March is Crochet Month!

Hello Everyone! This month we take a diversion from our knitting for one of our projects and delve into the world of Crochet! Knowing how to crochet broadens your fiber versatility. I learned how to crochet in 2008 by going to an adult education class held at the local high school. I crocheted almost exclusively for a few years and then went back to all knitting all of the time. Our project, Cache Basket by Yarnspirations, is my first crochet project in several years so I had to refresh my crochet skills. According to Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crochet, the word crochet is derived from the Old French crochet, a diminutive of croche, in turn from the Germanic croc, both meaning "hook". Crochet is a process of creating fabric by interlocking loops of yarn, thread, or strands of other materials using a crochet hook. The name is derived from the French term "crochet", meaning small hook. These are made of materials such as metal, wood, or plastic and are manufactured commercially and produced in artisan workshops. The most noticeable difference between crochet and knitting, beyond the implements used for their production, is that each stitch in crochet is completed before proceeding with the next one, while knitting keeps a large number of stitches open at a time. (Variant forms such as Tunisian crochet and broomstick lace keep multiple crochet stitches open at a time.)  Any yarn can be either knitted or crocheted, provided needles or hooks of the correct size are used, but the cord's properties should be taken into account. For example, lofty, thick woolen yarns tend to function better when knitted, which does not crush their airy structure, while thin and tightly spun yarn helps to achieve the firm texture required for Amigurumi crochet. There are five main types of basic stitches (the following description uses US crochet terminology which differs from the terminology used in the UK and Europe). 1. Chain Stitch - the most basic of all stitches and used to begin most projects. 2. Slip Stitch - used to join chain stitch to form a ring. 3. Single Crochet Stitch (called Double Crochet Stitch in the UK) - easiest stitch to master Single Crochet Stitch Tutorial 4. Half Double Crochet Stitch (called Half Treble Stitch in the UK) - the 'in-between' stitch Half-Double Crochet Tutorial 5. Double Crochet Stitch (called Treble Stitch in the UK) - many uses for this unlimited use stitch Double Crochet Stitch Tutorial hile the horizontal distance covered by these basic stitches is the same, they differ in height and thickness. The more advanced stitches are often combinations of these basic stitches, or are made by inserting the hook into the work in unusual locations. More advanced stitches include the Shell Stitch, V Stitch, Spike Stitch, Afghan Stitch, Butterfly Stitch, Popcorn Stitch, Cluster stitch, and Crocodile Stitch. Check out the rest of the Wikipedia site on Crochet. The site covers the history and various types of crochet, hooks, and knitting as compared to crochet. Crochet has seen a resurgence in popularity. Crochet is very popular for charitable organizations. The original group of students in my basic crochet class ended up taking other classes together. We then moved onto charitable crocheting and were able to crochet hats, mittens and blankets for our local homeless Veterans Home. Nothing makes a project more worthwhile than it does making it for someone who really needs to stay warm. I really like crocheting for home projects, such as for an afghan or a basket, but this is by far one of the best crochet pieces to reawaken my crocheting skills. I think the combination of the rustic yarn and large hook using the single crochet stitch make this project attractive and useful. The pattern offers variations in size, which opens up many possibilities. But, first things first, I had to dig out my crochet tools and books. My go-to book when I was learning crochet is the now updated "Teach Yourself VISUALLY Crochet (second edition) by by Cecily Keim and Kim P. Werker (I have the 2006 first edition). As with other Teach Yourself VISUALLY books, the pictures and descriptions are very helpful and offer excellent reference material. In reviewing my hooks, I could see the evolution of my interest in crochet, from the metal hooks everyone starts off with to the smooth bamboo hooks. In my crochet hook stash, I found the perfect N-15 hook in bamboo by ChiaoGoo. It's the right length and feels great in my hand.  I chose the largest size basket so you know I would be crocheting for some time. I found that preparing and positioning my yarn to accommodate the four strands was key to avoiding tangling. I made two "cakes" and used a center pull and well as an outside pull. After the yarn was all set up, I did have a few starts and stops as I was trying to remember how to crochet. But once I "got it back", the flow of stitches grew with each round. When I arrived at the "crochet through the back loop" to create the bottom of the basket, I was excited that I would now be working on the body of the basket. The pattern says to use a stitch marker and I highly suggest it as well. Stitch markers for crochet are different because you attached the marker to the stitch and not have it on the hook as you would on knitting needles. I recommend markers that can be attached to the crochet stitch using either an open circular marker (Clover) or one with a lobster hook. As my basket "grew", I could see all types of possibilities for when I was finished. Once I got my crocheting rhythm down, I could watch television at the same time, or at least until I came to the end of the row to move the marker up one row. I attached my marker to the Chain 1. When it came time to change yarn colors (I have gray and cream colors), I used two strands from each color so the changed color blended rather than going to an abrupt change to a new color. In a sense, I eased into the new color. I can't wait to use my basket once it's done, that is once I choose how I will use the basket. I think this pattern makes a great, relatively quick gift. And that's another thing I like about crochet. If you want to make a baby blanket or an afghan, you can do so more quickly. Ravelry has some great patterns. Check out the Chevron patterns. They look more difficult that they actually are. Also, if you want to explore crochet using finer weight yarn with a large hook, beautiful, "bohemian" type shawls or cover-ups can be created.  One of my favorites is Amigurumi, the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small, stuffed yarn creatures. There are some very adorable patterns. I like The Friendly Red Fox Crochet at http://www.thefriendlyredfox.com. Explore the possibilities that crochet offers. Crochet is versatile and most of all, it's fun!

Knit and Crochet On! Lisa

Look for my upcoming blogs in the next few days on our knitted projects.