Craft Blog

Crochet is a process of creating fabric to make shapes or clothing from yarn or thread.  It is similar to knitting as it consists of pulling loops of yarn through other loops. It differs from knitting in that only one loop is active at one time, and that a crochet hook is used instead of two needles.  If you’ve just decided that you’d like to learn to crochet, you probably have a lot of questions.  What kinds of materials do you need; how do you start to crochet; what kinds of things can you create, etc.  Luckily, this article can inform you on what you should know about crochet hooks. 

A crochet hook is a type of needle, usually with a hook at one end, used to draw thread through knotted loops. Only one crochet hook is needed to make crochet stitches. The crochet hook’s earliest use appears to have been in the late 1700s or early 1800s.  Hooks can be made of wood, plastic, casein, or metal. They can have decorative handles. The handle may be shaped to fit the hand for easier use. Some hooks are made with wooden or plastic handles with the hook made of metal and inserted into the handle.  An alternative form is the Tunisian crochet hook, which is much longer than a regular crochet hook, in order to accommodate the multiple loops used in Tunisian crochet. A type of crochet needle with a hook at each end, known as a cro-hook, is used to make double-sided crochet pieces.  The size of the hook is usually matched with an appropriate ply or thickness of thread.

Steel crochet hooks range from 3.5 to 0.75 millimeters in the size of the hook, or from 00 to 14 in American sizing. These hooks are used for fine crochet work.  Aluminum or plastic crochet hooks are available from 2.5 to 19 millimeters in hook size, or from B to S in American sizing. Some of the more popular crochet hooks are made by Boye and Susan Bates.  There are many artisan-made hooks, too, most hand-turned of wood, sometimes decorated with semi-precious stones or beads.  These crochet hooks will all vary in prices, ranging from only a few dollars for aluminum or plastic hooks, to over twenty-five. 

Now that you’ve decided on a hook, you need to find some yarn.  There are five classifications of crochet yarn. They are: super fine; fine; light; medium; bulky; or super bulky.  Each type has its own weight or thickness with roving and bulky yarn being the heaviest.  These types of yarn will also vary in prices, from only a few dollars a skein, to well over fifteen and even more. 

Now that you’ve got your basic supplies, here’s what you do next.  Make a slip-knot loop and place it on the end of your hook.  Pull another loop through the first loop.  Repeat this process until you have created a chain of loops on your hook.  When you’ve reached a length that you like, you can do one of following things: turn the chain the other way and attach more loops to the loops you already have on the hook; or join the row at the beginning with a slip stitch and create more stitches in a loop rather than a row.  You should only ever have one loop left on the hook.  Continue this process until you feel comfortable making rows.

Basically, it’s pretty simple to get started with crochet.  You now know all about the types of crochet hooks available, and you even learned a little bit about yarn and how to start crocheting.  So good luck getting started and have fun!  There’s a world of possibilities out there! 

Crocheting is a popular hobby that many people do, creating beautiful afghans, clothes, pillows, throws, and other items.

If you’re new to crocheting, chances are all of the abbreviations and terminology on the different patterns is a little confusing. One thing to keep in mind is the level of difficulty. Each pattern has a difficulty level that is indicated, from beginner to advanced and will help you to decide, depending on your skill level, which projects and patterns you can best undertake.
 The following tips will help you to better understand crochet patterns.

Learn common abbreviations

There are a large number of different stitches for crocheting, each with their own names. The following are abbreviations for some of the most common stitches that you will come across in your patterns:
• beg- begin/beginning
• bpdc: back post double crochet
• bpsc: back post single crochet  
• bptr: back post treble crochet
• CC: contrasting color
• Ch: chain stitch
• ch- the is the chain or space previously made (i.e. ch-1 space)
• ch sp: chain space
• cl: cluster
• cm: centimeter(s)
• dc: double crochet
• dc dec: double crochet 2 or more stitches together
• dec: decrease/decreases/decreasing
• dtr: double treble crochet
• fpdc: front post double crochet
• fpsc: front post single crochet  
• fptr: front post treble crochet
• hdc: half double crochet
• hdc dec: half double crochet (decrease) two or more stitches together, as indicated on your pattern
• inc: increase/increases/increasing
• lp(s): loops(s)
• MC: main color
• Pc: popcorn; this is a type of stitch
• Rem: remain/remaining
• Rep: repeat(s)
• rnd(s): round(s)
• RS: right side
• Sc: single crochet
• sc dec: single crochet (decrease) 2 or more stitches together, as indicated on your pattern
• sk: skip(ped)
• sl st: slip stitch
• sp(s): space(s)
• st(s): stitch(es)
• tog: together
• tr: treble crochet
• trtr: triple treble
• WS: wrong side
• Yo: yarn over

There are also a number of symbols used in crochet patterns, in addition to the abbreviations. You don’t need to memorize these all at once, and many patterns will have keys you can refer to.

In addition, keep in mind that crochet patterns are worked in either one of two ways: rows or rounds. These can also be combined together. Your pattern will indicate whether you are working in rows, rounds or a combination of the two. This is important to know.

For extra help in reading patterns, you may want to take a class. These will go over the basics and fundamentals of crocheting, including how to read a pattern. Craft stores, libraries, and local college campuses often provide small classes that will teach the basics of crochet, including types of hooks and sizes to use, yarn types, technique, and so forth. Depending on the length of the class – which can range from an afternoon to several weeks – you may be able to make a project as well. Taking a class is a good way to help you familiarize yourself with crochet patterns.

The most important thing to remember as you read patterns is to remember that, like anything else, it takes practice. Be sure to do patterns associated with your skill level, which will help to minimize frustrations. The more you practice, the more you’ll be able to read crochet patterns like a pro.

Everyone loves hand-made crafts.  Crochet sweaters, caps, mittens, and other items are especially popular.  So if you have a talent for crochet, you may have considered selling your crocheted work for a small profit.  But where do you begin?  How do you take something that began as an enjoyable hobby and turn it into a small business?  Well, you’ve come to the right place.  This article will hopefully teach you a bit about how to make the best use of your crocheting and sell it in all the right places.

One of the best places to sell your crochet is online.  You can join a "craft room," where many people display and sell their crochet or knitting all together, or you can simply make your own website where you can sell your wares.  This is a great option because then you don’t have to haul all your crocheted products around with you.  If you decide to create a website to sell your crocheted work, it’s important that you remember to put up pictures of each product.  Also, be sure to put an accurate description of the product, its care requirements and anything else unique about it.  Then you’ll be in business!

Another great place to sell your crochet is at craft shows.  Craft shows occur throughout the year, all over the country.  If you’re really serious about selling your crocheted work, this may be a good option for you.  Here are some suggestions if you’re thinking of selling your crocheted work at craft shows.
 Be organized. Several weeks or months before the craft show, you should make sure that your booth and other fees are paid in full.  Also, make sure that you’ve received all the promo literature.  Makes lists of what you need to finished before the craft show, your current inventory, sale prices for all of your goods, and what you’ll need to take with you for the show (business cards, brochures, markers, pens, notebook, etc.)
 Make your display artistically appealing. Make it colorful, but easy on the eyes, and easy for people to take it all in. Do a ‘dry run’ of your table display or booth at home before the show and have your friends and neighbors tell you what they think of it so you can work out any glitches ahead of time. Before the doors open to your craft shows, stand back and look carefully and critically at your booth as if you were a customer, and make the time to change anything that isn’t ‘right.’ Also, remember that the purpose of your booth is to sell your crocheted work, so it should be displayed full force.
 Build up your customer base.  Try to get names, email addresses, and/or phone numbers of your customers, so that you can build up some kind of base for sales.  A good way to do this is to plan some kind of contest or drawing so that people who visit your booth have to fill out some personal information.
 Stand up and be ready.  It’s a good idea to be standing up and looking around once the doors open.  This shows that you are interested in perspective customers as they come along. But it’s also a good idea to be crocheting, too, so that you are effectively demonstrating your craft.
 Remember to smile.  Be friendly and helpful, including when people make comments like, "Oh, I could make it myself cheaper than that!" If they could, they would and then they wouldn’t be traipsing around craft shows looking to buy products like yours!

Have fun and good luck!