Team Hooker - Welcome to the Hotel Crochetfornia

[SoupDragon]

You can check in but you can never leave...

I've just finished a baby blanket from Rico creative cotton. Colours are great, and lovely stuff to crochet with - a bit strandy, but shows up stitch texture really nicely. I also (whispers) knitted a baby cardi from rico, been extensively tested on my little one for the last 5 months - it washes fantastically, can cope with 60 degrees ,no colour loss. Does harden up a tad, like you'd expect cotton to ,but easily fixed with fabric softener. Or if you had a tumble dryer I'm sure it'd dry softer. Doesn't have that squeaky feel wet that acrylic has, which sets my teeth on edge just thinking about! (Yarn snob. I know...)

I have a blanket's worth of casherino silk aran waiting to be made into a blanket for me. By the time I get round to using it it will have been there more than a year and be stash yarn: thus it will be free

Louper, don't ever use Stylecraft somewhere humid: it is squeakier than a family of mice at a cheese convention! I find it OK under normal circumstances even though I far prefer using the natural (but wool* free - [shudder]) yarns

*pure new wool makes me itch

May I check in from the Dark Side? (long time knitter, crochet dabbler).

I was lured in by the beautiful ripple blankets on the woolly hugs website and I have put down the needles for a hook. I was also swayed by the fact that I can now call myself a hooker!

Ah... a new member in the brothel Team Hooker :)

Thanks to all of you lovely people who helped me to learn to crochet in summer.

I finished my first blanket at Christmas; I have put a picture on my profile. I also have countless bits of projects that I am doing, including a large blanket for my Mum for Mother's Day.

Thanks again . It has been very good for my soul at a very difficult time.

Welcome Hoggy

KinkyDorito, your blanket is lovely. I like the wide strip separating the squares, very effective.

Which pattern are you using for your Mum's blanket?

Kinky, that blanket is great :)

I'm currently doing one in white, yellow and red. The plan is to give it to DC2 when they are born :) Most of the squares are different so it should be nice and interesting for baby to touch. Have done 7.5 squares so far out of a planned 36, but DC2 won't be here until August so I have plenty of time.

I've used Stylecraft Special DK for most things so far. I've a hankering to do some 100% cotton blankets though so I may order that next. My birthday is in March and I'm planning to suggest to my mum that she gives me Deramores vouchers for it :)

Anything I need to know about 100% cotton? Any specific type you'd recommend?

Thanks! No pattern. I make it up as I go along. Granny squares again. This time based on flower garden, done in 16 round squares, 3 colours per square, all joined in dark purple and cream. This could look fantastic or rubbish - time will tell... I will put up a pic when I finish it. I have gone off project in the last two days to make a massive cushion cover. I've doubled up my yarn and used a size 5 hook, changing colours. It looks interesting. Again, will post when I finish it.

Finished my cushion cover and put it on profile. I'm still in the process of sewing all of my ends in and sighing that I'm not better at hiding them as I work!

Nice work Kinky. So many lovely projects out there, I have a mental list of future must haves going already.

I'm forging ahead with a small ripple blanket. It looked a bit ambitious but I followed this tutorial on the Attic24 blog and thanks to the excellent instructions I managed to get going. I just need the stamina to finish.

Loving your work Kinky !

Now that I'm doing my first granny square, please can you tell me what one does with all the ends?

I sew my in after trazzle, but I'm told that is the hard way! Hope you are all doing well .

Thanks, yes, in at the moment and moving to bone marrow tomorrow (eek). Hope you are ok - I keep meaning to text you! Sorry I'm so rubbish!

I sew my ends in as I go - I find it too dispiriting to have to do 100 squares all at once. If the pattern allows (a more dense, stitchy granny) I crochet over the ends.

I tend to crochet over them wherever possible or sew them in in batches or, if I am being Miss Perfect, individually as I finish a square. I never leave them all til the end though!

Don't look now but today I may have:

1. finished my first granny square;
2. learned the magic circle; and
3. learned how to crochet in the round

[gasp]

It's so much easier than I thought! (If only I could count...!).

[Knocks on door]... can I come in?

Only been crocheting 3 weeks but am totally addicted. I've gone from 5 little balls of yarn from my failed attempt at knitting to having bought 15 balls - made two scarves, an iPhone cover and a cover for DD's LeapPad. Now working on a crochet hook roll, which has taken all night to do 9 rows while I got to grips with the pattern!

My projects have been quite basic really, but I'm enjoying the different types of yarn (I've got some lovely Sirdar Crofter Chunky)

Welcome TrazzleToes and PurpleCrazyHorse

Trazzle - the magic circle is like a revalation. I'd been crocheting for years before I discovered it.

Now I just need to get to grips with crocheting a chainless foundation row and I'll be happy

New addicts members! Hurrah!

The magic circle is fab - I use it all the time for granny squares etc.

And the things I don't start with a magic circle, I tend to start with a chainless foundation :)

in not new, I've been here for a while but am just sporadic...

I cannot cannot cannot get my head round chainless foundation. I just can't seem to see where the right places are.

...sneaks in....I have been inspired by ditavonteesed and learnt the basics this weekend. I am very proud of my first produced article - a hairband with bow (only able to do sc, sl and ch at the moment! )

Hello, just noticed this thread. Have been crocheting on and off for 40 years! Much prefer it to knitting but have been forced to knit for my 3 boys as they don't want anything frilly or pretty, but I'll just have to crochet for myself. I have the Happy Hooker, 200 Crochet Blocks and quite a few other books and I love the mathematical logic of crochet, but I always need help choosing colours.

I'm dead chuffed because my friend's mum, in her 60's and a confirmed knitter, has asked me to teach her how to crochet. She's left handed, so is finding the you tube videos and books aren't helping. I'm hoping to face her and teach her mirror image stylee.

I've just finished a blanket for Billie and I'm doing an angel hug, but I'm tempted to do a blanket to snuggle under on the sofa. Like everyone else, I love making squares, but hate sewing them together and sewing in ends. (In fact I have a knitted jumper made for DS1 that is finished bar the sewing but is now 10 years too small for him )

I have a confession to make - yesterday I made my first crochet flower. Is there any way back to 2 needles from here?