the blue blog archives: crochet crash course

With the knitting done on the back of the buttercup baby jacket, it's time to start crocheting!

The pattern is, after all, from the Interweave CROCHET magazine and not Interweave Knits so you know there's going to be a good deal of crochet to come and since it's rated for "experienced" crocheters, I'm pretty sure I'm way out of my league here. I've never seen the stitch patterns called for in the pattern before and I can't really read a crochet diagram (without the grid structure of a knitting chart I feel a bit lost!), therefore it seemed like a good idea to try out the crochet section in some scrap yarn before mucking up the lovely orange piece I've knit so far.

I think these V-shells are nearly right. (I must admit that find this crochet terminology so unfamiliar that my first thought when I read the term v-shell was of some sort of pasta.) There's one little bit of the instructions I read incorrectly until the last two v-shells, but it was a minor thing and now I feel like I've got it. I'm at least pleased that it seems to have the sort of shape that the name would imply. I really don't have any general crochet knowledge (like how to do increases or decreases or what happens at the beginning/ends of rows, or how to measure gauge) so all I can do is blindly follow the pattern, make the stitches as instructed and hope for the best. It's a little terrifying but at the same time It's kind of exciting feeling like a beginner again, watching a lovely pattern emerge without your really understanding how or what you're doing to create it.

When wee one noticed me working on my crochet swatch (since I was only trying stuff out with a little scrap yarn, I thought I could risk working on it while she was still awake), she immediately came up to me, looked at what I was making and said "hat!" I guess I HAVE knit her a lot of hats! But this one will be something else entirely.

posted by alison at 1:21 pm | in buttercup baby

Comments

Hi there! What's you've crocheted looks great, and makes sense to me, although I've no idea what the pattern says. I think you've got it! :)

Posted by: Samm at February 23, 2009 2:29 PM

I find crochet harder to read than knitting, so while I can follow a pattern I have a pretty hard time figuring out where I've made a mistake and what to do to fix it (other than rip out).

Posted by: Seanna Lea at February 23, 2009 2:41 PM

Crochet is a bit difficult if you're not use to reading it. That was cute that Wee One thought it would be a hat. :D

Posted by: Amy at February 23, 2009 5:22 PM

Crocheting isn't really as hard as it seems I have been doing it for able twenty five years now and I can make almost anything so if you need help feel free to ask. there is also a web site where they give you step by step instructions on how to make things and all the different stitches. right now my mind is blank but I will post it later.

Lori

Posted by: lori at February 23, 2009 6:20 PM

Alison a web site that may help you out is Lionbrand.com go to the learning center and it really explains a lot about crochet stitches

Posted by: lori at February 23, 2009 9:51 PM

I'm with you, Seanna Lea! I know all the stitches and can follow a pattern; it's those subtle things that you only learn from experience that I don't know. Like in knitting when you suddenly discover things like selvedge stitches and left-leaning decreases and special cast-ons and such - you know, the stuff that isn't ever literally in the pattern but your knitting will be much improved if you know to do it without them saying to. What I really need is to immediately acquire several years of crochet experience!

Thanks for the offer of help, Lori. It's great to know that if I find something where it seems like the pattern is assuming some expert knowledge on my part, I can ask you folks for a little clarification! :)

Posted by: ALISON at February 23, 2009 11:35 PM

Nice thing about crochet is ripping it out is a whole lot easier than with knitting. That looks lovely though.

Posted by: Sarah at February 24, 2009 7:56 AM

Looks like it will be lovely. I am useless at crochet. Now, about that Twitter post on sewing up things. Quote of the day: Asking a quilter to mend is like asking Monet to paint your house! ;^)

Posted by: Robby at February 24, 2009 8:38 AM