Belated Crochet Hat Post September 21, 2014

A few posts ago I shared about the crocheting binge I went on during Christmas break last year. I taught myself how to crochet using blessed youtube videos and online tutorials. (Thank you, internet! I love you sometimes!) I made several scarves, and then one of my brothers asked me for a hat. I was pretty nervous about trying something else, but I decided to give it a try, and it worked!

For future reference for myself (and anyone else who might want to try a beginner-level hat), here’s what I wrote down to help me remember what I did:

I started with a chain 12-14 inches. (This is going to be the length from the crown of the head to the end, including the folded up part.) Then I stitched rows until it was about 21 inches wide or the circumference of a head. (Remember there will be stretch due to the ribbing.)

I used this youtube tutorial as a guide:

Happy crocheting!

I’ll Never Buy a Scarf Again January 5, 2014

I’ve tried to learn crochet a few times in my life and had always decided that it wasn’t for me. I was content to limit my creativity to fabric and a sewing machine. But recently I’ve been wanting to try again. I saw a few things on Pinterest that made it seem doable. I decided to spend some time during our holiday travels, sitting in the car or in front of the TV with relatives, trying again. And….I’ve been successful! I used this tutorial for the Pavement Infinity Scarf and found it to be really clear and easy to follow. I love it that she has written directions, a photo tutorial, and a video. Here are my first two crochet projects, ever:

The first one I made seemed a bit wide. I used the leftover yarn on my skein to make a mini scarf for my daughter.

I made three more, but instead of making 5 “V’s” in each row, as described in the tutorial, I used only 3. I like the thinner style a bit better.

If you’re interested in learning to crochet, I recommend that you give this tutorial a try. Now that I’ve got the hang of it, it only takes me about 1 1/2-2 hours to make a scarf. I made the black one last night while watching a movie with the family. I was a beginner before trying this tutorial. I knew how to chain and had attempted a double-crochet stitch before, but that was about it. I did have to google how to tie off the yarn when you’re all done, how to switch to a new skein of yarn,  and how to stitch together the ends to make it an infinity scarf, but there were lots of instructions out there, and none of those steps was hard.

Happy crocheting!

*Note to myself: Start with a chain of 11 (rather than 19) to make a thinner scarf that has just 3 V’s.