crochet!
Yes indeed I’m actually crocheting something other than a dishcloth, a flower or a provisional cast on. I have no idea if I’ve ever mentioned this here, but I started crocheting before I got really into knitting. I made a couple of hats (berets that I made up as I went along, crocheted in a spiral and which mostly ended up a bit wobbly) but I never really knew what I was doing. All of the books seemed to miss out so much and I was always left feeling very uncertain about whether I was doing it right or not. Crochet pretty much fell by the wayside when I got into knitting which I understood far more instinctively. But a few months ago I picked up a book from the library and figured out exactly which loops at the beginning and ends of the rows I was supposed to work into and made my first rectangle that had the same number of stitches in the final row as the first. I’m pretty proud of that dishcloth and the granny square one hanging next to it. I’ve been thinking about designing some crochet patterns for a while, nothing like aiming high! However I thought that it might help if I actually new the stitch names (lets ignore the ridiculously confusing differences between American and British terminology that uses the same names for different stitches) and if I’d ever used a crochet pattern.
So now I’m working on my very first crochet thing ever from a pattern. This working from a pattern thing is so much fun. I just got back from knitting group where people were rather amused that I was more excited about working from a pattern than designing my own stuff. But there are photos! I get to show them what I’m making! I don’t have to think about it! It’s turning out right! Don’t worry, I have far too many ideas to stop designing but maybe I’ll take a little break like this every so often.
This is Short n’ Sweet from The Happy Hooker. I’m using South West Trading Company Bamboo that I bought on sale a while ago. The colour is much brighter in real life, but my camera couldn’t really handle the intense pink and I had to de-saturate the photos a bit. I bought it because of the colour, although the amount of pink I’ve been using lately is getting a bit absurd. This I couldn’t resist though. I’ve started knitting with it a few times, but nothing was really working out. 
The yarn is kind of strange, it’s very easy to catch an individual thread and pull it out and it feels kind of crunchy but fragily soft at the same time. Not very easy to explain but what I’m trying to say is that I’m far happier crocheting this yarn than knitting it, both in terms of working with it and the resulting fabric.
I used to religiously wind all of my yarn into center pull balls (by hand with whatever makeshift nostepinne, google if you’re confused, was handy) regardless of how it came because it ended up tangled by the end so frequently. Lately I’ve been slacking on that but this reminded me why I did it in the first place. These were in a drawer, stupid tangling elves. I’m trying to organise my stuff at the moment and now I’m dreading sorting out the rest of that particular drawer.
Of course the other fun thing about crochet is that it progresses so quickly, rows half an inch tall are quite a novelty. I started this yesterday and ripped out several rows.
The other reason I’m doing this is that I’m trying to stop myself designing anything new until I’ve written up some of the patterns for things I’ve already designed and knit. It’s starting to feel like if I keep making new stuff not only will I never go back to the old things but I might push the stuff I need to remember about them out of my head. And I know that you want me to write up these patterns so I’d like to avoid that scenario.
I hung those cardis up next to the fireplace in my room yesterday and the spot seems to be attracting more knitted items. Somehow these things seem too special to hide in the wardrobe and maybe it will remind me to write patterns. Click through to flickr for notes.
Posted: June 14th, 2007 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 18
Comments
Comment from lupinbunny
Time: June 14, 2007, 1:27 am
snap! I’ve just decided to learn to crochet too. I too find knitting more instinctive - I remember throwing tantrums when mum tried to teach me crochet as a kid, because it just did not work for me. Last time I tried to learn I got stuck and took my crochet hook with all the stitches to mum. She looked really puzzled, then told me “Honey, I don’t know how you’ve done it, but you’ve turned it into knitting…”
I want to learn to make the Babette rug out of all my scraps. And I want to learn to read the patterns, because while I can make little flowers by looking at a picture, in my head I call the stitches ‘the loopy one’ and ‘the stabby-stabby one’. Not so helpful for pattern reading. And I can’t tell what I’m looking at yet. It teaches me what knitting must feel like to non-knitters (’Wow! It’s different on the back to the front!’, ‘Uh yeah. It’s stocking stitch’).
My S’n'B is teaching me granny squares on Monday.
Comment from Dao
Time: June 14, 2007, 2:59 am
I can’t wait to see snow white~ I hope you work on that one first :)
I use to crochet too! But i can’t read the pattern. I haven’t gotten around to learning the abbreviation. Now i just have too much crochet yarn sitting around. I can’t use them for knitting bc they are too textury for me to knit.
Comment from Elaine
Time: June 14, 2007, 4:06 am
I like that picture with all your finished objects hung up. So pretty!
Comment from pinsandneedles
Time: June 14, 2007, 2:24 pm
The knitting looks great next to the fireplace. I can’t wait until you have available patterns for them, but please no rush.
I had happy hooker for a few months and I like it. I don’t crochet as much as knitting, but it’s always a good break from it. I’ve never grasped the idea on how things are constructed until recently. For some reason, I was born a knitter not a crocheter. I mainly got into it so I can make stuffed animals really quick.
Comment from Laural
Time: June 14, 2007, 3:14 pm
Isn’t the quickness of crochet wonderful? I love the knitty corner and they truly are too beautiful to hide.
Please consider writing up Posie next!
Comment from Sonya
Time: June 14, 2007, 7:51 pm
I smiled as I read your list of crocheting-for-knitters-that-does-not-count-as-crochet.I crocheted first before I knit, but it hardly counts, I think I made the smallest thing that would be the equivalent of a bookmark. I also find knitting more intuitive and maybe one day i will make that leap to crochet.
Comment from Leah
Time: June 14, 2007, 8:09 pm
Leave it to you to make Crocheting look appealing to me! ;)
Comment from Elizabeth
Time: June 14, 2007, 11:07 pm
I LOVE the purple shirt with the ribbon, sort of hidden by the light on the right. I’m loving the Chevron stitch right now! (Is that what you used on the top?)
Comment from Anne-Marie
Time: June 15, 2007, 10:37 am
I love the short n sweet, I’ve made two. The best thing is that they are super quick to make.
Comment from EGJ
Time: June 15, 2007, 10:52 am
That Bamboo yarn looks good enough to eat, and seems to work really well in that crochet pattern. I know what you mean about the thrill of working from a pattern too. I started out knitting thinking I would soon move on to all the ideas in my head, but I usually knit to take a break from writing and/or translating, and working from a pattern is such a comfort then, even when it’s a complicated one. I’d still like to start realising a few of those ideas that have been gathering in my notebooks, but just now, I’m happy to work from patterns. I love the picture of your knitted items too - such beauty that flows from your hands… I start to twinkle just looking at it. ;-) (unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be a good word for that state… Awe? Delight? Delighted awe?)
Comment from Hannah
Time: June 15, 2007, 5:05 pm
yes can I add my voice to the many saying please do write up the patterns? I was going to put in a vote for the bolero first……
Comment from geertje
Time: June 15, 2007, 8:33 pm
a girl never has enough pink clothes….and it looks like this is gonna be lovely :)
(and can i please vote for the purple chevron stitch top?!?!)
Comment from Shannon
Time: June 15, 2007, 11:58 pm
Please do write patterns! I am especially interested in seeing one for the green shrug, it’s fabulous!
Comment from Bozena
Time: June 16, 2007, 3:25 pm
You are so creative. I love your patterns!!!
Comment from Webbo
Time: June 19, 2007, 10:24 am
I’m agitating for the pink lace cardi. It’s delightful (but then so is everything is that picture).
Comment from Margaret
Time: June 21, 2007, 3:06 pm
Seeing those knitted articles next to your fireplace all hung together should make you feel proud, proud, proud!
They are quite a testament to your designing and knitting talent, but especially since you manage it all while studying.
Bravo to you. They are beautiful and I sincerely hope seeing them there makes you smile and stand tall with self appreciation. :)
Comment from melissa
Time: June 21, 2007, 11:47 pm
I have to agree with you on the luxury of knitting from another designers pattern! Sometimes it’s just nice to not have to worry how that neckline is going to work out or if the sleeve cap is going to fit!
Comment from ffx hentai loli lulu
Time: September 5, 2008, 5:31 am
hentai games ffx lulu ffx hentai lulu code
Write a comment