6 MORE Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Crocheting
10:42:00 AM
You may have seen an article I wrote a while back here on the blog called 6 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I started Crocheting (view that HERE) - it's been my most popular post and I've had requests for a follow up!
So here are 6 MORE things I wish someone told me when I started crocheting!
I hope that these tips from a self-taught crocheter (along with suggestions from my lovely Facebook fans!) help those out there still navigating the new, sometimes overwhelming waters of crochetland.
Or this article may offer some comfort and camaraderie to those of us who have been at this a while and wondering about how the community feels on certain topics.
Either way, I hope there's something here for ya!
1. It's OK if your friends don't crochet
So here are the ladies who I am closest with - the women I see all the time who constantly inspire and support me. And none of them know a ding dang thing about crochet, bless their hearts.
My sisters, on the left, didn't really get the crafty gene from my mother and her mother - though vastly talented in other areas, they don't light up at the yarn aisle like I do. And my best friend, on the right, is a die hard sewist. She's the bomb, and has taught me a lot about sewing but more importantly, she understands the crafty thing. She too spends more at the craft store than on her car payment. And for that I'm grateful.
The point here, folks, is that you don't have to belong to a crochet club, you don't have to have dozens of friends to discuss row 32 of this super intricate pattern with in order to be successful and passionate about the craft. YOU have to love it and beyond that, there aren't any other requirements. So be sure your life is full of people who love you and love that you have a hobby that you're passionate about - you can find a group online to ask about those pattern questions.
2. Learning to read charts really helps
Crochet charts are beautiful works of art, in my opinion. They look like deco art from the 20s. Or a Rorschach test. Either way in addition to being beautiful, they are so so so handy! Not only do you get to whip out this uber confusing looking thing in front of company and wow them with how you speak a whole other crochet language, but you can now understand a crochet pattern in any language.
The great thing about charts is, like numbers, they are universal. In other words if you come across a picture of the most darling little thing on Pinterest, it leads you to a Swedish or Russian blog and google translate is leaving a whole lot to be desired, the chart will be your saving grace! Now you can skip the written pattern all together and just follow the image.
On another note, I know that many can read patterns that haven't a clue at following charts - is this something you guys are interested in? Would you like to see a crochet chart following tutorial? Leave me a comment!
3. Frogging does not = failure
Ripping out your stitches or "frogging" (rip it, rip it sounds like ribbet!) happens to the best of us. Mistakes happen. Pattern inconsistencies and typos in the pattern happen. Complete and utter craziness happens and the finished product looks nothing like the picture. None of these instances, however mean failure.
Let me repeat. Mistakes do not mean failure. Being that we are all creative, accomplishment driven people (if we weren't we would probably spend all of our free time drinking wine and watching the Bachelor, not crocheting) this makes for a bad combination - an art that thrives on detail and specificity coupled with people who are probably always a tad too hard on themselves and strive for perfection.
I'm here to tell you that you are good enough and your work is beautiful. Even if you set out to make a monkey and in the end you've made a moose.
4. You've made a big mistake, now how do you fix it?
I spent my entire first year crocheting like this - "Oh no, I've made a mistake! I skipped a stitch or stitched too many! I'll tear the whole thing out and start over because now I'm so backwards I don't know what is right."
Hold it.
Reread the pattern. Then look at your work. Rinse and repeat. See if you can sort out what you've done and where the mistake lies before frogging hours of work.
You then have a few options:
- You've found the mistake, you undo your work back to that point and try again. Huzzah!
- You have no idea what happened and you're overwhelmed. Walk away and look at it with fresh eyes later! Have a glass of pinot and remember that it's just yarn.
- Continue the mistake! You don't know how you got to where you are but dangit that won't stop you - keep going in the manner you have been and guess what? Now you're a pattern designer with a one of a kind item! (this is my favorite option)
5. It feels like you have a small mortgage taken out in yarn
We all know that look we get from our husbands when we come in the door with an extra huge jumbo bag of yarn from Joann's or Michael's, right? They look at us with a mixture of "how much did this trip set me back?" and "how could she possibly need MORE yarn??"
Then we look at them like this.
But you know what I've learned? Yarn is inexpensive. In the grand scheme of things and in moderation, (not even talking about sales here) yarn is affordable and crochet is a relatively cheap hobby.
Let's think about some other popular hobbies that are widely acceptable in mainstream society:
- Golfing/sports - belonging to a country club or specialty gym can cost hundreds per month
- Automobiles - have you seen what car parts cost lately? Lordy. (this one is my fiance's kryptonite)
- Collecting - no matter how much I love it, I have to admit it's basically a fancy term for shopping for old expensive things
- Photography - the equipment alone to get you going with this hobby costs thousands. Never mind classes to learn about the craft
- Traveling - perhaps more a dream than a hobby (for most) but you can't deny it will eat a whole in your pocketbook
My point here, folks, is to spend the $3.50 on that skein of yarn with beautiful color and sparkle. It will entertain you for hours and you'll make something that is worth so much more than the few dollars you spent.
Treat yo self.
6. Watch your work closely
What I mean by this is: As you become more familiar with crochet and get the hang of things, begin watching what it is that transforms your rows of stitches into the shape of a hat or scarf. When it comes time in a pattern to make things tighter, larger, or curve around, what does the pattern do? What kinds of stitches achieve different shapes? What consistencies do you find in different patterns that achieve a similar result?
Don't just blindly follow a pattern and wind up with Tada! A finished project! (Although that is perfectly respectable and a worthy effort) If you want to take your work and skills to the next level, watch your work closely. Before you know it you'll understand how to construct a pattern yourself and mimic something you see in a picture or just in your head! The mark of a true craftsman, methinks.
I hope you all found something new here that will help you in future crocheting!
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