20 May 2015

Beginners Guide To Crochet - A Blog Hop

I've been asked by my lovely bloggy friend, Sarah of Annaboo's House, to share my crochet story, to celebrate the launch of her fabulous new book, Beginner's Guide To Crochet ...

Crochet wasn't even on my radar before I started blogging.  If asked, I'd probably have said it was something only very old ladies or drippy girls did.  What can I say other than apologise for my extremely ignorant pre-2010 self?

April 2010

I cite two blogs as being responsible for inspiring me to learn to crochet - Do You Mind If I Knit and Attic 24.

Those colours!  It had never crossed my mind that crochet could be used to create something quite so glorious.  Not drippy or old ladyish in the slightest! ;-)

It was Vanessa's Little Squares Scarf that tipped me over the edge and sent me running off to the library for any crochet book I could lay my hands on.

I invested in a ball of raspberry pink Paton's Smoothie and a 4mm aluminium hook and my crochet journey began.  That was at the beginning of 2010.

April 2010

I must admit, it took me a while to get the hang of it.  In fact, I very nearly gave up at one point, deciding that there must be sorcery involved.  I'm a reasonably intelligent girl for goodness sake, why else could I not do it?

I decided to tackle it logically and set about learning one stitch at a time.  I needed to really understand what I was doing rather than just copying the how-to diagrams or other people parrot fashion.  I'd crochet row after row of the same stitch until I was happy.  Comfortable with the hook and happy that I knew what I was doing.  Ish.

It's true what they say, something really does 'click'.  Like an epiphany!

Suddenly I just 'got it' and was completely and utterly hooked.  I thought about crochet and yarn all day (still do) and even used to visualise the stitches in my sleep.  On more than one occasion, I elbowed D in the face whilst performing a particularly tricky crochet manoeuvre!

With hindsight, the first couple of projects I tackled were perhaps a little ambitious.  See that heart at the top of my post?  That was my very first official 'make'.  Followed closely by the above rose.  Gosh, I was so proud of that.

There have been lots of crochet 'fails' ...

Playing 'yarn chicken' and losing!  Crochet 'fail'.

Mixing yarn weights?  Really?  Crochet 'fail'.

In fact, there still are.  That's part of the fun.

I've been looking back at my blog and had a bit of a chuckle over my first account of visiting a yarn shop in 2011 …

To date, I have ordered the majority of my yarn from the internet where I can commit my crochet crimes in safe anonymity.  So, yesterday, it was with a teeny bit of trepidation that I went to buy some yarn in person.  Would there be crochet police around the perimeter, ready to pounce?  Worse, would there be three middle aged women who had 127 years' knitting and crochet experience between them, grilling the shoppers on how they sew in their ends?  Would I be timed on how long it took me to complete a 6" square of treble stitch before being allowed to cross the boundary?

I gradually tackled more complicated projects …




My first ever crocheted 'clothing' - February 2011.  Adored these.  Crochet 'win'.

Ripples 2011!  Crochet 'win'

… and took my hook everywhere!


My biggest crochet fail is probably not finishing things …

Don't mind him, he's 'armless! ;-)

and then the yarn I'm using gets discontinued …

RIP Sublime Striped Blanket :-(

That said, finding my own style and being able to turn the designs in my head into crocheted reality is my hugest 'win'.  Crochet has brought me nothing but joy and I would recommend it to anyone.



I've been lucky enough to receive a copy of Sarah's new book and can honestly say that it's super.  It guides you through everything you need to know when starting out on your crochet adventure.  Beginner's Guide To Crochet is available as both a printed book and an eBook.  Sarah's curated crochet page at Stitch Craft Create is also worth mentioning for all those yarny essentials!


I should like to nominate another lovely and talented bloggy friend of mine, Marianne of Ladybird Diaries, to share her beginner's crochet story ...

xxx

27 comments:

  1. Loved hearing your story about Crochet. I have been Crocheting for a couple of years and It brings me so much joy to. Thanks for Sharing.
    cindys-greencricut.blogspot.com

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  2. Wonderful post! I can relate to so much of it...cx

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  3. What a great crochet story. I can relate to almost everything. I wish crochet were as cool as it seems to be over there...maybe it will catch on more here someday too.

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  4. As a person new to crochet myself I understood your post very well. I love your blog & the colours you use. What yarn did you use in this post? It looks so soft!!

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    1. Thank you. I'm pretty sure it's mostly Sublime yarn. I think the scarf and mitts were made using Sublime's Bamboo and Pearls (sadly discontinued now) which was a real favourite of mine at the time. x

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  5. It's lovely to hear how you started crocheting, and really encouraging that it wasn't that long ago. It's a really inspiring story, thanks for sharing it. CJ xx

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  6. So lovely to hear about how you started to crochet! I love the things that you make and assumed that it was something that you had always done and were always instantly good at because the things you make are so pretty and lovely!!! I love the colours of the yarn in the scarf with the fringe!! xx

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  7. Hello dear. What a great story. And just like Chrissie, I can relate to so much of it. Still learning every day and all those half done WiP's... Will they ever be finished? Thanks for sharing.
    Xxx

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  8. Brilliant post, loved hearing your crochet story. You're so right, it is like sorcery at the beginning isn't it?

    S x

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  9. Lovely post. Such beautiful crochet fails though... Your story of wanting to learn to crochet was much more inspirational than mine - erm, my Mum made do it as she was opening a wool shop haha!! Glad she made me though
    xx

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  10. I was taught to crochet as a child by my Great Aunt, but returned to it about three years ago, via Attic 24. I was the other way round to you. I wanted to get back into crochet and that brought me to the world of blogging. In fact your was one of the first blogs I religiously read, so it was interesting to hear your story. I'm knitting at the moment, actually I'm mainly pulling out as I can't get the cast-on right, but once that's cracked I'll be knitting, wish me luck.....

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  11. Fabulous post! I loved reading about your crochet journey, and your blog remains one of my absolute favourites. Thank you so much for nominating me...I am so pleased and touched.
    Marianne x

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  12. I made a new year resolution in 2014 to learn to crochet,and after much exasperation! I can do it! I'm still not very good as I forget easily and don't crochet often enough to get really good! Your heart is lovely,I do mainly squares! But my bestest thing was a flower wreath,lovely to look at from a distance! On the subject of knitting,again a rubbish knitter, but my proudest moment was when I knitted little leaves to go on my wreath,I could not believe I had knitted a leaf!! Best regards Pam

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  13. I have been crocheting for 50 years or more,but still learn new things.I love your blog and your style and your use of colour.Im a very colourful girl too.Ive even purchaced one of you lovely wrist warmer patterns.Keep up the good work lovely girl.x

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    1. Well you've completely made my day - thank you so much! x

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  14. It's lovely hearing your crochet story with these adorable pictures! Thanks for sharing!

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  15. Hello is very nice read about your first steps with crochet,so good I m at first and I hope to learn and to thing good like you!!Your crochet is perfect!!It s very interesting book!!Love and have happy week end!!

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  16. Those two blogs were also the first ones I discovered when I started crocheting. I bought my first wool balls on eBay from a lovely lady who recommended them to me. she also included a brilliant Patons vintage magazine for beginners crochet, which I love and treasure and I never looked back. I used crochet as a distressing antidote to my uni work and my first ever make was a granny square. I made an African flower handbag, a baby pastel coloured blankie and Vanessa's Sisterhood crochet blanket for my son and it's been a love affair with crochet ever since. I've really enjoyed reading your journey as it was a bit similar to mine. I later discovered many more wonderful blogs like yours (ie. Gillian's, Sandra's, Marianne's, Vanessa's, Sucrette's, Alice's, Annette's, Alicia's, Haafner's...among many) that have been greatly influential in my journey ....and that I love or loved as some do no longer exist... It is a wonderful community, isn't it? I wish you a lovely half term, Pati xx

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  17. Thanks for joining in you lovely gal!
    What a great story. I'm always so secretly pleased to read about other people's crochet fails- it happens to us all, doesn't it? (And I still have plenty of them now!)
    Have a great week,
    Sarah xx

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  18. I enjoyed this so much Heather! I love to hear about how others have started crocheting and why they like it. You have a lovely style. Xx

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  19. Weseem to have been on a very similar journey, especially the bit about the yarn shop visit! I don't have the knack of blogging but I do love reading them. Here's to many more happy hooky hours.

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  20. What a lovely crochet story and I'm feeling a slight sense of relief that I'm not the only one who's fallen foul of discontinued yarn and lost the yarn chicken row challenge! I love your crochet style Heather, your makes always look so neat, so well made and so well thought out. Have a great week. Jane x

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Anyone ever told you that you're a peach? xx

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