I just found this tribe, and *had* to join! I'm teaching myself to crochet, having tried and given up when I was younger and not touching a hook at all between then and the Christmas just gone. But I am already very much a devotee of the craft: I commute to work, so crochet is a beautifully creative, meditative way to pass the hour-and-a-half-each-way train trip. :)
So far I have successfully created a fairly freeform belt (I made it up as I went along), and a beanie made entirely of slip-stitches because I wan't thinking when I started and was convinced I was single-crocheting. I'm currently fighting my way through a pair of socks and getting stuck at the heels. :\ (What's this beginner/internediate/advanced levels stuff? I just want to make stuff!)
So far I have successfully created a fairly freeform belt (I made it up as I went along), and a beanie made entirely of slip-stitches because I wan't thinking when I started and was convinced I was single-crocheting. I'm currently fighting my way through a pair of socks and getting stuck at the heels. :\ (What's this beginner/internediate/advanced levels stuff? I just want to make stuff!)
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Re: Hi, I'm new!
Thu, June 28, 2007 - 3:22 PMWelcome, Gwynity! I hope you're not *driving* while you're crocheting during your commute!? :-)
The thing I love about crochet is there's pretty much no wrong way to do it (unless of course you really want your project to look like something quite particular). You can pretty much take any mistake and turn it into art!
So, jump in and play! -
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Re: Hi, I'm new!
Thu, June 28, 2007 - 4:48 PMHi Gwynity! I travel often to Australia and have been so tempted to buy yarns there, but don't know just yet the quality and when to spot a deal compared to local prices here in California. Funny thing is that the crochet lingo is different between here and there-- like by a half crochet or something... like our treble is your double (probably not true, but it goes something like that...). If I weren't such a beginner, I would have taken a class or two in Sydney, but I'd only get confused right now.
So yeah-- horray for beginners! -
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Re: Hi, I'm new!
Thu, June 28, 2007 - 5:20 PMThank you for the warm welcomes! :-)
Fortunately (I think?) I take the train to work, AND manage to get a seat, so I can crochet away to my heart's content. I'm still not at the "art" stage, but as long as it doesn't end up looking like a demented jellyfish (my very first project *ever*), I'm satisfied!
JZ, I don't know about the yarns over here - at the moment I'm mainly working with cheapie acrylic stuff because it's cheap. I have bought some really spiffy yarns from the US, though, which I used as fringing on my belt, but I'm not game enough to actually do stuff with it in case I botch it! You are at an advantage when you buy stuff from here though - your dollar is worth more so it's all relatively cheaper!
Most of my instructions have come from the Internet (I *love* Lion Brand's how-to-crochet tutorial!), so I'm on the same page as you when it comes to lingo. I don't think I'd be game enough to try a class with real people teaching me!!!
*lol*
(forgive the exclamation marks - the first coffee for the day has just hit my bloodstream)
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Re: Hi, I'm new!
Thu, June 28, 2007 - 7:13 PMHello and so glad you joined the tribe here. I crocheted some socks and struggle through them and may be they'll fit someone...
My main love is recycled crafts. Check out my site at www.myrecycledbags.com if you are interested .
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Re: Hi, I'm new!
Thu, June 28, 2007 - 8:15 PMHi Gwynity,
I love your post, you remind me of myself when I first started crocheting again. What happy times!
Here is some help for the heal of your sock.
Heel flap
Divide your stitches in thirds, and only crochet one third of the stitches back and forth.
continue for about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches, depending on how big your feet are. You can try the sock on at this point and the heel flap should cover your heel. If it does not, make it longer. Otherwise start turning your heel
Turning your heel.
Decrease the first two sts, and the last two sts, and 2 sets of sts in the middle. If you have an odd number of stitches the middle decreases will go: dec, sc, dec. If not it will be: dec, dec.
Depending on which direction you are crocheting, you may need to then turn and sc one more row, if not, pick up stitches along the heel flap, across the instep, and along the other side of the heel flap. Continue around, decreasing on either side each round until you have the same number of stitches you started with. If you need more help, I have a pattern for sale.
Good Luck!
Sabrina -
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Re: Hi, I'm new!
Fri, June 29, 2007 - 10:10 AMJZ and all - in fact the "English" (and by extension Australian) crochet patterns ARE very different. All of the Rowan [www.knitrowan.com/html/home.asp] patterns (which are absolutely fantastic, by the way) do need to be read with those in mind. I found this out the hard way!
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Re: Hi, I'm new!
Sun, July 1, 2007 - 6:23 PMThanks again for the warm welcomes, and Sabrina, thank you SO much for the sock-heel help!
I've tried and I've tried (and unravelled and tried again), but am willing to concede that at *this* point in time turning the heel is beyond my capabilities... and have decided to make the socks totally tubular. I've *bought* socks like that, so home-made ones shouldn't be too different, right?
Cindy, what a nifty idea with the recycled bags! That's definitely something to try! :-D -
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Re: Hi, I'm new!
Sun, July 1, 2007 - 9:34 PMGwynity, I hope you can figure out the heel with my help. Not to rain on your parade, but a crocheted tube sock is not going to work the same as a store bought tube sock. The crocheted sock will not have as much stretch and won't fit as comfortably if you don't add in the heel. Good luck! -
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Re: Hi, I'm new!
Sat, July 7, 2007 - 8:11 PMLOL You know I really didn't want to believe you, but you are absolutely right regarding the heel! Thanks again. :-)
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Re: Hi, I'm new!
Wed, July 11, 2007 - 7:48 PMWELCOME!!! Hope you enjoy the tribe and so glad to see you jumping right in to crochet! No room for being shy, just get creative! : )
