Learning to crochet

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  • kiraroo
    kiraroo Posts: 144 Forumite
    I taught myself to crochet last year. I used the online tutorials from LazyDaisy, and the Happy Hooker book

    18 months on I'm doing this :D

    thanks for the link to your blog Penelope! I've been doing just granny squares for years, always 26 rows, making them as blankets for my local cat charity. But I've just managed to make a hexagon off your website and when I've bought some nicer wool (all of mine is scraps and half balls) I'm going to try to make the blanket. When I finish my next bog standard blanket I think i'm going to have a go at the granny blanket edging to make it look nicer. thanks!
  • Crochet can be used to make many things, from delicate and lacy table runners, net curtains, etc., to chunky heavyweight clothes, and all stages in between.

    Crochet uses more yarn than knitting in the main, so clothes crocheted are bulkier, and not usually as stretchy as knits.

    Many folk use DK wool and a mid-range hook, and concentrate on Granny squares, etc., but many lighterweight things can be achieved with a finer wool or crochet cotton thread, and a smaller hook. Tension is a problem, some folk, like me, crochet tightly and some loosely, and it just needs a change of hook size to compensate.

    It is even possible to crochet with sewing cotton and a 0.6 mm hook, to make curtains and bedspreads for dolls houses.

    Using American patterns can be strange at first, as they use a different numbering system for hooks, and different names for stitches. (A treble in US is Not the same as in the UK!). However, it's not difficult to make the jump between them.

    Hope this helps,

    Cheers, HG
  • hob
    hob Posts: 244 Forumite
    ooooh i seen the tv ad and want that mag! i can knit and sew time to take on the crochet. only promlem is my town centers quite far away and i dont fancy the walk in the snow! lol
  • mirry
    mirry Posts: 1,570 Forumite
    I have been learning off youtube , but its in american terms :o.

    I just found this uk version of instructions ....

    http://www.learn2knit.co.uk/crochet/basic-stitches.php
    Kindness costs nothing :)
  • louisaL
    louisaL Posts: 290 Forumite
    i'm just about to get a crochet hook from ebay but not sure what size to get to get me started?:confused:
  • greenpixey
    greenpixey Posts: 2,806 Forumite
    louisaL wrote: »
    i'm just about to get a crochet hook from ebay but not sure what size to get to get me started?:confused:

    It depends what yarn/wool you got. Is there still a label on it that recommend what size you should use. What are you planing to make something small and fine or big and chunky?
    If you buy something like this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SET-14-Graduating-Aluminium-Crochet-Hooks-UK-SELLER_W0QQitemZ400094716793QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Crafts_Knitting_Crochet_EH?hash=item5d2780e379
    you get a set and be sure to have the size you need.
  • louisaL
    louisaL Posts: 290 Forumite
    thanks greenpixey i'm just starting off so really need a project for a complete beginner so need to know what size hook and what would be ideal to make for a beginner
  • greenpixey
    greenpixey Posts: 2,806 Forumite
    louisaL wrote: »
    thanks greenpixey i'm just starting off so really need a project for a complete beginner so need to know what size hook and what would be ideal to make for a beginner

    Cant really suggest any patterns for beginners and what hooks to go with it.
    I only crochet amigurumis which is slightly different and with most of those patterns I use 2.5 or 3.0 for the toys
  • Dumyat
    Dumyat Posts: 2,143
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    edited 1 January 2010 at 10:17PM
    I went in to my local wool shop and she suggesed a 4mm hook with a ball of double knitting wool to start with. I've started with some granny squares.
    using this web page. http://crochet.about.com/od/learntocrochet/ss/Crochet_Granny_Square.htm

    has good photos and links to videos to demonstrate.
    x x x
  • I've just had a lightbulb moment, I think.... This is what I've just produced its took me a couple of nights and lots of watching and re-winding you tube vids!! I tried today to buy the crochet magazine in Sainsurys and they said they do not stock it (couldn't find it in Tesco either)
    Off to practice a bit more single crochet (usa) or double crochet (uk)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/13447738@N03/4234472971/
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