to be made. Poor mitten. If only I'd get off my lazy rear and finish it, I'd have a hat-and-mittie set.
Posted by LilBee91 (Member # 7475) on :
quote: It's kind of girly--a bracelet, belt, bikini top, necklace and granny-square bag.
What good would a crochet bikini do?
Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
I crochet some, nothing fancy or involved yet, mostly because expanding my yarn skills would take away from my cross stithcing lol
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