Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Crochet

I've started my first two crochet projects in the past few days. Okay, technically my mother taught my friend Katie and me to crochet when we were in elementary school and I have vague memories of making a blanket for one of my dolls...but I'm 99% sure that I never crocheted again until after I learned to knit. All of the crocheting that I've done since May 2004 has been edgings, trims and slipped stitches.

I've decided to learn for a couple of reasons. 1 - It involves yarn. 'Nuff said. 2 - I've seen patterns in crochet that I like and I think that the properties of crochet make them better suited to these projects than trying to "redo" them in knit stitches. 3 - I think having a better understanding of crochet will help me better execute crocheted edgings and crocheted seams, as well as understanding how they can be modified to suit my tastes.

I don't really think that I going to come away from this with a stronger desire to crochet than knit, because in general I prefer knit stockinette fabric over many of the crochet fabrics I've seen. But there are crochet fabrics I like, and I think there is great promise in understanding a myriad of ways to play with yarn and use it to its best advantage!

For those interested, I'm making the ladylike lace gloves from The Happy Hooker and the Babette Blanket from Interweave Crochet. I still need more yarn for Babette, but I couldn't resist making the first few squares from some Cascade 220 in the stash...

2 comments:

Katie said...

I remember the doll blanket I crocheted when your mom taught us - it was out of a white/pink/blue variegated yarn. I have a hunch it is still somewhere in my parents basement... :-) I love Babette - can't wait to see it!

Anonymous said...

I've been sort of getting in touch with yarn again. :) I learned to crochet years ago while working on a show, and then abandoned it for years. Just recently, my friend Jaci taught me to knit, so now I'm starting to do a bit of that. I hope you'll post photos of your finished projects!