Mad about crochet

[feedme]

Is it just me, or is crochet really taking off at the moment?
After years of knitting and other fibre crafts I've discovered crochet and love what it can do. I think my problem in the past has been that I saw it as a version of knitting, when they are, in reality, so different. I've got piles of wool that I span and dyed and was far too coarse for clothing, but makes lovely crochet bowls. Also, there are such inspirational blogs around -I love attic24.
My mother has promised to teach me tatting. Has anyone else tried this?

I agree crochet has really got going but I think that knitting is still very popular too. Anything woolly really. Crochet, I always thought was a bit of the poor relation - there wasn't much you can do with it. I think part of its success now is due to there being more patterns written for it. There are magazines dedicated to crochet which there weren't before and more up to date clothing. It isn't all doillies and granny squares, is it?

I taught myself to crochet about 18 mths ago and haven't really made anything useful yet. I am however, doing a granny stripes blanket based on the ideas of Attic 24. The woman is a legend in the blogging world it seems!!

I've not tried tatting though. It looks really hard although I suppose, like anything else, once you learn the basics and you can read a pattern you can do most stuff.

I've been crocheting for over 20 years (since I was about 6 or 7). My Nana tried to teach me to knit but I was (and still am) absolutely hopeless at it, just like my Mum, who taught me to crochet.

There's always been loads of stuff you can do with it, but it's lesser known than knitting, iyswim, so in the pre-internet days finding patterns etc was harder.

I've recently picked up again seriously as I have 2 pg mates. As baby stuff is about the limit of my concentration span, I'm having a whale of a time. I've made mittens, a hat that looks like a kitten, and I'm in the middle of a buddy blanket, which is 4 different Granny squares to which I'll attach an Amigurumi bird

I just took up crochet at Christmas (a spot-on Santa put a crochet handbook and hook in my stocking, how clever is that?). I'm loving it! Not very good at it yet, but definitely improving.

I know about Attic24 and I'm doing the birdie from there. Anything else in the world of crochet I shouldn't miss? And what's tatting?

And I'm sure you're right about crochet having a moment. I don't reckon DH would have thought to get me crochet last year so it must be filtering through the zeitgeist.

I get all my patterns free on ravelry.com! They link to loads of other places, and I am astounded by their advanced search. I spend hours browsing, just glad they have an "add to projects" button so I can remember stuff I like

Thanks, Pidjin. Just joined Ravely and browsing now. What an awesome amount of stuff to inspire.

I'm going a bit nuts on it at the moment! Bought 6 new balls of wool yesterday

I learned crochet last year from my mum and I've become a little addicted!!

I love ravelry as well, but every time I go on there I end up with another 15 things I want to make, lol

I've done some cute little amigurumi's that are lovely, but not particularly useful, so I'm not trying to do things that are useful as well :)

I;m doing Ugg boots for a newborn... SOOOOO CUUUUUUTE!

For me crochet is the best diet I have been on. I was taught when I was a child to make granny squares but picked it up again a few years ago as a pick me up, put me down alternative to knitting and to stop me snacking when I was bored or had some downtime.

My crochet projects always come out much better than any knitting project I have done. It also feels quicker than knitting, though some projects of mine have been epic.

I crochet in public and it's amazing the comments I get, quite a few people think it's a poor man's knitting others thought it was a lazy alternative to knitting. But by far the most common comment is that it's what old ladies do.

My sister was probably the rudest about it, but she saw a pattern for some gloves that she really liked and by the end of the day she took them home, it surprised her how quick it was to finish and how easy it looked.

Attic24 rocks I have made many things from Lucy's designs. Recently made a granny stripes baby blanket while waiting for DD to make her arrival before christmas.

I am a big Ravelry fan and love to browse for ideas in the pattern section. I also subscribe to Inside Crochet, loving february's issue, lots of smaller projects that I can work on :)

Congratulations on your new baby kellestar. Are you even finding time to crochet at the moment?

I agree it is easier to put down than knitting. You are supposed to finish a row in knitting which is great if you are doing something small but can be time consuming if you are doing an adult jumper in DK or something! You can't just do a couple of stitchs whilst you make tea or something like you can with crochet.

I had almost forgotten I had ordered it until it arrived but I got a lovely new book yesterday with designs for crochet edgings. You can do them on anything - knitting and fabrics too and they are gorgeous. I got it to find inspiration for the edging of my granny strips blanket as I wanted it to be a bit patterned. Now I have too many to chose from!

I;m doing Ugg boots for a newborn... SOOOOO CUUUUUUTE!

They sound amazing!! is the pattern availble online at all?

Ugg boots for newborn??? Where??? How??? Show me please!!!

I have just bought the double strap booties and baby strap booties: www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/double-strap-baby-booties and www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-sandal-booties

Hopefully this will link to my "project" in Ravelry so you can see the ones I've made - the link to the pattern is there too

www.ravelry.com/projects/purplepidjin/ugg-booties-revisited

That is soooo cute!!

Just FYI, I adapted the pattern on there somewhat, just because I like things symmetrical! Here it is in English...

In the white fluff:
Ch 6, DC in 2nd from hook, DC in next 3, DC7 in last stitch. Turn.
DC in next 4, DC 7 in last st, sl st to join.
DC around. Sl st to join.
TC around, sl st to join, finish.
Make 2.

In brown (or whatever):
Ch 6, DC in 2nd from hook, DC in next 3, DC7 in last stitch. Turn.
DC in next 4, DC 7 in last st, sl st to join.
DC around. Sl st to join.
TC around, sl st to join x2.

Place fluffy insole on top. Sl st (loosely) through both sole and insole all the way around sl st to join.
DC around, sl st to join x2.

Ch1, skip next, HTC in next, skip next, TC in next 2, HTC in next, skip next, DC round, sl st to join
Ch 1, sk next, DC, skip next x3, DC around, sl st to join x2
DC around until you get the height you want. Change to white fluffy, TC around.

Actually, looking at it, I think I've totally redone the pattern Oh well, it worked for me, although I'm a bit of a sloppy stitch counter LOL

I LOVE crochet, it is so much more forgiving than Knitting. I think the resurgence is partly due to amigurami. People have realised that its not just for making clothes or accessories but you can make awesome toys, pretty quickly and easily. I would definitely give it a go if you are looking for a new craft

I can't wait to start crocheting (I am waiting for a lady to show me).

I bought the Happy Hooker book and tried to make a square but I am obviously not doing it correctly somewhere.

I cross stitch, but it really hurts my eyes!

rocketleaf, can you tell me what is different about amigurami? I've seen it mentioned, but don't know what it is.

Amigurumi is 3 dimensional crochet - so you make a shape, like a doll for example, then stuff it with toy stuffing.

It's worked in a spiral so you either use something as a row counter or, if you're me, you guess

I quite like using the technique to make hats

what purple said, feedme :o have a look here:

www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#sort=best&craft=crochet&query=amigurami

I love the technique too, once you get a bit of experience on how to increase and decrease and make balls you can adapt patterns pretty easily to make what ever you want! Its great fun.

if you search for saladbomb on there you will find some things i have made.

thanks! I love your stuff rocketleaf. Just going to get my crochet hook and yarn out now...

Thanks feedme! Hope you have fun with it. Give me a shout if you need any help :)

I am thinking about learning to crochet. Knitting was a disaster, I seem only be able to purl and not cast on or off :(
I like the fact I could put it down midway, knitting didn't agree with me needing to go to the loo!
Mmm I need to my mum.
Oh this crafty bug is dangerous!

I LOVE crochet.

I've been teaching myself since Christmas so I'm a real amateur. Today I completed my first ever granny square - v.pleased.

I've signed-up for a 3D crochet course in Feb. Very exciting!

Pipplin, I'm exactly the same (except I found out when I was 7 and my Nan was trying to teach me )

I crochet at work, it's awesome - if a resident wants something, I just drop it and go, then count the stitches when I get back to sitting down - this works best when you treble, btw!

Hampshire/Dorset border if you're close and have time for a coffee