Friday 18 April 2014

I Can Crochet!

Hello everyone...that's if anyone's out there still checking in on this blog.

I'm so sorry to have abandoned you all for a while. I know it's been ages since I updated but the thing is after I'd left it a for a week or so the task of bringing it up to date and the length of post I'd have to write started to seem humungous so I kept putting it off even longer. It's been playing on my weird mind as I didn't want to abandon it entirely. So, guess what? I've decided I won't bother trying to update everyone on the past few weeks, instead  I'll just pick up from here and now. Well, from yesterday actually.

The title says it all. I finally got the hang of crocheting. After years and years of trying to teach myself by book and video, I took the day off from my usual Thursday volunteering and went to a workshop at the Sewing Space in Hythe where last year I learned to use my sewing machine and make bags, and also where I did a beginners patchwork and quilting course. Within 2 hours of meeting the lovely, patient Mandy I was making granny squares like this.


And last night I did this one all by myself. 


Now, I'm not sure I could follow a pattern or make anything more complicated, but then all I really wanted was to be able to make granny square blankets and now I can. Plus it will be a great way to use up all those odds and ends of yarn I have stashed away. I must admit I'm quite chuffed with my little self. 

This just goes to show that everyone learns differently because I know Pam over at A Good Life In Tydd very cleverly taught herself to crochet, but obviously I need someone to show me how and to patiently sit down and talk me through when I make mistakes. Once I learn something then I'm off and running and will try out variations on my own, like I did with bag making. I learned to make a basic lined tote with boxed corners at my beginners sewing class last year and now I'm on to turning out bags like this one I made recently from a pattern in Lisa Lams Bagmaking Bible book.

 







I've also sadly neglected reading a lot of other blogs I enjoy, so I'm going to spend some time catching up and find out what everyone's been up to while I've been gone.

It's been glorious weather all week down here in the Dover area, although still a little chilly. With DH on Easter break, we've been getting out and about walking and visiting some local attractions like the East Kent Steam Railway at Shepherdswell and a stroll along the pier at Deal. Today, once the washing's finished and on the line, we're just going to wander down to the seafront, walk along Dover pier and then treat ourselves to coffee.

That's all I've got for now. Promise I'll try and update more regularly again. I hope everyone else is well and happy and getting a chance to enjoy some lovely weather.




11 comments:

  1. Well done! I learned to crochet as my challenge for the month last June, but I am ashamed to say that I have hardly done any since then - I do want to get back into it more. Your bag is also gorgeous - sewing is another challenge for me, although I have DD14 doing GCSE Textiles so she is the sewer in the family at the moment. Looking forward to seeing more of your creations - and lovely to have you back xxx

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    1. Thank you for welcoming me back. And well done for learning to crochet. Maybe your DD will help you with the sewing.

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  2. Good to see you back Helen, I am so pleased that you have mastered crochet. I am ploughing through my granny squares, I have 60 finished and another stack waiting to have the ends sewn in. I really ought to have a measure up and work out how many I need for my sofa blanket. I have that bag book and to my shame haven't made anything from it yet.

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    1. Wow! 60 granny squares. Well done! My teacher from yesterday showed me a way to attach each square to the next one as you crochet rather than having to sew them together later. That's how the blue and pink squares are worked, although I'm not sure I'll remember how to do it.Unfortunately there would still be the ends to sew in. I got the bag making book for Mother's Day from DS1. I want to try some of the other designs too but need to source some of the extras required in the patterns.

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  3. Lovely crochet and bag!
    Just in case you missed all the excitement. Sarina`s Allsorts is now closed!
    So, please call in at Sarina`s Frugal Kitchen to get updated on whats happening.
    http://sarinasfrugalkitchen.blogspot.co.uk/

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    1. Hi there, Sarina. I did see your new blog and have bookmarked it but haven't had a chance to read it yet; that's on this evening's to-do list.

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  4. Well done, granny squares are great

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  5. Coo, well done! It took me ten years, on and off, to learn how to crochet. It was an old booklet from the 60's, given to me by a friend, that finally made it click. Having knitted since I was 8, I think it was not having a certain number of stitches that threw me. The bag is lovely too.

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    1. Hi Attila. Well done on teaching yourself to crochet. I learned to knit over 50 years ago when I was 5. It was holding the wool in the opposite hand that I just couldn't master with crochet, well, that and working out exactly which part of each stitch to put the hook through. I should have taken a class years ago because it didn't take long to master once I was really shown how and practised for a while. I've been using the bag for a few days now and its great. The hardest parts were sewing in the shaped base, especially as it had fusible wadding on the lining and fusible interfacing on the outer fabric, so a lot of layers to get through. Attaching all the binding to the top was also tricky, but I was pleased with the result.

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  6. Hi Helen, I wondered where you'd gone. Glad you're OK and well done on the crochet.
    I was talking to a lady yesterday who wants to learn and as Clark is our best hooker he said he will teach her. There are so many people giving it a go lately it seems like it's made a bit of a comeback x

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  7. Hi, Bridget. I think it's lovely your children enjoy all kinds of crafts. Mine used to enjoy atrwork and making things out of junk, but none of them were very interested in needlecrafts. Crochet does seem to be very popular lately, even more so than knitting. I've always admired the lacy effect of crocheting which I find difficult to achieve with knitting as my concentration isn't good enough to follow complicated patterns any more.

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