Crocheting

We can all picture our grandmothers sitting in the chair with a ball of thread and a needle in her hand crocheting.

Some believe that crocheting can be traced back to the 19th century. Lace was replaced by the less expensive cotton thread. Some hooks were primitive bent needles in a cork handle. There were also crafted hooks made from silver, brass and ivory. In the 20th century, patterns became available.

Crocheting is different from knitting in that only one hook is used rather than two needles and can only be done by hand.

Learning to crochet is like learning a new skill and requires time and patience on your part. You need just a few items to get started. You need a crochet hook, yarn, tape measure, and some pins.

The key to begin learning your new skill is how to hold the hook properly. It is similar to the way you hold a spoon or pencil. Next you will learn how to let the yarn pass through your fingers. Think of it as weaving, over the little finger, then under the ring finger, then over the forefinger and the middle finger. The chain stitch is often the foundation row. Start with a lighter colored yarn so that you can see the stitches.

It is important that you become familiar with the different hooks. The bigger the hook you use the looser the item will be and likewise the smaller hook will be a tighter stitch. Practice will make crocheting easier. You can use pattern books and learn the various stitches and abbreviations.

You can use your finished projects as gifts. People will appreciate your time and effort.