Knitters Corner

Kristina, your knitting is beautiful. I really like the colors in the baby jumper.
 
OMG! I only knitted one thing and it was blanket for my baby, a friend helped me. I thought my baby was going to be married and with grandkids by the time I finish the baby blanket!! LOL!! I have no idea what became of that blanket.
 
Thank you Botti!!

Photo bucket?? off to google!
 
Phonephotos132.jpg
 
Looks good! You have now figured out posting pictures!
 
Damn, you're good! I tried to do that and it ended up replying in the same thread!
 
Good job everybody! I wish I could knit that good. I was going to take lessons put it cost too much!!
 
Botti and Google, my 'net and technology gurus!
 
I purchased a crochet kit last night along with two skeins of yarn. I learned how to make the slip knot and got a chain going. How do you keep from making your chain too tight? I noticed this last night but I can't get loose without being too floppy. I also need to figure out how to make stitches so I can add more rows to my chain and actually make something. The goOd thing about crochet is if my hook comes off i can just stick it back in the chain and continue on or if I mess up, I can unravel it back to where I messed up. I will pOst pics of what I have so far on here later.
 
How many hooks did you buy? A lot of people will make their beginning chains on a hook one size larger than what the pattern calls for, and then switch to the smaller size when they start the pattern, to avoid that issue of the starting chain being too tight. That's why it's good to have the basic set of five or six sizes to start out with, so you can adapt as needed.

If you only have the one size, then just purposefully think about not pulling the chains too tight. Relax your hands, let the yarn flow through your fingers. Don't pull. It should work out all right.

Did your set include some sort of instruction book?

To make a row after the beginning chain: Chain whatever number you need, plus one, for a pattern in single crochet. Holding the work dropping from the chain, turn it clockwise (if you are right-handed). Always turn your work in the same direction every time you turn at the end of a row, so the twists will be the same throughout your work.

At this point you now have the chain dangling from the hook. You will see that each chain looks like a small oval loop with one strand under that loop. You have some choices as to where to put the hook, under two strands of yarn or under one, depending on how you want the finished item to look.

I find it easier, usually, to do the starting row by going under just one strand of yarn, because I find leaving two strands to make the edge of my work looks more finished. But you will see the standard instructions call for going under both strands. Experiment with both methods and you will see the difference.

Anyway - so you have the chain dangling. Take your hook and insert it under the top strand or strands of the second chain from the hook. Loop your yarn over the hook, which is now on the back side of the work. Pull through. You now have 2 loops on the hook. Wrap the yarn around the hook again and pull through the 2 loops. You have now made one single crochet (sc) and you again have one loop on the hook.

Keep going until the end of the row. Count your stitches at that point, make sure you stitched into every chain.

Then make a chain, turn, start over. This chain is called the "turning chain." (Duh....)There ya go!

For sc, the turning chain never counts as a stitch.

For anything higher than sc, usually the turning chain DOES count as the first stitch. In that case, you will notice that you have a post (vertical part of the stitch) and a loop immediately to the right of that, which is the worked part of the stitch. In sc, you start immediately with that loop, because the one turning chain is not counted as a stitch. In double crochet (dc) you do NOT work into that very first loop, because the turning chain counts as a stitch. You will work into the next available loop, in other words the one to the LEFT of the first post.

As you continue your work, remember to work into the turning chain when you come back to it on the next row. Because, again, it counts as a stitch.

The directions for whatever you're doing will tell you if the turning chain does or does not count as a stitch, and if it's a pattern other than the basic straight crocheting back and forth, will also say how many chains back from the hook you're supposed to start.

Let us know how it goes. Experiment a little bit with making some swatches about 6" high of of the basic stitches. (Sc, half-doubles, double). You will get used to the feel of the hook and how the tension will be more consistent when you relax your hands.
 
Got any pics of what this should look like? I have it in my head of what I *think* it should look like but I want to be 100% sure. Thanks! I'm about to go back and make my chain a wee bit longer and then try some single crochets as you have mentioned. If they are too tight to work with, I may unravel it and do it again on a slightly bigger hook and then switch back to a regular hook for the crochet.
 
Learn to Crochet: Lion Brand Yarn

This is the LionBrand site. They have a "how to crochet" tutorial with both a video and written instruction with pictures, which you can download all at once. The line-drawing pictures are very clear and should give you a good idea.

This site How to Crochet has smaller pictures which aren't all that clear, but the verbal directions give you some hints on what to do if you are making your chain too tight.

What size hook(s) are you using? Did you buy the Susan Bates aluminum set, by any chance? That set has 6 sizes, from F (smallest) to K (largest). I use G, H, and I most often. The set as a whole meets my needs probably 90% of the time. I also sometimes use the tiny steel hooks with cotton thread, or the very large hooks to work with chunky yarns, but day in, day out, the 6 basic sizes fill the bill for almost every standard hat, scarf, or afghan project.
 
I am using a 5.5mm hook. My set includes 6.5mm, 5.00mm, 3.75mm, 4.25mm and some little doodads that you mentioned earlier.

The kit says to use the 5.5mm and a size 4 yarn of worsted weight. I will check out the sites you mentioned and see if I can figure it out.

I'm just doing a small patch sized bit of about 21 chain links long. Once I can get the little patch down pat, I'll try making my first scarf using the basic stitches and stuff. Should the two skeins of yarn be enough for this?
 
Are the skeins 50 grams or 100 g? If you've got 2 skeins of 100 g each, that should be plenty to do a nice scarf. 2 skeins of 50 g will probably do you a narrower scarf, maybe one that you tie in front instead of being long enough to wrap around your neck.

You should have a 6.0 mm hook (size J) in that set as well. Try your practice chains with either a 6.0 or the 6.5 and see how that goes. Especially if you working tightly, the larger hooks will open up the chains a bit and make it easier for you to see the structure of the stitch.
 
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