Craft Blog

If you have ever found the most perfect, beautiful pattern only to realize that it’s knitted and you prefer to crochet?  You may have despaired of using it to create the perfect crochet item but don’t-there is a way to have your pattern and crochet it too!

Here are some tips to help you convert that pattern to a form you’re more familiar with. Yes, there is some math involved but don’t let that scare you!  Get out your calculator and get ready to do some converting!

Here’s how to go about converting a knit pattern to crochet for clothing:

Using the knit gauge for the pattern you’ve chosen (that is stitches per inch and rows per inch – they should be stated in the pattern), convert the numbers to inches or centimeters. You should then be able to come up with a rough sketch (if none is provided) of the size and shape of the garment piece(s).  Since this can be confusing be sure you’re using the measurements / stitch count for the same size garment all the way through.

Then comes the fun part – play around with different stitches and yarns and hooks to get a similar fabric (light and drapery, airy and open, heavy and solid, etc.)  If you have stitch dictionary that can be very helpful here,  or go through your collection of crochet patterns and magazines for ideas and inspiration. Let your inspiration and imagination run wild to come up with your best design! 
Pick the stitch pattern (or patterns) you like best, carefully measure your gauge in crochet, then convert the number of stitches and rows required, etc. A calculator makes the job go much faster. Also, the larger the swatch, the more accurate your measurements will be.

If a schematic is provided for the knit pattern you may want to photocopy it and write the results of your calculations and other notes right on the pattern. Do take lots of notes as you work on the item in case you decide to make it again some time .  This can be essential for future work.  Don’t forget to note the yarn type (and when you’re done, yarn quantity) and hook you used! Then when you are done you really have something worthwhile to keep and work from.

Measure your work systematically and at regular intervals as you go and compare it to the original pattern.  This is to ensure that your sizing is on track.  By doing this you should eventually come up with a comparable garment.
A few things to keep in mind:

•    Be sure you have lots of extra yarn if converting from knit to crochet.  Crochet generally uses about one third more yarn than a comparable item done in knit with the same yarn. Afghan (Tunisian) crochet uses even more!
•    Knitters get a break here. You’ll generally need less yarn than stated when converting a crochet pattern to knitting.
•    Remember, this is with the same yarn. You can’t do a straight math calculation if you’re not substituting fairly close types of yarn. 

If that’s the case, you should measure and then ravel out your swatch and measure the number of yards or meters  which cover that particular area (square inches / cm) and go from there (though it’s a bit more complicated if the pattern has lots of shaping). Always err on the side of too much yarn rather than too little no matter which way you’re converting.

Remember, you will get a comparable item, not an exact copy of the original pattern. Yet by successfully completing these steps you may have that lovely, perfect item you first thought you could never have! 

Crocheting is an enjoyable and addicting hobby that allows its users to turn yarn into beautiful blankets, articles of clothing, and a number of other things.

If you’re interested in crocheting, you’ll notice from your patterns that there are a number of stitches that are needed to make various projects. The following are a few of the more common stitches and how to do them:

• Chain. To do the chain stitch, make a loop in the thread, then insert the hook into the loop. From there, bring the main length of thread through. Continue to bring the thread through each new loop until you get to the length you want.

• Single Crochet. First, insert the hook under two loops of the stitch, then bring the thread through the two loops on the hook, thread this over the hook, and then bring it  through the loops.

• Double Crochet. The double crochet requires that you first thread over the hook, then inset the hook into the stitch. From there, draw the thread through the three loops on the hook, thread them back over the hook, draw through two loops, thread over, and, finally, bring it back through the remaining loops.

• Half Double Crochet. To make this stitch, first make a double crochet stitch until you have three loops on your hook. From there, thread it over and draw through all three of the loops.

• Treble. For the treble stitch, first thread over the hook twice, then insert the hook in the stitch and draw the thread through the 4 loops on the hook. Then, thread over, bring it through two loops, thread over again, draw it through two loops, thread it back over, and bring it back through the two remaining loops.

• Double Treble. To do the double treble, which is a variation of the treble, bring the thread over the hook three times instead of two; and for a Triple Treble, thread it over four times, taking off two loops at a time.

• Slip Stitch. To create a slip stitch, insert the hook through the stitch, catch the thread, and then in one fluid motion, draw through both the stitch and the first loop on the hook. This stitch is mostly used for joining or when an invisible stitch is needed.

• Cross Stitch. For this advanced stitch, thread over twice, then insert hook into the stitch and bring the thread through, the same as you would for a treble stitch using 4 loops on the hook. Then thread over and bring it back through the 2 loops, thread over, skip two stitches, and insert the hook in the next stitch. From there, draw the thread through five loops on the hook, thread back over, and draw off two loops at a time. Do this 4 times, making a cross.

• Cluster. To do a cluster stitch, make three or more trebles in the same stitch, making sure to hold the last loop of each treble on the hook. Then, thread over the hook and remove all of the remaining loops. Fasten the cluster to hold it in place with another stitch.

There are many different stitches for crocheting, each with a varying degree of difficulty, and each forming its own unique pattern. With time and practice, you will learn to work these different stitches easily.

One of the hottest retro trends experiencing a reemergence is the hobby of crocheting.  Once considered the domain of only grandmothers we are seeing crochet emerge everywhere as the hand work hobby of teens and senior citizens alike.  Everyone from celebrities to urban commuters can be found touting their crochet hooks and discussing the merits of size, type and even the material their hooks are made of.   The new trend for filling down-time seems to be handiwork as crochet has become hot.  In addition as serving as the latest hot trend designers are showing crochet in their fashion lines.  Everything from the expected crochet sweaters and hats to even crochet bikinis!   Yet one of the most difficult skills for the beginning crochetier to master is changing colors in the middle of a pattern.  This article should serve as a guide whether the crochetier is using a chart or pattern or designing their own item. 

These are instructions are given mainly to use while following color changes on a chart or pattern, in single crochet.  However, the technique is the same for any color change when crocheting, whether the stitch is double, treble or double treble; draw the second color through the last two loops of the stitch to change colors.

 Some Hints for Changing Colors:

When you are ready to change to a different color, pull up the first loop for a single crochet in the old color, then, pull the new color through the last two loops to complete that single crochet. Continue in the new color, following the chart or pattern. Change colors in this manner, whenever indicated on the chart/pattern.

There will be times when you will be working only one or two stitches before changing colors again. Carry the unused colors along the wrong side of the work. Be sure to carry it along loosely enough so that the work does not pucker or pull. An often-used method is to crochet over the unused colors as they are carried along the wrong side of the work. This hides the strands and eliminates having long unused strands carried across the back of the work, making the item look much neater.
When to and when not to (crochet over the unused yarn):

Use your own judgment and design taste. Sometimes a dark strand that has been crocheted over in this manner will show up boldly through a light color, so keep this in mind when deciding which unused strands to crochet over.
When there are long areas of one color it’s better to use separate balls of yarn for each colored section, to eliminate carrying unused colors across the wrong side of the work in the one-color area. For instance if you are using two dark colors on the sides of white it would be better to use separate balls of yarn for each colored section so the darker-colored yarns do not show up behind the white. 
To prevent the balls of yarn from tangling and to keep it all enjoyable:
One method is:

1. Place each ball of yarn in a zip-top sandwich bag. Zip it closed when color is not in use. Keep the yarn wound as close to the work as you can when that color is not in use. This greatly reduces the chance of tangling. 

Or:

2. Purchase yarn bobbins, made for the purpose of holding small amounts of yarn for multi-color work. This is very cost-efficient way to handle multi-color work without the frustration of always having to separate colors. 
With a little practice, working with multi-colors can be a lot of fun and can produce beautiful results!