Hello crocheter, Im a girl who is addicted to crochet hook and yarn. I just learnt how to crochet few months ago, Im not an expert but I would love to share what I made. I wish to meet crafter and crocheter around the world, so we can share information and knowledge about craft and crochet. I do not speak English very well but I do hope people still able to understand what Im writing.

My story with crochet world:
It started few months ago, I went to mall to buy a new dress and suddenly I saw a very nice crocheted dress. The dress is beautiful, a mix of crochet and batik garment (traditional garment of my country) but the price is really expensive and I cannot afford to buy the dress. Actually I can save some money to buy the dress but then my mind gave me an idea to learn how to crochet. I asked everyone if they knew how to crochet but none know. So I searched on youtube and found so many crochet tutorial. There are so many tutorials on youtube but I followed these two great ladies whom I think their tutorials are easy to understand since Im not an English native speaker and I think their tutorial are great. http://www.youtube.com/user/tjw1963 and http://www.youtube.com/bobwilson123 are my crochet gurus. It is nice to follow their youtube and dont forget they also made the writen pattern that they posted on their blogs.

I owe so much from Teresa and Claire (Teresa is the great lady behind http://www.youtube.com/user/tjw1963, and Claire is the great lady behind http://www.youtube.com/user/bobwilson123). Im not only learning how to crochet but their video tutorials also help me to improve my listening skill. I will post more images later. I think enough for the introduction, Hope to see you again later. ciao

So my instant coffee and I hit the road…and enjoyed the big city life mixed with the scenic wonders of the wilderness.  Then I saw it….it was a Second Cup!!!!!  WOO HOO!!!!  I usually order a large skinny vanilla bean latté….mmm….and that’s ezxactly what I did!  I ordered it up and then added my “secret weapon“… I wasn’t tired from travelling after that!

Ok…having said all that, I wanted a coffee cozy that was thick enough that I didn’t get burnt, and not too girly…and that’s when the Chocolate Tuxedo Pie Coffee Cozy was created!

The texture really gives a good grip, the thickness keeps your coffee warm and your hand cool…and because I LOVE making cozies out of cotton, this cozy will absorb drips and doubles nicely as wash cloth in a pinch!  It fits a Venti Starbucks cup or a large Second Cup cup.

So for all those who may be interested in something a little different, then this may be for you

Here’s the pattern….ENJOY!

 

You Will Need:

Melissa and her man Al

So my instant coffee and I hit the road…and enjoyed the big city life mixed with the scenic wonders of the wilderness.  Then I saw it….it was a Second Cup!!!!!  WOO HOO!!!!  I usually order a large skinny vanilla bean latté….mmm….and that’s ezxactly what I did!  I ordered it up and then added my “secret weapon“… I wasn’t tired from travelling after that!

Ok…having said all that, I wanted a coffee cozy that was thick enough that I didn’t get burnt, and not too girly…and that’s when the Chocolate Tuxedo Pie Coffee Cozy was created!

The texture really gives a good grip, the thickness keeps your coffee warm and your hand cool…and because I LOVE making cozies out of cotton, this cozy will absorb drips and doubles nicely as wash cloth in a pinch!  It fits a Venti Starbucks cup or a large Second Cup cup.

So for all those who may be interested in something a little different, then this may be for you

Here’s the pattern….ENJOY!

 

You Will Need:

Melissa and her man Al

My stash is quite small (in my opinion) and has mostly cheap yarn as I have used all my “good” stuff.  I placed everything as neatly as I could in the closet in the sunroom.  I do alot of crochet there – it’s nice and breeze and sunny most of the time!

My sun room!  We are BILLS fans! GO BILLS!

It’s actually a little bigger than that, but I couldn’t fit it all in

Anyways…Al decides that he needs something out of the closet (we have skates, golf clubs etc. in there), I have no idea what and he never goes in there….but low and behold….STASH ATTACK!!!!

This is my small stash

I was in the office doing some of my business stuff when I heard a GIANT gufah followed by a series of strange laughs…

Al came into the office with the most astonished look on his face!  He said, “I had no idea you had so much yarn!”. LOL  I almost fell off of my chair laughing!  When I told him that I usually have a much larger stash, he nearly fell over.  This made my day!  I couldn’t stop laughing – I am still laughing just thinking about it!

Then I found this at CrochetConcupiscence.com.  Today’s crochet quote made me laugh:

“Give a ‘hooker’ money, she’ll buy more yarn for her stash.”

It was posted by SaxDragon on a Crochetville forum.  Not that I condone hookers (other than crochet), but I can relate as every little extra penny I have I spend on my stash LOL.

If you are into Plarn, then your stash would look like this:

Plarn Stash LOL

How to Organize Your Stash

Saw some of these ideas – you may like to keep in mind:

One last thought, if you have a large amount of yarn to organize, keep an inventory (on paper).  This will tell you which bins or boxes you put the different yarns.  This may keep things a little easier to find when the time comes…and we all know it does!

So dig and don’t get eaten by your stash!

Her stash was very hungry LOL

Hooks ready and mugs up!
Melissa

Melissa and her man Al

My stash is quite small (in my opinion) and has mostly cheap yarn as I have used all my “good” stuff.  I placed everything as neatly as I could in the closet in the sunroom.  I do alot of crochet there – it’s nice and breeze and sunny most of the time!

My sun room!  We are BILLS fans! GO BILLS!

It’s actually a little bigger than that, but I couldn’t fit it all in

Anyways…Al decides that he needs something out of the closet (we have skates, golf clubs etc. in there), I have no idea what and he never goes in there….but low and behold….STASH ATTACK!!!!

This is my small stash

I was in the office doing some of my business stuff when I heard a GIANT gufah followed by a series of strange laughs…

Al came into the office with the most astonished look on his face!  He said, “I had no idea you had so much yarn!”. LOL  I almost fell off of my chair laughing!  When I told him that I usually have a much larger stash, he nearly fell over.  This made my day!  I couldn’t stop laughing – I am still laughing just thinking about it!

Then I found this at CrochetConcupiscence.com.  Today’s crochet quote made me laugh:

“Give a ‘hooker’ money, she’ll buy more yarn for her stash.”

It was posted by SaxDragon on a Crochetville forum.  Not that I condone hookers (other than crochet), but I can relate as every little extra penny I have I spend on my stash LOL.

If you are into Plarn, then your stash would look like this:

Plarn Stash LOL

How to Organize Your Stash

Saw some of these ideas – you may like to keep in mind:

One last thought, if you have a large amount of yarn to organize, keep an inventory (on paper).  This will tell you which bins or boxes you put the different yarns.  This may keep things a little easier to find when the time comes…and we all know it does!

So dig and don’t get eaten by your stash!

Her stash was very hungry LOL

Hooks ready and mugs up!
Melissa

Melissa and her man Al

Not only do you have more room to create, but it takes less time to create masterpieces.  But for those who LOVE knitting, it just isn’t the same – the stitches look SO much different.  That is…until now…

What many crocheters and knitters may not know is that the Tunisian Knit Stitch looks just like knitting, but it’s crocheting…WOO HOO!  Now you can have your cake and eat it too!

The Tunisian Knit Stitch is a dense form of crochet, and you knit, and purl as with knitting.  The biggest difference between regular sc or dc etc., is that you need a circular or afghan hook.  This accomodates the many stitches you need on your hook.  Here’s a tutorial on the Tunisian Knit Stitch brought to you by TheCrochetSide.com:

So pick up your “long” hooks and, in the words of Anna, lets “crochetcoffeeknitty”!

Hooks ready and mugs up!
Melissa

Melissa and her man Al

Not only do you have more room to create, but it takes less time to create masterpieces.  But for those who LOVE knitting, it just isn’t the same – the stitches look SO much different.  That is…until now…

What many crocheters and knitters may not know is that the Tunisian Knit Stitch looks just like knitting, but it’s crocheting…WOO HOO!  Now you can have your cake and eat it too!

The Tunisian Knit Stitch is a dense form of crochet, and you knit, and purl as with knitting.  The biggest difference between regular sc or dc etc., is that you need a circular or afghan hook.  This accomodates the many stitches you need on your hook.  Here’s a tutorial on the Tunisian Knit Stitch brought to you by TheCrochetSide.com:

So pick up your “long” hooks and, in the words of Anna, lets “crochetcoffeeknitty”!

Hooks ready and mugs up!
Melissa

Melissa and her man Al

Pattern available as a free pdf download on Ravelry

I was pleasantly surprised when I made some up – since I chose cotton, they absorb drips, don’t stick to mugs, they are portable and if you have a huge spill, they double as a dish cloth.

I made them with a simple sc st and sc edging which lends to the simplicity of the look and it lays flat so your cup doesn’t tip.  Personally, I wouldn’t use any other kind of coasters. They make up very quickly, and don’t use a lot of yarn.  The dark brown is so luxurious looking and goes great with my laminate flooring and wooden furniture.

Ok, enough of that, here is the pattern which is also available on Ravelry as a pdf download:

What You Will Need:
H hook (5mm)

1 ball (50g) 4 ply cotton yarn, worsted weight (any color you like)

Yarn needle

Abbreviations:
ch = chain

sc = single crochet

st = stitch

Note from Melissa: The reason I chose cotton for the coasters is to absorb any spills, protect wooden coffee tables (cotton is soft) and they are washable. They’re work up very quickly and make great gifts! I used chocolate brown cotton yarn as my laminate flooring is walnut and I was surprised how good they looked on my coffee table! I made 4 and had half a ball of yarn left.

Instructions:ch12

Row 1: sc in each ch across the row, ch1, turn

Row 2: Repeat Row 1 until you have a square or to desired shape

Row 3: (Edging) sc in each sc around the entire piece, ch1, turn

Row 4: (Edging Con’t) sc in each sc around the entire piece, join

Finish off, weave in ends and block your work.

**NOTE**: Blocking your work will allow the coaster to lay flat instead of curling as it would if you hadn’t blocked it. Blocking: moisten your work slightly with water, pin it on a flat surface (adjust the shape is necessary), air dry. Take care not to add too much water as cotton is very absorbent. Also note that as you use the coasters they will lay flatter. They don’t stick to your cup either J

I LOVE the way these turned out! I would never use anything else! Hope you enjoy them as much as I do

Hooks ready and mugs up!

Melissa

Melissa and her man Al

Pattern available as a free pdf download on Ravelry

I was pleasantly surprised when I made some up – since I chose cotton, they absorb drips, don’t stick to mugs, they are portable and if you have a huge spill, they double as a dish cloth.

I made them with a simple sc st and sc edging which lends to the simplicity of the look and it lays flat so your cup doesn’t tip.  Personally, I wouldn’t use any other kind of coasters. They make up very quickly, and don’t use a lot of yarn.  The dark brown is so luxurious looking and goes great with my laminate flooring and wooden furniture.

Ok, enough of that, here is the pattern which is also available on Ravelry as a pdf download:

What You Will Need:
H hook (5mm)

1 ball (50g) 4 ply cotton yarn, worsted weight (any color you like)

Yarn needle

Abbreviations:
ch = chain

sc = single crochet

st = stitch

Note from Melissa: The reason I chose cotton for the coasters is to absorb any spills, protect wooden coffee tables (cotton is soft) and they are washable. They’re work up very quickly and make great gifts! I used chocolate brown cotton yarn as my laminate flooring is walnut and I was surprised how good they looked on my coffee table! I made 4 and had half a ball of yarn left.

Instructions:ch12

Row 1: sc in each ch across the row, ch1, turn

Row 2: Repeat Row 1 until you have a square or to desired shape

Row 3: (Edging) sc in each sc around the entire piece, ch1, turn

Row 4: (Edging Con’t) sc in each sc around the entire piece, join

Finish off, weave in ends and block your work.

**NOTE**: Blocking your work will allow the coaster to lay flat instead of curling as it would if you hadn’t blocked it. Blocking: moisten your work slightly with water, pin it on a flat surface (adjust the shape is necessary), air dry. Take care not to add too much water as cotton is very absorbent. Also note that as you use the coasters they will lay flatter. They don’t stick to your cup either J

I LOVE the way these turned out! I would never use anything else! Hope you enjoy them as much as I do

Hooks ready and mugs up!

Melissa

Melissa and her man Al



My football slippers

Some of you experienced crocheters may laugh at this primitive pattern, but I am quite proud of it and wear my slippers to this day!  Too bad there’s an NFL lockout or I could be wearing them when I watch the game (GO BILLS!)

The laces on the outter sides of the slipper are crocheted on top of your work so they are raised.  I thought it was cool

You can adjust the size of the laces – I just liked it this way

Here’s what they look like on:

Free pattern pdf download on Ravelry

This is an incredibly simple pattern that any beginner can create.  It’s especially great if you’re a football fan!  WOO HOO!

So I would like to share this pattern with all those who are looking for simplicity, functionality and fun!

After much adeau….here’s the pattern:

Melissa and her man Al



My football slippers

Some of you experienced crocheters may laugh at this primitive pattern, but I am quite proud of it and wear my slippers to this day!  Too bad there’s an NFL lockout or I could be wearing them when I watch the game (GO BILLS!)

The laces on the outter sides of the slipper are crocheted on top of your work so they are raised.  I thought it was cool

You can adjust the size of the laces – I just liked it this way

Here’s what they look like on:

Free pattern pdf download on Ravelry

This is an incredibly simple pattern that any beginner can create.  It’s especially great if you’re a football fan!  WOO HOO!

So I would like to share this pattern with all those who are looking for simplicity, functionality and fun!

After much adeau….here’s the pattern:

Melissa and her man Al

I was making slippers and was tired of knitting the same old thing, so I started to look for a crochet pattern that was easy enough for a newbie and looked nice.

That’s when I discovered SarahSweehearts Sweet Slippers, I just had to try it!  The pattern looked simple enough so I gave it a go…



Sarah’s Sweet Slippers



Sarah’s Sweet Slippers



Sarah’s Sweet Slippers



Same pattern, same hook, same yarn, and WAY WRONG slippers LOL





This one turned out HUGE



I did way too many increases here…poor deforned thing





Then I put a severely deformed edging on it (my first time trying that)



 

Melissa and her man Al

I was already making some wash cloths, so I thought I would try something different. I used a sc and dc alternating. It really made for a nice texture and it’s the same on both sides. Most of the textured wash cloths I have seen are textured on one side only…that’s why I like this one!

Then I made a slight picot edging, if you can call it that. I’m very happy with it and I think I will probably make more

Here’s how it turned out:

It’s kind of hard to see the details, but I really like it. For those who are interested, this is how I did it (this pattern is also available as a pdf download on Ravelry):

Materials:

US Size 7 Hook/4.5 mm
1 ball (1.5 oz) Handicrafter Cotton in Pale Yellow (#00030)
Yarn Needle

Pattern:

Ch 30

Row 1: sc in the 3rd ch from hook, *dc in the next ch, sc in the next ch* Repeat *-* across

Row 2: ch 1, *sc in the first stitch, dc in the next stitch* Repeat *-* across

Continue to alternate from sc to dc until the desired size or square.

*Note* as you work across the row, make sure that you are sc the dc’s and dc the sc’s. This is what produces the texture on both sides of the wash cloth.

Edging:

Work 1 sc in the first stitch, then 2 dc in the next stitch, 1 sc in the next stitch.

Continue around your wash cloth in this fashion, making sure to put 3 sc in each corner of the cloth to round out the edges nicely.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

*Note* I didn’t use a base edging of sc as some might do. This would make the alternating edging a little easier to do, but I really like the way this turned out so I don’t think I would do that – and hey, let’s face it, one round of edging is faster than two LOL!

I really hope you enjoy this wash cloth…it was so much fun to make!

Hooks ready and mugs up!
Melissa

Melissa and her man Al

So off I go to investigate…

Well, I found out that Etsy is a site where people can purchase handmade items/supplies or sell their hand made items in three categories:

1.  Handmade by you

2.  Vintage (20 yrs or older)

3.  Commercial and hand made supplies

The following are things that are NOT allowed:

This was GREAT news for me!  As a “domestic engineer” I do a lot of crocheting for just about everyone, including myself….so I thought this would be a FANTASTIC way to make some cash on the side.

I’m gonna have a HUGE money sack!

Ok, here’s the deal…registration is free (WOO HOO!) but if you want to sell, first, you need a credit card (for validation), then if you want to purchase something, then the charges would be applied to the card you used.  If you sell, then every item you list cost 20 cents, and when someone purchases something from you, they get 3.5%  sales fee and they convert currency to USD.  There are a lot of international sellers.

I didn’t think that was bad – sounded pretty fair…so I registered.  I have nothing listed yet, but you can check out my shop on etsy.com – it’s called CrochetingOverCoffee.

 I called myself “The Crazy Crocheter“… I thought it was fitting LOL.

This is my shop banner.  I used BannerSketch.com – it’s free

So I’m having a lot of fun with this and I hope you do too!  Who says crocheting doesn’t pay off?!?!?!?

Until next time….

Hooks ready and mugs up!
Melissa

Melissa and her man Al


Materials:  J & P Coats “Knit-Cro-Sheen, 1 ball white (or color of choice); Steel crochet hook No. 7; 2 yds of satin ribbon, 1/4″ wide.

Pattern:  Center; Starting at top, ch 42.

1st row: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next 19 ch, 3 sc in next ch, sc in each remaining chain. Ch 1, turn. Hereafter pick up back loop only.

2nd row: Sc in each sc across, making 3 sc in center sc of 3-sc group. Ch 1, turn. Repeat 2nd row until piece measures 2 3/4 inches at increase point. Break off. Now work around neck and outer edges as follows:

1st row: With right side of last row facing, ch 25, sc in each ch across opposite side of starting chain on center, ch 26.

2nd row: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, sc closely across side of center, 3 sc in next sc, sc in each sc across bottom, making 3 sc in center of 3-sc group and 3 sc in last sc; work across other side and chain to correspond. Ch 1, turn.

3rd row: Sc in each sc across. Ch 1, turn.

4th row: Sc in each sc, making 3 sc in center sc at each point. Ch 1, turn. Repeat last 2 rows alternately until neck piece measures 1″ wide. Ch 5, turn.

Beading: Dc in first sc, * ch 2, skip 2 sc, dc in next sc. Repeat from * all around, making dc, ch 2, and dc in each corner and in center point of bottom. Join and break off.

Edging: Attach thread to first sp at narrow edge of neck band, in each sp around outer edge make sc, ch 3 and sc; then, working around neck edge, make 2 sc in each sp along side, sc in each sp across front and 2 sc in each remaining sp. Join and break off.

Finishing: Cut a piece of ribbon about 24 inches long. Lace through beading around outer edge and sew ends securely. Cut another piece 34 inches long. Lace through beading at neck, leaving 12 inches free on each side for ties. Tie remaining ribbon into a small bow and sew to center bottom.


Melissa and her man Al

I know from experience that having rough hands or even hang nails can not only snag your yarn – especially delicate (often expensive) yarn – but it can also agrivate hang nails too.  That doesn’t feel good

So as a person who has worked with various types of yarn I have created a regime for myself that keeps my hands nice and soft…and they look nice too! 

Dry, cracked fingers…

9. The final coat is the top coat.  This will protect your nail polish from chipping and will help it last longer.  A top coat also makes your nails look shiny   Use a top coat even if you have used clear polish.  It will last longer.

10.  Let your nails dry for an hour or so – I do mine before bed so that they have all night to dry.  Just make sure you don’t accidentally let them rest on a sheet…you will have a sheet design on your nails if you do, and a nail polish spot on your sheets

OPI Nail Polish

Sparitual Nail Polish



Smooth, soft hands



Melissa and her man Al

Free pattern from Garn Studio

So I went on a quest for a trick that would make my life easier…and WOO HOO!!!!  I found one!!!!

Garn Studio has a simple trick that does just that – you work the first round of stitches required arount the tail and circle that you create.  This allows you to pull the tail at the end, tightening the circle, and bringing all the stitches tightly together.  All you have to do then is join with a sl st.  Just see what I mean:

Hold on to tail and wrap the yarn around your left finger. Work sc or dc around the yarn loop and the tail,  and when you have your desired number of sts, pull the tail to snug up the middle. Continue crochet around in the sts.

This video has two parts. The first part shows you how to do this with a sc st and the second half will demonstrate this technique with a dc st.

This tip saved my butt and my project…I hope this helps you too

Hooks ready and mugs up!
Melissa

Melissa and her man Al

My poor pattern…sniff…sniff…

I found this really neat bag that is divided in the middle, one side for your work and the other for your yarn.  There’s a flap that comes over your yarn and you feed the end of your yarn through a hope in the flap.  This protects your yarn.  It also has a ton of elastic straps (sewn with enough space for knitting needels, but I use it for my crochet hooks and small scissors..etc).  I bought it at Zellers for $10.00, but I can’t find a picture of it anywhere…and my cell phone wont give up my pics

Do Not step on phone, it’s not the same as stop, drop and roll

From YourKnittingPlace.com



From YourKnittingPlace.com



From YourKnittingPlace.com





From YourKnittingPlace.com



From YourKnittingPlace.com



 

That brings us to carring cases, organizers and binders:

From YourKnittingPlace.com

From Halcyon Yarn



From Yarn-Store.com



From Halcyon Yarn





From Yazzii.com (This is the open version)



From Yazzii.com (This is how it looks closed)

 

From Yazzii.com



If you love crochet as much as I do and would love to save a buck or two, here are some projects that will keep your instruments organized and protected:

Free Pattern from AlliCrafts (this is how it looks rolled)

Free pattern from AlliCrafts (this is how it looks open)

Free pattern from AlliCrafts (closer look)

Free pattern from I’m Hooked On Yarn (this is how it looks closed)

Free pattern from I’m Hooked On Yarn (this is how it looks open)




Free pattern from Crochet Spot (this is how it looks open)

 


Free pattern from Crochet Spot (rolled)



Then all you need is a cute tote to pack everything you need to crochet in style.  Here are a few patterns I really like:



Free pattern from Better Homes and Gardens



Free pattern from Simplicity Creative Group



 

Free pattern from Coats & Clark

 

Free pattern from My Recycled Bags



I LOVE these totes, but I was working on a HUGE project with a Bernat Bonanza Ball (28 oz) and my usual tote wouldn’t work.  So I bought a big, canvas shopping bag, but still…..too small.  Then I saw this:

Bag from Berry Red (I bought mine at a local variety store chain)

Melissa and her man Al

“Bizarre and unusual and extreme knitted and crocheted things – take this crochetdermy by shauna richardson and the crochet smart car photographed in Rome.”

I wonder if they have a delicate cycle at the car wash???  LOL!!!!

Hope this brings some sunshine to your day and some inspiration for your projects

Hooks ready and mugs up!
Melissa

Melissa and her man Al

Click here for the pattern.

Anyways…I was sipping on my coffee and thinking of how hot I was…we don’t have air conditioning and live in an upper apartment….eewww HOT! 

I’m not sweating, I’m glistening!

Ok, I am NOT a man LOL

Then I started to dream of the iced coffee I had made last year…mmm…it’s perfect for hot days or if you just want a perfectly cool and wonderously delicious drink.  I know there are a hundred different ways to make it, but this is how I made mine (This is so simple you’ll laugh):

Stuff You Will Need:

Your favorite coffee
A percolator or French Press
A glass pitcher
Cream (I use 5% but you can use 10% or 18% – whatever you prefer)
French Vanilla Flavored cream (real cream, NOT a creamer…makes a HUGE difference)
Spoon (for stirring)
Ice cubes
Your favorite glass (I use wine glasses…it’s so luxurious…mmm)

This is kinda hard to see, but this is the cream I use…it’s YUMMY!





Instructions:

1.  Brew your favorite coffee they way that you like it (I always make mine bold as I enjoy a good, strong and full bodied coffee) and as much as you want (I brew until my pitcher is full)

2. Pour the brewed coffee into a glass pitcher (Hint: tempered glass won’t crack but if you’re worried  about the heat cracking your pitcher, then just let the coffee cool before pouring into the pitcher)

3.  Put your pitcher of coffee in the fridge overnight to make sure that it is completely cooled

4.  When you are ready for a delectable delight, fill your glass with ice cubes and pour the cooled coffee from the fridge over the ice cubes leaving room for cream

5.  Pour a good amount of French Vanilla cream (it’s sweet so you don’t have to add sugar – and if you don’t like french vanilla, just add cream and if you like it sweet, add sugar to taste when the coffee is still hot) over the ice cubes, leaving room for the regular cream

6.  Add 5% or 10% (or preferred cream) to your glass. 

7.  Gently stir your iced coffee

8.  For an extra special treat, add a dolop of whipped cream, chocolate shavings or ice cream

9.   Sit back, relax and ENJOY!!!!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do each year!

Hooks ready and mugs up!
Melissa

Melissa and her man Al

Cute….but then………

After looking for a small project that uses minimal yarn (trying to eliminate the scraps without the use of a kitty LOL), I came across these sites that I found both interesting and useful. They are:

http://www.crochetnmore.com/scrapyarnideas.htm

http://www.knittingonthenet.com/oddball.htm

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/98521/leftover_yarn_projects.html?cat=24

http://www.suite101.com/content/afghan-from-left-over-yarn-a14386

This one was unusual so I posted it….Nancy also has small projects you can make with left over yarn…

http://www.nanlets.com

I hope you have TONS OF FUN making interesting and creative things with your left over yarn  

If you have any creative ideas you would like to share, please feel free to leave them in the comment section, or if you would like to be featured in a post, please contact me at melissamvaneyk@gmail.com.

Hooks ready and mugs up!
Melissa

Melissa and her man Al

Crochet  is a process of creating fabric from yarn, thread, or other material strands using a crochet hook. The word is derived from the French word “crochet”, meaning hook. Crocheting, similar to knitting, consists of pulling loops of yarn through other loops. Crochet differs from knitting in that only one loop is active at one time (the sole exception being Tunisian crochet), and that a single crochet hook is used instead of two knitting needles.

History

Origins

Lis Paludan theorizes that crochet evolved from traditional practices in Arabia, South America, or China, but there is no decisive evidence of the craft being performed before its popularity in Europe during the 19th century. 

 The earliest written reference to crochet refers to shepherd’s knitting from The Memoirs of a Highland Lady by Elizabeth Grant in the 19th century.  The first published crochet patterns appeared in the Dutch magazine Pénélopé in 1824. Other indicators that crochet was new in the 19th century include the 1847 publication A Winter’s Gift, which provides detailed instructions for performing crochet stitches, although it presumes that readers understand the basics of other needlecrafts. Early references to the craft in Godey’s Lady’s Book in 1846 and 1847 refer to crotchet before the spelling standardized in 1848.

 

An example of a crocheted baby blanket. The corner square shows a common crochet pattern, the granny square.

Knit and knotted textiles survive from very early periods, but there are no surviving samples of crocheted fabric in any ethnological collection, or archeological source prior to 1800. These writers point to the tambour hooks used in tambour embroidery in France in the 18th century, and contend that the hooking of loops through fine fabric in tambour work evolved into “crochet in the air.” Most samples of early work claimed to be crochet turn out to actually be samples of nålebinding. Donna Kooler identifies a problem with the tambour hypothesis: period tambour hooks that survive in modern collections cannot produce crochet because the integral wing nut necessary for tambour work interferes with attempts at crochet. 

Kooler proposes that early industrialization is key to the development of crochet. Machine spun cotton thread became widely available and inexpensive in Europe and North America after the invention of the cotton gin and the spinning jenny, displacing hand spun linen for many uses. Crochet technique consumes more thread than comparable textile production methods and cotton is well suited to crochet.

Early crochet hooks ranged from primitive bent needles in a cork handle, used by poor Irish lace workers, to expensively crafted silver, brass, steel, ivory and bone hooks set into a variety of handles, some of which were better designed to show off a lady’s hands than they were to work with thread. By the early 1840s, instructions for crochet were being published in England, particularly by Eleanor Riego de la Blanchardiere and Frances Lambert. These early patterns called for cotton and linen thread for lace, and wool yarn for clothing, often in vivid color combinations.

Early history

 

Detail of a Portuguese crochet table-cloth, about 1970

 

Irish crochet lace, late 19th century. The design of this example is closely based on Flemish needle lace of the 17th century.

In the 19th century, as Ireland was facing the Great Irish Famine (1845-1849), crochet lace work was introduced as a form of famine relief (the production of crocheted lace being an alternative way of making money for impoverished Irish workers). 

Mademoiselle Riego de la Blanchardiere is generally credited with the invention of Irish Crochet, publishing the first book of patterns in 1846.  Irish lace became popular in Europe and America, and was made in quantity until the first World War.  Modern practice
Fashions in crochet changed with the end of the Victorian era in the 1890s. Crocheted laces in the new Edwardian era, peaking between 1910 and 1920, became even more elaborate in texture and complicated stitching.

 

Filet crochet by an internee at Manzanar War Relocation Center, 1943. Photograph by Ansel Adams

The strong Victorian colours disappeared, though, and new publications called for white or pale threads, except for fancy purses, which were often crocheted of brightly colored silk and elaborately beaded. After World War I, far fewer crochet patterns were published, and most of them were simplified versions of the early 20th century patterns. After World War II, from the late 40s until the early 60s, there was a resurgence in interest in home crafts, particularly in the United States, with many new and imaginative crochet designs published for colorful doilies, potholders, and other home items, along with updates of earlier publications.

These patterns called for thicker threads and yarns than in earlier patterns and included wonderful variegated colors. The craft remained primarily a homemaker’s art until the late 1960s and early 1970s, when the new generation picked up on crochet and popularized granny squares, a motif worked in the round and incorporating bright colors. Although crochet underwent a subsequent decline in popularity, the early 21st century has seen a revival of interest in handcrafts and DIY, as well as great strides in improvement of the quality and varieties of yarn. There are many more new pattern books with modern patterns being printed, and most yarn stores now offer crochet lessons in addition to the traditional knitting lessons. Filet crochet, Tunisian crochet, broomstick lace, hairpin lace, cro-hooking, and Irish crochet are all variants of the basic crochet method.

Crochet patterns have an underlying mathematical structure and have been used to illustrate shapes in hyperbolic geometry that are difficult to reproduce using other media or are difficult to understand when viewed two-dimensionally.

Materials

 Hook

 

Aluminum crochet hooks

The Crochet hook comes in many sizes and materials, such as bone, bamboo, aluminum, plastic and steel. Steel crochet hooks range from 0.4 to 3.5 millimeters in the size of the hook, or from 00 to 16 in American sizing. These hooks are used for fine crochet work.
Aluminum, bamboo, and plastic crochet hooks are available from 2.5 to 19 millimeters in hook size, or from B to S in American sizing.

There are also many artisan-made hooks, most of hand-turned wood, sometimes decorated with semi-precious stones or beads.

Crochet hooks used for Tunisian crochet are elongated and have a stopper at the end of the handle, while double-ended crochet hooks have a hook on both ends of the handle. There is also a double hooked apparatus called a Cro-hook that has become popular. Also, a Hair-Pin Crochet Hook is often used to create lacey and long stitches.

For crocheting you will also need some type of material that will be crocheted, which is most commonly yarn or thread.

Other equipment includes cardboard cut-outs, which can be used to make tassels, fringe, and many other items; a pom-pom circle, used to make pom-poms; a tape measure, a gauge measure, both used for measuring crocheted work and counting stitches; a row counter; and occasionally plastic rings, which are used for special projects.

Yarn

 

A hank of wool yarn (center) is uncoiled into its basic loop. A tie is visible at the left; after untying, the hank may be wound into a ball or balls suitable for crocheting. Crocheting from a normal hank directly is likely to tangle the yarn, producing snarls.

Yarn for crochet is usually sold as balls or skeins (hanks), although it may also be wound on spools or cones. Skeins and balls are generally sold with a yarn-band, a label that describes the yarn’s weight, length, dye lot, fiber content, washing instructions, suggested needle size, likely gauge, etc. It is common practice to save the yarn band for future reference, especially if additional skeins must be purchased. Crocheters generally ensure that the yarn for a project comes from a single dye lot. The dye lot specifies a group of skeins that were dyed together and thus have precisely the same color; skeins from different dye-lots, even if very similar in color, are usually slightly different and may produce a visible stripe when crocheted together. If insufficient yarn of a single dye lot is bought to complete a project, additional skeins of the same dye lot can sometimes be obtained from other yarn stores or online.

The thickness or weight of the yarn is a significant factor in determining the gauge, i.e., how many stitches and rows are required to cover a given area for a given stitch pattern. Thicker yarns generally require thicker crocheting hooks, whereas thinner yarns may be knit with thick or thin needles. Hence, thicker yarns generally require fewer stitches, and therefore less time, to knit up a given garment. Patterns and motifs are coarser with thicker yarns; thicker yarns produce bold visual effects, whereas thinner yarns are best for refined patterns. Yarns are grouped by thickness into six categories: superfine, fine, light, medium, bulky and superbulky; quantitatively, thickness is measured by the number of wraps per inch (WPI). The related weight per unit length is usually measured in tex or dernier.

 

Transformation of a hank of lavender silk yarn (top) into a ball in which the yarn emerges from the center (bottom). Using the latter is better for needlework, since the yarn is much less likely to tangle.

Before use, one would typically transform a hank into a ball where the yarn emerges from the center of the ball; this making the work easier by preventing the yarn from becoming easily tangled. This transformation may be done by hand, or with a device known as a ballwinder.

A yarn’s usefulness is judged by several factors, such as its loft (its ability to trap air), its resilience (elasticity under tension), its washability and colorfastness, its hand (its feel, particularly softness vs. scratchiness), its durability against abrasion, its resistance to pilling, its hairiness (fuzziness), its tendency to twist or untwist, its overall weight and drape, its blocking and felting qualities, its comfort (breathability, moisture absorption, wicking properties) and of course its look, which includes its color, sheen, smoothness and ornamental features. Other factors include allergenicity; speed of drying; resistance to chemicals, moths, and mildew; melting point and flammability; retention of static electricity; and the propensity to become stained and to accept dyes. Different factors may be more significant than others for different projects, so there is no one “best” yarn. The resilience and propensity to (un)twist are general properties that affect the ease to work with.

 

The two possible twists of yarn

Although crochet may be done with ribbons, metal wire or more exotic filaments, most yarns are made by spinning fibers. In spinning, the fibers are twisted so that the yarn resists breaking under tension; the twisting may be done in either direction, resulting in an Z-twist or S-twist yarn. If the fibers are first aligned by combing them, the yarn is smoother and called a worsted; by contrast, if the fibers are carded but not combed, the yarn is fuzzier and called woolen-spun.

The fibers making up a yarn may be continuous filament fibers such as silk and many synthetics, or they may be staples (fibers of an average length, typically a few inches); naturally filament fibers are sometimes cut up into staples before spinning. The strength of the spun yarn against breaking is determined by the amount of twist, the length of the fibers and the thickness of the yarn. In general, yarns become stronger with more twist (also called worst), longer fibers and thicker yarns (more fibers); for example, thinner yarns require more twist than do thicker yarns to resist breaking under tension. The thickness of the yarn may vary along its length; a slub is a much thicker section in which a mass of fibers is incorporated into the yarn.

The spun fibers are generally divided into animal fibers, plant and synthetic fibers. These fiber types are chemically different, corresponding to proteins, carbohydrates and synthetic polymers, respectively. Animal fibers include silk, but generally are long hairs of animals such as sheep (wool), goat (angora, or cashmere goat), rabbit (angora), llama, alpaca, dog, cat, camel, yak, and muskox (qiviut). Plants used for fibers include cotton, flax (for linen), bamboo, ramie, hemp, jute, nettle, raffia, yucca, coconut husk, banana trees, soy and corn. Rayon and acetate fibers are also produced from cellulose mainly derived from trees.

Common synthetic fibers include acrylics,^[10] polyesters such as dacron and ingeo, nylon and other polyamides, and olefins such as polypropylene. Of these types, wool is generally favored for crochet, chiefly owing to its superior elasticity, warmth and (sometimes) felting; however, wool is generally less convenient to clean and some people are allergic to it. It is also common to blend different fibers in the yarn, e.g., 85% alpaca and 15% silk. Even within a type of fiber, there can be great variety in the length and thickness of the fibers; for example, Merino wool and Egyptian cotton are favored because they produce exceptionally long, thin (fine) fibers for their type.

A single spun yarn may be crochet as is, or braided or plied with another. In plying, two or more yarns are spun together, almost always in the opposite sense from which they were spun individually; for example, two Z-twist yarns are usually plied with an S-twist. The opposing twist relieves some of the yarns’ tendency to curl up and produces a thicker, balanced yarn. Plied yarns may themselves be plied together, producing cabled yarns or multi-stranded yarns. Sometimes, the yarns being plied are fed at different rates, so that one yarn loops around the other, as in bouclé. The single yarns may be dyed separately before plying, or afterwords to give the yarn a uniform look.

The dyeing of yarns is a complex art. Yarns need not be dyed; or they may be dyed one color, or a great variety of colors. Dyeing may be done industrially, by hand or even hand-painted onto the yarn. A great variety of synthetic dyes have been developed since the synthesis of indigo dye in the mid-19th century; however, natural dyes are also possible, although they are generally less brilliant. The color-scheme of a yarn is sometimes called its colorway. Variegated yarns can produce interesting visual effects, such as diagonal stripes; conversely.

Process

Crocheted fabric is begun by placing a slip-knot loop on the hook, pulling another loop through the first loop, and repeating this process to create a chain of a suitable length. The chain is either turned and worked in rows, or joined to the beginning of the row with a slip stitch and worked in rounds. Rounds can also be created by working many stitches into a single loop. Stitches are made by pulling one or more loops through each loop of the chain. At any one time at the end of a stitch, there is only one loop left on the hook. Tunisian crochet, however, draws all of the loops for an entire row onto a long hook before working them off one at a time.

International crochet terms and notations

In the English-speaking crochet world, basic stitches have different names that vary by country. The differences are usually referred to as UK/US or British/American. To help counter confusion when reading patterns, a diagramming system using a standard international notation has come into use (illustration, right).
Another terminological difference is known as tension (UK) and gauge (U.S.). Individual crocheters work yarn with a loose or a tight hold and, if unmeasured, these differences can lead to significant size changes in finished garments that have the same number of stitches. In order to control for this inconsistency, printed crochet instructions include a standard for the number of stitches across a standard swatch of fabric. An individual crocheter begins work by producing a test swatch and compensating for any discrepancy by changing to a smaller or larger hook. North Americans call this gauge, referring to the end result of these adjustments; British crocheters speak of tension, which refers to the crafter’s grip on the yarn while producing stitches.

Differences from knitting

One of the more obvious differences is that crochet uses one hook while most knitting uses two needles. This is because in crochet, the artisan usually has only one live stitch on the hook, while a knitter keeps an entire row of stitches active simultaneously. So dropped stitches, which can unravel a fabric, rarely interfere with crochet work. This is also because of a second, perhaps less obvious, structural difference between knitting and crochet. In knitting, each stitch is supported by the corresponding stitch in the row above and it supports the corresponding stitch in the row below. In crochet each stitch is only supported by and supports the stitches on either side of it. If a stitch in a finished item breaks, the stitches above and below remain intact, and, because of the complex looping of each stitch, the stitches on either side are not likely to come loose unless put under a lot of stress.

Round or cylindrical patterns are simple to produce with a regular crochet hook, but cylindrical knitting requires either a set of circular needles or four or five special double-ended needles. And free form crochet can create interesting shapes in several dimensions because new stitches can be made independently of previous stitches almost anywhere in the crocheted piece.
Knitting can be accomplished by machine, while many crochet stitches can only be crafted by hand. Although some crochet patterns can emulate the appearance of knitting, distinctive crochet patterns such as the Granny square cannot be simulated by other methods

Crochet is more suitable than knitting for joining pieces of fabric and knit patterns for sweaters may incorporate crochet for finishing. Crochet can add borders or surface embellishment to both knit and crochet fabric. Crochet produces a thicker fabric than knitting, and tends to have less “give” than knitted fabric. And, generally speaking, crochet technique produces fabric faster than knitting.

Charity

It has been very common for people and groups to crochet clothing and other garments and then donate them to soldiers during war. People have also crocheted clothing and then donated it to hospitals, for sick patients and also for newborn babies. Sometimes groups will crochet for a specific charity purpose, such as crocheting for homeless shelters, nursing homes, etc. It is also becoming increasingly popular to crochet hats and donate them to cancer treatment centers, for those undergoing chemotherapy.

Well, that’s the History of Crochet!  Hope you enjoyed learning about the craft we have all come to love and enjoy!

Hooks ready and mugs up!
Melissa

Melissa and her man Al



Oh there’s my slipper! LOL!

I ripped and ripped and now look

Melissa and her man Al