I think I have at last got the hang of crochet. I have been doing some sample squares, which I might make into a little dolls blanket for our little grandaughter. I would really love to make an afghan.
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Crocheters? (2)
- Thread starter leytonstones
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Celticflower
charity crocheter
I've been on an odd kick lately - crocheting doggie bandanas! My Cavalier now has a green one for St. Pat's, an orange one with a jack o'lantern face for Halloween, a brown one with fall leaves, a red and green one with a star for Christmas and a blue one with a snowflake for general winter wear. My daughter says he "needs" a white one with a red heart for Valentine's, a yellow one with multi-colored egg for Easter, and a red white and blue one for the Fourth of July. I found the pattern here>>> http://www.crochetnmore.com/dogbandana.htm <<<<
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latebloomer
An Autumn Lutheran Rose
It took me a long time to get my crochet stitches to come out even. Either too tight or too loose. I like things like afghans because gauge isn't as important with a blanket as it is with a sweater. My first project was a granny square that just kept getting bigger and bigger. When I was a teenager, we had a local crocheting fad go through my high school, and I kept up with it. My friend made a lovely one. She started making a granny square with one skein of yarn. When she ran out, she added another color, and kept going until the last skein made just one round.
Ripple afghans are good ways to use up lots of leftovers too. It's a simple but pretty pattern. I like afghans made all in one piece because I usually don't like sewing all the little motifs together. But I like that afghan that was on the back of the sofa on the TV show "Roseanne" and I might make one sometime. Any of these patterns would be a good first project for a beginner. Especially if that beginner is blessed with an eye for color.
Ripple afghans are good ways to use up lots of leftovers too. It's a simple but pretty pattern. I like afghans made all in one piece because I usually don't like sewing all the little motifs together. But I like that afghan that was on the back of the sofa on the TV show "Roseanne" and I might make one sometime. Any of these patterns would be a good first project for a beginner. Especially if that beginner is blessed with an eye for color.
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Celticflower
charity crocheter
I just got a new crochet book - it has been on pre-order from Amazon since Feb. and had the released date moved at least twice (first to Dec. then to last week).
Anyway, it is called "Contemplative Crochet - a hands-on guide for interlocking faith & craft" by Cindy Crandall-Frazier. I haven't had time to do more than skim thru it, but it is more a read book than a pattern book (only 10 projects scattered thru the 182 pages, each tied to the preceeding chapter). But it looks very interesting.
Anyway, it is called "Contemplative Crochet - a hands-on guide for interlocking faith & craft" by Cindy Crandall-Frazier. I haven't had time to do more than skim thru it, but it is more a read book than a pattern book (only 10 projects scattered thru the 182 pages, each tied to the preceeding chapter). But it looks very interesting.
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Alizera
Just trying to figure everything out.
I enjoy crocheting, but I've found that I'm only really good at making blankets...I've tried making clothing but it never turns out right. I can't get the gauge correctly done.
Oh well. It is relaxing for me. Glad to see there's others out there like me.
Has anyone here crocheted for charity before?
Oh well. It is relaxing for me. Glad to see there's others out there like me.
Has anyone here crocheted for charity before?
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Celticflower
charity crocheter
I am a blanketeer for Project Linus in Knoxville TN, making blankets, hats and toys for kids.
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Celticflower
charity crocheter
I actually read about Project Linus in Parade magazine about 10 years ago. It included the contact info and at the time the closest chapter was in Knoxville. You can go to>>> www.projectlinus.org<<<, and click on the chapter listings tab. From there click on your state. You will then get a list of the chapters in that state with contact information for the local coordinator. Contact that person and they will give you information on where to drop off or send your blankets as well as basic guidelines for the items. (sizes, materials, restrictions like no fringe etc.) Then just grab your hook and yarn and have fun!
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Celticflower
charity crocheter
Well. my Christmas list grew again. (Didn't I say somewhere along the line that I wasn't making stuff for Christmas this year?) I have finished a shawl for our pastor's wife and a scarf for our pastor. I am now working on an afghan for the youth pastor's wife and have yarn for an afghan for the youth pastor. So I am up to 10 gifts I wasn't planning to make.
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Celticflower
charity crocheter
Oh dang...I hope you get all those done.
Only the last two afghans need to be done. The other stuff is ready (or almost ready) to be wrapped
The afghan I am working on now won't take long - double strands of Homespun in singles on a Q hook. I'm thinking of a chevron pattern for the last one - something that isn't holey since it is for a guy.
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Alizera
Just trying to figure everything out.
I'm thinking about making another blanket. Thing is...I have all this scrap yarn in a huge storage tote. I really don't want to buy anymore yarn if I have tons of it already. Does anybody have any good patterns that make use of this?
Also, what do you do if your project starts unraveling? I made a cover for my coffee table and the start of the project is unraveling!
Also, what do you do if your project starts unraveling? I made a cover for my coffee table and the start of the project is unraveling!
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Celticflower
charity crocheter
I'm thinking about making another blanket. Thing is...I have all this scrap yarn in a huge storage tote. I really don't want to buy anymore yarn if I have tons of it already. Does anybody have any good patterns that make use of this?
Also, what do you do if your project starts unraveling? I made a cover for my coffee table and the start of the project is unraveling!
Here is a scrapghan that my sister introduced me to >>>http://www.knitting-crochet.com/crochet/scrofbea.html<<<
It is pretty easy to make and looks good in any number of colors, just make sure each color coordinates with the color directly before it.
As for unraveling - if you do a really good job of weaving in ends (my dreaded task for today) you shouldn't have a problem. When you weave in the ends make sure you split the yarn on some of the stitches when you go back over them. I usually weave left - right- left, going about 6-8 stitches in each direction and working into 2-3 stitches as I go back over the row. Many crocheters will tell you to never tie a knot, but some people do, making sure to tuck the knot under a stitch so it doesn't show or catch, but will still weave the ends to make it look neat. Also, before you cut the yarn, pull it tight and cut. Then stretch the gathered bit and the end will disappear into the work.
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Celticflower
charity crocheter
I'm gonna be honest - I don't really know. I've never had to deal with this problem. You could try to re-crochet it back, using the tail that has unraveled, but I'm not sure how it would look. Did you start with a slip knot? How did the beginning begin to unravel? Usually it comes undone where you add a new skein/color. The only other thing I can think to do is unravel the whole row and crochet it back - like you would an edging.
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Alizera
Just trying to figure everything out.
Yah, I started with a slip knot. I guess I got into the bad habit of not weaving in the initial thread. I made a large granny square cover for my coffee table and have washed it a couple of times. Recently the center of it has started to unravel.
I'll try and fix it...if all else fails I'll just recover the yarn.
I'll try and fix it...if all else fails I'll just recover the yarn.
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latebloomer
An Autumn Lutheran Rose
I'm thinking about making another blanket. Thing is...I have all this scrap yarn in a huge storage tote. I really don't want to buy anymore yarn if I have tons of it already. Does anybody have any good patterns that make use of this?
Also, what do you do if your project starts unraveling? I made a cover for my coffee table and the start of the project is unraveling!
As for unravelling at the beginning, the only time I've had problems with that is if the yarn gets damaged or broken somehow.
As for scrap yarn, there are lots of patterns for afghans. You could try making granny squares in various colors and sew them together. I don't like sewing motifs together, so I like patterns that you just keep going until it looks long enough. Here are a couple of suggestions.
Make a chain as long as you want the afghan to be wide. Alternate one single crochet and one double crochet. On the next row, make sure the sc's on the second row are in dc's from the first row and the dc's are in the sc's of the first row. Change color as you please. This one works easiest if you start with a chain that is an odd number of stitches. Then you have an even number of stitches plus one turning chain. Each row starts with sc and ends on dc.
Zigzag or ripple afghan. This one requires a bit of math. The hard part is getting the chain the right length. You can use any stitch, but I like single crochet. The math: decide how long you want each zig or point to be. For example, 10 stitches each side. Decide how many points you want. For example, 15. Add 3 to each point. 10 + 10 + 3 = 23. 23 X 15 = 345. Subtract 2. 345-2=343. Add however many chains you need for turning your stitch. For sc, add 1. 343+1=344 (this would make a huge afghan-queen or king size depending on the yarn and hook size). Chain 344. Sc in the 2nd chain from the hook. Sc 10, 3 in one stitch, sc 10, skip 2 chains, work to the end. Chain one and turn. Work in both loops, or if you want more texture, work in just the back loops. Keep going until the afghan is as long as you want it. If you want, you can work a single crochet border around the entire thing when you are done. Pattern note, skip the first stitch of each row when you turn. At the end of the row, skip the next to last stitch and work the last stitch. Otherwise, you will get a stairstep effect on the edges or you will find the edge points getting off course or getting wider.
To avoid the math when working out a chain, you can use another method. Count as you go--1,2,3,4,5 etc, POINT, 1,2,3,4,5 VALLEY until the chain is about as long as you want your afghan wide. Make one chain at POINT and 2 at VALLEY. Add one for sc turning and away you go. Use stitch markers as you make the chain to keep your place. It saves counting. Make the beginning chain when you will not be interrupted. It takes a bit of concentration. But as I said before, getting the begging chain right is the hard part.
I hope this helps. You could change color every row or every 10 rows or change color whenever the yarn from the last color runs out. You can use leftover yarn from other projects or plan a color scheme. That's where your own personal creativity comes in. If you use a smaller hook like a size G or H, it will be a bit stiffer and if you use a bigger hook, like I, J or K, it will have a softer drape. Simple patterns, easy for beginners, and they're classics, been around forever.
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