Crochet for beginners...

[CouthyMow]

I'm desperately trying to learn to crochet. I want to be able to do Granny squares.

I can make a foundation chain, I can do double and triple, but after that I just end up in a knotty mess!

I have two crochet books, both of which are meant to be from the basics onwards. Neither of which seemingly explain it in a way that makes sense to me...

Can anyone help me to crochet a granny square?!

[CouthyMow]

I'm halfway through my second square. I LOVE crochet! Now I can do it...

I'm just about to have a nosey on Deramores...

(Watch out, bank account...)

[EllenJanesthickerknickers]

Look on wise badger as well, sometimes cheaper than Deramores, sometimes not.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

EllenJane - I thank you for that link, my stash thanks you for that link, dh and the bank account not so keen!!

[EllenJanesthickerknickers]

Oops!

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Don't worry - I smile and nod whenever he says I have enough yarn (or even too much yarn ) and then buy what I want anyway.

[JollyOrangeGiant]

I heard that Deramores also sell on eBay and they sometimes sell there at a lower price :)

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Why did I not know that???

[CouthyMow]

Nope, you aren't the only person who can't work EBay out... I can't either...

But that Deramores, I can see I will be spending a bit of money on there!!

[CouthyMow]

Does Dunelm Mill sell wool?!

[CouthyMow]

Finished my second square and onto my third. I finished the second square without having the first one handy (was on a train) and they have both come out exactly the same size, so I think I have the tension thing cracked too.



Deramores is going to get bashed next week.

[CouthyMow]

I've got many plans for blankets. By the time they are done, I might be able to graduate to other stitches!

[JollyOrangeGiant]

I almost exclusively make blankets. Maybe once I have more spare time I'll do something less repetitive, but blankets work for me right now.

[marissab]

Ok i'm gonna recommend a book that will rock your world! 200 crochet blocks by jan eaton. At least half the blocks are granny type work in the round square types and they all come with easy instructions. I have refered back to this book so many times and did an awesome baby blanket where a few squares had flowers on them! Honestly, once you get the hang of it, this book is awesome!

[JollyOrangeGiant]

Amazon sent me an email this week with various suggestions including this one:
www.amazon.co.uk/Bright-Colourful-Granny-Squares-Match/dp/1844488993/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370117264&sr=1-1&keywords=100%20bright%20and%20colourful%20granny%20squares%20to%20mix%20and%20match&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

I have a tendency to look up youtube tutorials or ravelry patterns though, then disregard everything i've just read/watched and wing it instead. (I cook like this too.)

[JollyOrangeGiant]

www.amazon.co.uk/Bright-Colourful-Granny-Squares-Match/dp/1844488993/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370117264&sr=1-1&keywords=100%20bright%20and%20colourful%20granny%20squares%20to%20mix%20and%20match&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

with a working link...

[CouthyMow]

I've finished 5 granny squares now - I only got time to do one yesterday as I was out for most of the evening.

It's very relaxing to sit and do while your non-sleeping toddler runs around and babbles to you...

And yes, he has been awake since 11pm, and he is still very awake.

I however am not...

[CouthyMow]

They are all coming out the same size, no problem there.

I'm going to have a quick look at those patterns now - I'm feeling a bit more adventurous...

[CouthyMow]

DS3 - STILL awake.

Me - Have used the time productively and can now crochet a Granny square that starts with a circle in the middle and looks a bit snowflake-y on the next bit, going to a square on the outside.

This is fun, this is!

[CouthyMow]

DS3 has JUST fell asleep. He is dxd hyperactive 'with a high probability of ADHD'.

In the last hour, I have learnt to crochet a solid Granny square.

I am now going to go to bed, to try to catch 3 hours before the older DC's have to have breakfast.

His sleep is like this almost every night. Crochet seems to be good to keep me alert enough to supervise DS3 when he is not asleep when my body says I should be.

I'm finding it fun to learn new patterns - I'm finding Crochet Geek on YouTube quite good, if a little fast to follow at first.

[TheNinjaGooseIsOnAMission]

I think you neeeeed to join ravelry couthy, loads of free patterns for all sorts of things, it's a real time waster

[StopEatingThatMud]

I taught myself to crochet from YouTube last year and am just finishing my first big blanket, attic24s granny ripple in various shades of pink, purple and baby blue for DD, I love it :)

Prior to that the only thing I had made was a basic hat, similar to the attic24 one. I found that reallly helpful for practicing my trebles and its basically all made in the round which I found easier, appreciate its not really the weather for it now though!

Ravelry is a fantastic timewaster as ninja says, but also very helpful, I found 3 squares on there for the latest woolly hugs blankets.

I also like the Creative Crochet Crew Group on Facebook, I waste hours looking at the pictures on there and mentally adding things to my now extensive list of "things to try"!