#crochet: learning how-to crochet

i find that sometimes when i'm crafting, i tend to have a bit of tigger syndrome... that is that i bounce around from project to project and when i am inspired by a new one i really just want to get the first one finished really quick or abandon it to start something new and exciting!!

so the current project i am abandoning is finishing a knitted headband pattern... i should probably finish it so that i can see the difference in Purl stitches throughout. in the middle of the project i realized that my pattern was not turning out exactly as the picture (and this isn't the first time this has happened, but it was the first time where the stitch-pattern/design is what made this headband unique and exciting for me. so when it wasn't turning out i got frustrated) anywho tangent aside, i realized i was not Purl stitching properly! so i hopped on good ol' YouTube, found a video and realized it was a very simple fix. so i started my "new" Purl stitch mid project and already noticed a difference. long story short - i don't have much further to go on it so i should really dedicate some of my attention to that project and finish it off.

where was i?!?

i told you, tigger syndrome = me today.

right! the purpose of this blog is this: i am venturing out of my comfort zone with knitting. i have tried a few different patterns that i like and now i would like to do more! when i search for cool patterns for toques, mittens, socks/slippers, etc. i find that a lot of them are crochet patterns - so i'm going to learn!

once again thank you YouTube - i have the crochet hooks, i have an abundance of yarn to play with, and i'm ready to learn. (for those who might be visual learners, this is the video i used to become familiar with the steps below)

here's what i'm learning so far...

Chain Crochet stitch

*start with a slip knot onto the hook, unlike in knitting - pull tight once your knot is on the hook

*on left hand (while holding the hook with my right) weave the yarn over your pinky finger, under the two middle fingers and over the index finger again

* hold the knot on the hook with your thumb & middle finger (on your left hand), always hold onto the knot while crocheting to keep it tight on the hook

* your right hand will control the mobility of the hook

* make the hook go down in front of the yarn and around the back of the yarn, hook the yarn and pull through the loop/knot

* repeat and you've got a chain crochet stitch

Single Crochet - most basic stitch in crochet and builds off the chain crochet

SCs pick up the top loops in a chain stitch - the top loop runs along the top of the chain stitch

each SC will be a two-step process in which you, 

* pick up the second top loop in the line by putting the hook through the top loop, YO (yarn under in front and around in the back), hook and pull through the top of chain stitch

* YO and pull through both loops on hook

* repeat & keep on working across the chain stitch

* after you finish each full row of SC you will do one CH

to start a new row, finish your CH and turn over clockwise so you are always turning from right to left. and another difference in this new row is that you're going to hook through the top and bottom loop on each new stitch (rather than the one, top loop as before).

crochet "lingo" in patterns: 

so many colourful hooks to enjoy!

CO - cast on

CH - chain stitch

YO - yarn over

YRH - yarn over around hook

DC - double crochet

HDC - half double crochet

SC - single crochet

SC2tog - single crochet two together

good luck!

<3 awaLL