Hello there my lovely readers!
As you've probably noticed I've been going a little crochet crazy over the past few weeks! What started out as a few granny squares has turned into a fully-fledged obsession, although I must admit I'm really missing my knitting needles - I've got a huge variety of autumn/winter knitting projects stored up in my head just waiting to be created! Anyways, after the big reveal of my much loved first ever crochet blanket I received quite a few questions about crochet, so I thought I'd answer everything in a post, my tips for fellow crochet beginners. So here goes!
My top tips for fellow crochet beginners!
My first and biggest tip is check out the Crochet School over at Crafty Minx.
This online tutorial course is completely free and brilliant and will teach you everything you need to know and more about crochet, I have been trying to learn from books etc. for years, and it's only after taking part in the school that I finally got the hang of things!
Always sew in your ends as you go.
I cannot stress this enough! ozzyblackbeard commented on my blanket that the thought of sewing in all those ends made them want to cry, and I couldn't agree more! The only way to make the process less annoying is to sew them in as soon as possible (for example, as soon as you finish a granny square sew those ends in!). I learnt this the hard way when I had completed all my granny squares and was ready to crochet them together, but I hadn't sewn in any of the ends, which I knew I would have to do before I could complete the blanket. Let me just say, that's a good few days that I'll never be getting back. So sew in those ends people!
Find a joining method that works for you.
When making my blanket I tried various ways of joining my squares together, I started off by working them together as a went along, then tried sewing them and finally I settled on crocheting them together in rows when the squares were all completed (all of these methods can once again be found at the crochet school!). The last way worked best for me, I love the raised texture of the lines of crochet joining each square, but you might like something better yourself. Experiment, try all the options and find one that you love :)
Get inspired!
Something that I've loved about starting to crochet is the new blogs it has introduced me to, there are some incredible crocheters out there in the blogosphere! I would throughly recommend the following blogs for some fabulous crochet inspiration: Coco Rose Diaries, Attic 24, Get Smitten, and the Robyn's Nest. Just have a browse through some of their crochet projects, I guarantee you'll be itching to get a crochet hook in your hands :)
And finally, enjoy!
Crochet is a fun, relaxing craft that will make you very happy if you can master the basics. I know from experience that at the start you can feel lost, but persevere, you will get there and the more you crochet the better you will be. So enjoy the process, learning a new skill is an amazing thing!
I hope that this post has answered some of your crochet questions, if you have any more then please let me know, I'd love to help if I can! Happy, happy crocheting my lovely readers, I'm sure I'll have another completed project to share with you soon.
Bye for now,
Katie xxx
All of my pictures are of my newest crochet project: the ripple blanket! The pattern is absolutely free (hurrah!) and can be found here if you fancy giving it a go yourselves :)
6 comments:
Crochet is definitely on my to do list and that blanket is inspiration! I can't believe you're new to all of this- super impressive! Looking forward to the next crocheted project!
Now I can't wait to try crochet ! Thanks Katie for the inspiration !
Ooh Fabulous blanket and fabulous tips, I certainly agree with working in the ends as you go, its soo much easier to weave them in whilst your doing the next colour than going back with a needle at the end, the day I discovered this it was an utter revelation!! xx
That was a lovely and useful post :) Your blanket is scrummy!!!!
Great tips! I am getting on down with the Crafty Minx! She is a GODSEND!
Very handy tips! Those ends are pain in the bum to sew in. What I have found quite handy is that I actually crochet them inside. Especially the starting ends are very easy to crochet in for about couple cm and then you can just cut the rest of the end of. You start the crochet work as usual, then when you have done the first row or starting loop etc you run the end along the stitches and when you do the next row you just crochet around the end at the same time than you crochet around the previous row. Doesn't take any extra time at all. And when I have to start another yarn ball I quite often finish the ends the same way.
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