Okay Crochet girls..hook me up!

Darcy Baldwin

Darcy Baldwin

Just a Scrapper
My grandmother crocheted very lovely things her whole life. She always wanted to teach me, but I could never be bothered. When I finally thought - man, I'd love to learn, she was no longer able to teach me. I still kick myself in the butt for not taking her act of kindness to heart and learning, even if it wasn't something cool for me to do at the time.

So now, I've set Christmas break to learn to crochet. I got a couple of books from the library and have conquered the chain stitch (though I find I'm a tight loop kind of girl), and have begun practicing the single stitch. But I need video. I need lots of video..and free patterns to get me started. My first project is just going to be a simple scarf for my little guy as something simple and easy to work through. But if I get like my grandmother, I"ll do banquet sized tableclothes of lacy crochet - just beautify stuff (thankfully, I inherited one of them!)
 
First off, got to Ravelry.com and join. It'll take a couple of days for them to get your invitation out, but they will do it. Its an amazing resource for all things crochet & knit, tons of free patterns and tutorials.

Here's some good videos that I like to watch:
http://www.coatsandclark.com/Crafts/Crochet/Howtos/Crochet+Made+Easy+-+video+lessons.htm

And here's a bunch of tutorials I found on YouTube (also from a woman from Ravelry)... I really like them, they've helped me out a lot:
http://www.youtube.com/user/tjw1963
 
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First...YEAH Darcy! I love crochet. My Mother taught me to crochet when I was a girl (don't ask me about knitting...or maybe you should...it's a funny story!). Anyway, I go through fits and starts with it. A few years ago I got it in my head that I wanted to make some Barbie Costumes...but I digress.

I don't have any video tutorials to link you to...as I said, I've been crocheting for many years...but if you have any questions, feel free to PM me or catch me on YIM. I will do my best to help out!
 
Stop copying me Darcy. :P I am teaching myself to knit and crochet since photoshop is being so finicky with me right now...... finding the videos are the best. I also have a book on my wish list called The stitch 'n' bitch crochet handbook: The Happy Hooker. Funny, but good!
 
I started crocheting a few months ago, I'm totally hooked (ha ha). I didn't have much luck with the library but I've found some great online tutorials and patterns. I like Ravelry a lot.

I just wrappeed up a pillow I made my MIL for Christmas.
mil-pill.jpg
 
Crochetville is another really good place to hook up with other crocheters and find patterns etc. They also offer classes at a good price: http://www.crochetville.org/forum/

I also love Ravelry. My username there is ltarbox (just like everywhere else).

You can find links to lots of free patterns here: http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory.php

Lion Brand, which Jessica linked to, is a great resource.

Have fun Darcy! I love to crochet, even though scrapping has taken some of my crochet time. It is a great thing to do while you're vegging out in front of the TV. Somehow, if I'm crocheting, I don't feel quite as lazy!
 
thanks for the ravelry link! mom and i are knitters/crocheters. i'll share it with her, cause she's always looking for new projects as well.

and darcy- i use lion brand patterns a lot. well, let me rephrase. my mother uses their patterns a lot, and therefore, saves them. and i'm slowly teaching myself to use patterns (i'm a boring person, sticking to mostly scarves). i have a good book. i can pm you the name once i find it? i got it for my birthday this past june.
 
i've picked this up again. my mother taught me years ago, but we never got past the chain. LMAO. slowly i am working through it. i, too, have a ton of books reserved @ the library.

thanks for the website links. i really need to get the basics down pat. i'm struggling!
 
girls on ravelry - my username there is scrapperemmy, I love that site!

I'm a knitter but I'd love to hang out with the crochet girls too. :p
 
You might check to see if there is a local yarn store that has classes...might be the best way to learn really!!!
 
Just a piece of advice Darcy - try and do your stitches more loosely. If you do them too tight, it's really hard to get the hook in for future stitches. I have also found that using a bamboo hook helps my old hands too. I can't explain why, but it really does help.

Here's a video on single crochet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQUJ3CpS2wI

Anything from this lady is awesome. She takes it slow and walks you through it.
 
Oh, and I am on Ravelry too - I am scrappinmama. Anyone is welcome to add me and see my projects. I just finished an afghan.
 
I'm excited to find this thread! I've crocheted and knit a lot in the past, but have neglected my needles (since finding digi-scrapping, LOL) for three years. I hope to get back into it in the new year and do some simple projects. I'm on Ravelry too, as "supertwinkle". I'll add you all too, when I get a chance to figure out how!
 
Glad for this link as well- gonna have to check out Ravelry. I just started knitting the past week or two when my PSE crapped out and I couldn't scrap. I plan on trying crochet very soon as well, but I'm so proud I made a big, chunky scraf and it looks pretty good I think (gonna scrap it I'm sure). I was also stitching too tightly liks Paula said- had to undo and try again- so keeping things loose is great advice. :) We all definitely need another addiction right? I need more hours in the day or to quit my job I guess! :)
 
knitting uses two needles and crocheting uses a hook... they also look very different... the sweaters you typically see are knit, it's like interwoven loops.
 
Thank you for starting this thread, I didn't know there's a lot of crochet girls :) I've been trying to learn but my fingers are too clunky :( I do however, have a big basket of gorgeous yarns :p Thanks for the links, I'll probably try crocheting again this winter break! :thumbup:
 
Keely OMG you did an amazing job! wow! :thumbup:

so want to do this, I'm inspired even more now. I was given two Shawls when my dd passed by Life Choice at first it was a white one and when they heard us talking about her fav colors a couple days later they mailed me a red and black one, I was very grateful so I'd love to do it so I can also create some shawls for other grieving families.
Here's a pic
Charliesshawl.jpg
 
Did you ever teach yourself Darcy? LOL!

I'm BrodoNY0123 over there. I'm not active at all though. I just look at pretty patterns, lol.
 
Oops, just realised htis is an older thread, and you probably dont need links now lol Im a dork, I know this
 
I so wish I would have seen this forever ago when you posted it, but the best resource I've found for crocheting is Annie's Attic.

http://www.anniesattic.com/crochet/content.html?cat_id=332&type_id=S

I usually just google something like "Annie's Attic hdc" and it'll take me right to the link with pictures, instructions, and a video, which is amazing and only a few seconds long so I can watch it over and over again until I get it.

I've found that the best way to keep my tension consistent is to keep the lead-in yarn loose (always have plenty of slack beyond the finger holding it up) and I always slip my stitches over the fat part of the hook. If after a row or two it's not right I just undo it until it's right because otherwise I'll hate my project. Once I figured out how to crochet looser I finally became good at it and loved it instead of fighting all of my projects until they became wads of knots (no joke...the lady who tried to teach me the first time couldn't figure out how messed up my projects got).
 
another thing you can do to adjust your tension for those having trouble is to use a larger/smaller hook. Some people just crochet looser/tighter and so by changing the hooks you change the size of the project. It really helps if there is a sample that you do that and adjust your hooks to make the sample the correct size. It is so much easier to do it that way then to try to change the way you tend to crochet.
 
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