Crochet-To-Go Kits?!

Every crocheter (hopefully this is a word!), no matter the level, should at some point have a basic “kit” to work with. Everyone has a different idea about what they would like in theirs, but overall, I would say we all have a basic idea of what we want in it.

So, what exactly is a kit? Personally, I define it as a bag/box/storage item with the basics needed to work on a project, where “must-haves” are located.

If I owned a store and I could create my “Crochet-For-Beginners” Kit or my “Let’s Crochet!” Kit, I would have the following items included:

• Bag for storage
• Assorted sizes of hooks
• Scissors
• One or two skeins of yarn.
• Small Notepad
• Stitch markers
•  A Pattern

If you could create a kit, would it be similar to mine? If not, what would you have included?

Decoding Crochet Patterns: US/UK Conversions

Hello again everyone! I realized that on my Reading Crochet Patterns post, I touched on US patterns vs UK patterns. Every country has its own dialect, and patterns are no different! The terms the US uses are certainly a bit different than the UK. But! I don’t think that should stop anyone from creating a fantastic pattern if it’s written using another country’s terms.

In the spirit of “sharing,” below is my conversion chart on simple terms between the US and UK. Hopefully this helps you hook your way through a pattern you just HAVE to create, even if its written in different terms than you are accustomed to!

US → UK

Chain (ch)→Chain (ch)

Single crochet (sc) → double crochet (dc)

double crochet (dc) → treble crochet (tr)

half-double crochet (hdc) → half treble crochet (htr)

Treble crochet (tr) → double treble crochet (dtr)

Slip stitch (sl st) → slip stich (sl st)

As you can see, the terms and abbreviations are quite different, so it is important to understand what kind of pattern you are reading! Very few are similar, and this can avoid quite a lot of frustration if you know what exactly you are reading! Luckily, most patterns will state if they are written in US or UK terms!

Chunky Circle Scarf

Hi Everyone!

I have been dying to make a crochet infinity scarf for ages now! Well, I found this handy-dandy pattern for the Chucky Circle Scarf by People’s Web blog. The pattern is really easy to work up and I was able to get this made in 2 days. I have so much Caron Simply Soft yarn at home, so this was super convenient to make (no runs to the store in this crazy cold… BRRRR!).

And yes, I am RAVING about this pattern. I love how quickly it worked up, and I also love how simple it was to create! If you know how to single crochet and double crochet, you pretty much have this pattern down! Also, when complete, it is very warm! I sit in front of the front door of my job and I always catch that nasty cold breeze. I wore the scarf today and it kept me nice and toasty! LOVE!

The texture this creates is absolutely beautiful! When complete, it makes these nifty little starbursts, and the scarf ends up with a nice little ripple.

**However, the only word of caution for this pattern is to watch the gauge. The pattern does warn you that she crochets loosely. I didn’t realize how loosely until I began working on mine. I’m not sure if the problem was that I crochet too tightly! Anyways, when I realized the length was too short, I had to frog it halfway through. Whoops! I ended up using a hook that was a size bigger than recommended in the pattern, 10.5 mm hook. Even then, I had to extend the amount of ch st required for the foundation to make mine long enough.

Regardless of having to start over, I am happy that I worked on this and got it finished so quickly! Try it out!

Decoding Crochet Patterns: Let’s Read A Pattern!

At some point or another, we’ve all come across a pattern for the first time and been like…. “What in the world am I supposed to do with that?!” Well, don’t get discouraged. Though a pattern may look intimidating for the first time, they are not all that difficult to decode.

Patterns are written in a form of shorthand, using abbreviations for various stitches. It would be a good idea to become familiar with abbreviations used for crocheting. Click the link to view my list of abbreviations! Please keep in mind that US patterns and UK patterns have different forms of shorthand. I will be using the US version. What “language” the pattern is written in is important to pay attention to! A double crochet in the US is called a treble crochet in the UK – so this may cause some confusion if you’re familiar with US terms and follow a UK pattern.

Personally, I believe that understanding the abbreviations is the key to reading a pattern. Once you know what they mean, reading a pattern will be a breeze!

So, let’s pick up those lovely hooks, get your yarn ready, and I’ll “translate” a pattern for you!

** Please be aware, I’ve translated the pattern how I read it to myself while crocheting. We will be making a pretty simple square — It’s the first thing I was taught to crochet, so I figure it would be a great way to get beginners started on their pattern reading!

Decoding Crochet Patterns: Understanding Stitch Gauges

Welcome to my “Decoding Crochet Patterns” series! I’ve been thinking a lot about how overwhelmed I felt when I first tried to read patterns and wanted to take the frustration out of crochet patterns for beginners. So, tag along with me on this wonderful little journey on how to read (or as I call it, Decode) crochet patterns. 

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The easiest part of crochet patterns is the supply or material list (at least in my opinion). You will almost always see a line indicating the gauge for your project. When you do, you might lean back, squint, then scratch your head and think, “What the $&@! is a stitch gauge?!”

Well, have no fear!

A stitch gauge is a square which will help you achieve the correct amount of tension to ensure that your project is the correct size when completed. Below is an example of what you may see in a pattern:

“Gauge: 13 dc and 7 rows = 4 in“

Basically, what this means is that there should be 13 double stitches per row and 7 rows in your swatch. Both of which should measure 4 inches to create your 4″ x 4″ square. It is important to not only pay attention to the gauge but the hook size as well. Let’s say our hypothetical pattern called for a 5mm hook, then we would attempt to create our square with that recommended hook size. If you notice that you have too few stitches, then you would go up a hook size (and continue going up) until you reach the correct amount of stitches per inch and vice versa, if you notice that you have too many stitches per inch, you would go down a hook size (or two or three).  **Please keep in mind that not all stitch gauges for patterns will be for a 4″ square. I have seen some that are different sized squares.**

13 double stitches per row = 4 inches.

So, at this point, it looks like we have the correct amount of stitches per inch, but not the correct height. What do we do then? My suggestion is to make your loops a tad bit looser so that they are taller. What I really like about creating the square for gauges is that you can see how to work the tension for your project. Consider it “practice!”

7 rows = 4 inches

Now… For the big question: “Do I really have to do this?” No, of course not. But you should! Why? Everyone crochets differently. Some of us crochet tightly, some more loosely than others. Because we all crochet differently, simply following the instructions, unfortunately, is not enough to make your finished project the right size. Although patterns give you a hook size to use, consider it simply a recommendation. You adjust hook size as necessary to achieve the correct gauge and therefore the correct size for your project. (I find I have to go up a size because I crochet very tightly). In the end, it is up to you to make sure you do everything that you can to ensure your patterns ends up the right size. If you choose to ignore the gauge on a pattern, then it is your fault that your project is too small or short and perhaps not the designer’s.

Hopefully this helps clear up the mystery of stitch gauges in crochet!

Graphghans?!

While there are a lot of resources online and “How-To” sites dedicated to crochet, I find that finding information on graphing is relatively light. If it is, available, I feel like there is always a huge chunk missing to really explain how to do it… Especially for newbies like me. I feel like I can crochet just about anything, but have never tried a graphghan as it’s always seemed beyond me.

So… I bucked up… Took a deep breath… And got to researching and figuring it out!

Sites I found most helpful with information on this technique were [I will be linking you directly to the page with their info on graphing for convenience]:

• The Crochet Crowd – They have an excellent post on how to create graphs for crocheting.
• Yarn Hookers – This site has an entire series on creating graphghans, color transitions, and reading graphs. I highly recommend reviewing their website if you want to learn this technique.
• My Photo Stitch – Free website to create graphs out of photos.

Overall, I absolutely loved all the information provided by The Crochet Crowd and Yarn Hookers. I also got on youtube and just did a search for how to create graphghans, and spent several hours watching.

Of course, I decided to go with something a little more difficult, instead of a simple shape. Go big or go home, right?! My boyfriend is a HUGE gamer and thus spent hours fussing over logos and images from various games and he finally settled on Final Fantasy VII — making a special request for something made with that on it.

Original Image:

 

FVII Logo

Image Rendered by My Photo Stitches

FVII Pixelated Image

When I get a little further, I will update on my progress with the afghan!

I hope this information is a little more helpful and can provide a little more direction on how to tackle a project like this.

 

Baby Bear Hat and Cocoon [WIP]

With news of expecting a new baby (Yay!), I have been way too exciting to start working on apparel, blankies, shoes, and well, anything you can imagine for my little one. We still haven’t found out what gender, so I have been carefully selecting patterns that are gender-neutral and pairing them with neutral colored yarns.

My mom bought me Annie’s Cuddle Cocoons which has beautiful caps and cocoons for newborns. She chose the little bear pattern and bought a bunch of yarn to go with it. I finished the little cap, and am still working on the cocoon.

Here is a look at the finished cap:

 

When I finish the cocoon, I will post both together! Enjoy! I used Caron Simply Soft yarn in grey heather and off white. The pattern is available for purchase at craft stores like Michael’s, and Joann’s. I believe you can also purchase the book from Amazon. If anyone is interested in making baby hats and cocoons, I would highly recommend purchasing this product. The patterns are all relatively easy to read and create!

Holidays and New Projects

I’m sure quite a few of us have taken a little “break” with the holidays — I sure did! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years!!! I took some time to relax and spend a little more time with my family.

I also began two more projects:

1. Baby Bear Hat + Cocoon
2. Final Fantasy VII Tapestry/Afghan

I will make a separate post and eventually link them with more details. I have found that I want to start a million projects all at once and am having trouble finishing one before I start another. I really want to make myself a few cowls for work, so I may end up setting my sights on completing that since it’s getting colder out!

Have any of you started any new projects or do you have projects you want to start soon?? Please share, I love to see what others are working on!