Crochet, crocheting

[amber_m]

hi
i am a big fan of crocheting but find it very hard not to get carried away im currently working on 3 different projects as i find that keeping to the same stitch makes my wrists worse.I love making blankets but have found that the last few of my projects have been smaller things like gloves and scarfs. I also found the "art of crochet" which i get weekly is amazing as at the end of the series ill have a amazing blanket.Its easier for me as you only do a small square a week so its not too much for my wrists to put up with.
Does anyone want to share patterns or projects that they have found easy? Ill link to some when i manage to upload them.

[Finarda]

I crochet too although I've been mainly knitting recently. I have a crocheted blanket in progress but it requires 80 big octagons and 100 small octagons and I have a grand total of 9 large ones done and I started it months ago so it's definitely slow progress!

I also occasionally make arigurami animals (Japanese name for small crocheted animals). They're fast to do and I can use leftover yarn. I've also made a few hats during the winter but my kids prefer the look of knitted hats to crocheted ones so probably won't be making any more of them!

I only re-taught myself to crochet last year once I started getting totally bored after having to stop working. Before that it had been probably 30 years since I last crocheted as a kid!

Fiona

[Finarda]

I forgot to say that I love the blog http://whatnottocrochet.wordpress.com/. I subscribe to their RSS feed and check it daily - its really funny (also try http://kraftomatic.blogspot.com/ although it's not just crochet - there are some priceless bad taste items there!)

Fiona

[amber_m]

my nana tought me to crochet when i was quite young. i found it really hard to begin with as shes left handed and im right handed so everytime she would show me something i had to watch her do it in a mirror lol
i like simple patterns that dont require me to think too much about what im doing i tryed knitting once and didnt enjoy it much the scarf i was doing ended up all holely the whatnottocrochet blog is now safely bookmarked and ill be checking it everynight
i dont think i could take on a project as big as yours your alot more braver then me

[dragondee]

I'm having trouble gripping the hook for crochet so mainly do knitting now.
I usually knit blankets for charity whilst watching TV, gives me something to keep the hands working.

Anyone like liquorice allsorts?
I have a pattern for knitted ones.

Dragondee

[amber_m]

@Finarda i spent most of today reading back through that blog found it hilarouis
@dragondee wouldnt a bigger handle help? ive seen hooks with bamboo handels that are chunkier then normal metal or plastic ones ? just a thouhgt. can i be nosey and ask is there any charity in particular you knit for?

[Jess]

Since the Crochet magazine came out, I've started to learn how to crochet. But have started to do lovely large rug/ camping mat using material from the scrap store that I go to for guides.

[amber_m]

i fell in love with the crochet mag as all i had ever seen before was old patterns of my nanas which was quite frankly too "grannish" for me to enjoy
i went to get my mag today to be told that my local shop have stopped doing it trying to find another shop that is or ill have to suscribe over the net which i really dont want to do

[Finarda]

Dragondee, I have an ergonomic set of crochet hooks and they are quite helpful - you can hold them in multiple ways and the handles much bigger and easier to grip.

Fiona

[anna]

Hi guys, this is no doubt in the wrong place but as you are crochet experts I thought you might also know.... is there any way to make basic clothes mending easier? I have cervical spondylosis and severe pain down arms if I carry any weight which of course would include material if I need to mend something. Also have severe probs threading needles due to tremor but can't use a normal needle threader. Also I'm left handed (and it's my worst arm). Please don't say give up - I can't afford to be constantly buying new clothes!!!

[Finarda]

Can I ask why you can't use a needle threader - I can't do without one. My solution to threading needles is to get my 9 year old daughter to do them For mending clothes there doesn't seem much need to carry anything heavy in your arms. Always bring the work to where they are comfortable for you. If I'm sewing something I often stuff a blanket beneath it or in it to bring it up to a comfortable level (in my case for eyesight and neck problems). That's all I can think of for the moment.

Fiona

[wobblywoo]

I wanted to get the new crochet mag when it came out so i could learn the craft but I couldn't find it anywhere so i have just started trying to teach myself to knit, not an easy task

I make miniature bears and like to make clothes for them but trying to work out how is proving difficult and finding 2ply yarn is even harder, if anyone has any tips i would love to hear them

woo
x

[Finarda]

Just wanted to say that I taught myself knitting (beyond the basics that I'd learnt and then forgotten 30 years ago!) mainly from library books and YouTube videos. I also booked some private lessons from a local yarn store (LYS) - if it was just some simple stuff they'd only charge me $5 for say 15mins worth of help, although many of them would help for free. I also started attending Stitch and b***h sessions and there was a lot of knowledge about knitting there and they were often keen to help me. Some of the LYS's often knitting courses too for beginners or recent learners.

Try Ravelry.com if you want to find other people or LYS in your area.

Fiona

[paw]

Anna, when my shoulder was at it's worst (actually when I came home from my shoulder surgery) I hand sewed a couple of kitchen towels into pockets to hold ice packs. All I could do with that hand is use the fingers to keep the cloth in place. Sewing machine was much too difficult for me to use with one hand. To thread the needle easier, can you stab it into the soft arm of a couch and use your good arm to either use the needle threader or thread it as normally. The thread is stiffer and easier to work with if you draw it against the side of a candle, then snip the end of the thread off with sharp scissors. I keep a little white votive candle in my sewing box. I think soap is supposed to work too.

It is also good to keep needles threaded in the most popular colours in a pin cushion in your sewing box. Then you just need to grab one when you have a small repair or a button to replace. Have a friend with good eyesight thread the needles for you and wind the thread around your finger so it stays together before you stick the needle in the pin cushion.

Pins -- it is worth taking the time to pin the fabric together before you get started so things end up even and you don't have to redo them.

Sewing box -- it can be any box. Mine is a plastic box that once held baby wipes. It holds different colours of thread, small sharp scissors, needles, pin cushion and needle threader, the wax candle, and some assorted buttons. The important thing is to have what you need all in one place so you can actually finish your task without looking all over for the tools you need.

I don't sew much. I only repair things but over the years there have been plenty of repairs.

[paw]

I crochet just a little. I have made a few blankets and I don't read patterns well. My daughter asked me to make her something though, she wanted a tote bag crocheted from plastic carrier bags cut into strips and tied to make string. A friend made one and she liked it. It is done except for attaching the handle to the other side, so ignore those loose plastic strips (the yarn). I want her to check the strap length before I finish it. Here is a picture of the bag. DD is at Uni and she carries her groceries and she needs a strong bag.

The bags I used were recycled and this keeps them out of the landfill and keeps DD from using more each time she shops. I enjoyed making the bag and I might try something else, but crocheting does aggravate my shoulder and my hands. It might not be the smartest activity for me.