As the days are growing colder and shorter, and as I’ve been wading through my wool collection as I unpack into our new home, I’ve somehow picked up several new crochet projects without realising it. I see a pretty yarn in my stash and then a cute pattern on Ravelry, next thing you know a project has begun for one of our nieces or a new baby due this year.
I am fairly new to crochet – I only learnt last year whilst we lived on an outback Queensland cattle station. As we traveled the country on our honeymoon my beloved sewing machine would be back home packed away in storage, I knew I’d need a new portable creative outlet. So I sat in front of YouTube for hours on end, messing it up, getting tangled, starting again. And again. And again. Learning to crochet takes patience and perseverance, but once the penny drops you’ll be away in no time, hooking your way around granny squares and baby bonnets like an old pro. My main hurdle was that I’m left handed, but not quite as left handed that I would crochet left handed. I’m somewhere in the middle where crocheting or knitting left handed feels wrong, but doing it right handed seems a little silly as well.
My aim was to learn to crochet an entire granny square blanket by the time we had a baby (i.e. setting myself a goal in the very faaaar distance!) Turns out in the past year I’ve made several baby blankets for friends and family as new little faces have joined the world – granny squares, treble crochet stitches, stripes, rounds. I crocheted each of my nieces and nephew a different animal hat for Christmas – a frog, a cow, a dinosaur, a hippo, a tiger, a lion all flew off my crochet hook. And I’m now looking at scarves in shops saying to myself “I could make that”. Yes, I am turning into my mother.
So this winter I have several projects on the go – a few baby blankets, some hats, perhaps a cardigan for a birthday gift or mittens for myself. I might even sell some on my madeit store, not that selling these things turns a profit given the hours that go into them but I figure if I’m in the mood for hooking I might as well embrace it and pay it forward. We are still yet to have TV connected to the farmhouse, so our evenings are full of radio, maybe a DVD, the husband reading farming articles and me crocheting.
There’s something to be said for slowing down and really concentrating on creating something, don’t you think? Going slowly and learning a new skill, the methodical rhythm of yarn over, pull through, looping and gently moulding the yarn into something. Last night I lit the fire and sat with Tessa (my little cavalier/cocker spaniel) on the floor hooking my way through a few rows of a baby blanket I’m working on. Methodical and slow, gentle and purposeful. Looks like it’s going to be a busy winter.
Kathy says
Thanks for the advice on the crochet hook…maybe the wool that came with the hook is suitable for learning. I’ll take your advice on board. The first issue was $2.95 so figured I could just make a couple of granny squares for practice on that anyway and then buy some nice wool. I would have to agree with you on getting good quality wool because of all the effort that goes into making it too. I found a beautiful crochet blanket and instructions on Suburban Jubliee blog from Tassie. On the side bar she has a picture of her blanket…it’s a nice effect. Take a look. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane, Australia http://www.oursimpleandmeaningfullife.blogspot.com
Kathy says
You totally need to invest in an iPad particularly if you don’t have any tv yet. I used it in my kitchen yesterday while making biscuits from Rhonda’s Down to Earth Blog. My post is on my other blog at http://www.oursimpleandmeaningfullife.blogspot.com
Emma says
Thanks Kathy. An ipad in the kitchen for recipes is definitely on my list of why I need an ipad! Husband is calling TV antenna man today AGAIN – fingers crossed we’ll have connection to the outside world again soon 🙁
Kathy says
That ripple blanket looks great you should show a big picture of it. I have done knitting and crochet as a teenager however in my 20’s got into cross stitch for about 15 years then after my first baby (he’s now 9) didn’t have the time and my eye sight wasn’t as good with those tiny stitches since I was using linen. Over the past few days I was thinking about crochet and on tv yesterday they advertised a new magazine which is going to be weekly called “crochet”. The first magazine is $2.95 and comes with a 17 min DVD on how to crochet and 2 balls of wool a size 4 crochet hook and the magazine how to start. I went straight to the newsagent and bought it. I won’t be buying it weekly but bought it as a starter kit. The magazine has a huge blanket that each week you get the pattern for a new square but the fine print on the bottom to the tv screen said … Xxx issues (I can’t remember how many) but xx issues equally $956. Usually here series could go for 2 years and you need all the weekly issues to finish the blanket. Hey you could go to spotlight and buy a $15 pattern. Your wool looks lovely where do you buy yours and what brand is it. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane, Australia
Emma says
Those magazines/DVD offers at newsagents and on TV are sucker-in-er-ers aren’t they? My mum bought me the starting one of a knitting magazine/DVD once because she was so exasperated in trying to teach me to knit! A DVD is definitely the go I think to learn to crochet, I needed to actually see how it was done so hit up YouTube. A size 4mm crochet hook is quite fine for a beginner though, well depending on your wool. I started on a 5.5mm and was chunky enough for me to figure it all out. I buy ALL my wool/fabric/craft and sewing supplies online as we’re in a remote location (3 hours to nearest Spotlight or craft store). My wool I often buy from US site ‘In the Making’ or Australian sites ‘The Wool Shack’ or Bendigo Woollen Mills. I am getting quite picky with my yarn these days, it’s just not worth buying cheap crappy stuff that isn’t that nice to crochet with and then the finished product isn’t the best it could be. I’ll happily pay a bit more for a good quality yarn for my projects to have a better feel at the end. Good luck!
Jo @ Countrylifeexperiment says
I have been wanting to learn to crochet for a while now. I have been wanting to make a ripple blanket, but I think I might need to start with something a little easier.
Emma says
This is my fourth or fifth crochet blanket and is a ripple blanket. My first and my second that I made at the same time as each other were a straight stripe (reeeally easy but effective) and a granny square (fast but I find the joining of the squares tedious, but again looks great). If you’re going to learn off YouTube the best videos I found were by Crochet Geek – my best advice would be to just start! With a biggish hook (5 or 6mm) and a yarn with a bit of stretch (no cotton) on a metal hook (easy to slide the yarn around and not get stuck). And if you need any help at all give me a shout out 🙂
Amy says
that bonnet = divine.
Anne says
ooo that is a great reason for an ipad. That sounds like a lovely way to spend your time and well done on learning a new skill. Those hats and the lace look bonnet are gorgeous.
Sharon says
I really must do the same, get the ipad out and on my lap on the lounge and watch some of those tutorials….loving that stripey one you are working on at the moment!
Emma says
Ah…another reason I need an ipad! Unless patterns are in pdf and I can send them to my phone I am sometimes crocheting in front of my big desktop mac. Not ideal.