Crochet Blanket Patterns

Homemade gifts are always appreciated but can be overwhelming due to the length of time involved in their creation. By modifying classic crochet designs you can quickly craft stunning gifts for your friends and family.

One time saving trick is to alter crochet designs by using a larger crochet hook. Standardized crochet hooks come in sizes 2-15 mm labeled by ascending letters. An “I” hook which is 5.5 mm is an ideal selection. Although an “I” hook is great for most projects, you will want to stick to a smaller hook when crafting baby blankets to ensure a tighter stitch. If selecting a very large hook, such as an “N” or “P” you will want to use two strands or a thicker yarn for added stabilization.

Rather than spending weeks crocheting a queen sized afghan, decrease the number of rows to create a “lapghan” instead. Many people prefer lap blankets as they are less cumbersome than typical crochet designs for larger blankets while still maintaining its function of keeping you warm.

Over the years, the granny square has become a popular mainstay with a myriad of crochet designs for the beginner. The granny is relatively foolproof since it is worked in the round and doesn’t require much counting. Although fairly easy to craft, it becomes tedious to slip stitch hundreds of miniature squares together. A less time-consuming method is to crochet one large granny square for your lap blanket.

Although there are several methods to start your granny square crochet designs, the easiest seems to be starting with a slip knot followed by 5 chains. Join with a slip stitch forming a ring. Your first round is then worked into the first chain. Chain 3, yarn over make 3 double crochets into the center of the ring and chain 3, and then make three double crochets to create a shell. Following a shell is 3 chained spaces and repeat. When you come full circle, slip stitch to the top and begin the next round in chain 3. Each succeeding row repeats this pattern. Shells are simply three double crochets separated by 3 chain spaces and corners are created by two shells connected with 1 chain space.

Stunning effects can be created by alternating yarns in your crochet designs. Consider using a variegated yarn for two rows followed by a solid color on the next four rows. Alternate this 2-4 combination throughout the blanket. Another attractive pattern is to start your granny square with a solid colored yarn for the first 10 rows making a solid center and then incorporate the 2-4 combination.

Adding adornments to your project compliment and add style to your crochet designs. By simply weaving a satin ribbon though the open weave around the edges adds a touch of elegance. For a teen’s blanket try inserting strips of neon colored faux fur.

With these time saving modifications you will have time to crochet a blanket for everyone on your holiday list. Your friends and family will marvel at how you found the time to create so many beautiful crochet designs.

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Beginner Crochet Patterns

Learning to crochet is not difficult, especially if you can learn from someone and watch how they do it. There are also many books and videos and online sources of information on the hobby of crocheting. Learning to crochet is easiest with a smooth yarn. Master the basic chain and you are on your way!

Crochet is a delicate and loving craft, and when paired with fine fabrics it makes unique and dazzling creations. Crochet is done with one needle and a yarn of choice. A great choice for a beginner?s first project is crocheting a scarf. Many scarf patterns are available free on the web to get you started. Crochet is showing up everywhere. Time for you to get started!

Crochet is a method of making fabric from yarn or thread, much like knitting. In both crochet and knitting, loops of yarn are pulled through other loops to make fabric. Crochet is a similar process, but you use a crochet hook to pull loops through a slipknot. You can pull multiple loops through the knot and, if you use a fine thread, you can make highly intricate and delicate patterns. Crochet is hotter than ever, and there are many magazines that reflect this growing trend.

An extremely versatile and popular technique for making a variety of fashion and home decor accessories, crochet is the perfect fit for your hobby. Be sure to follow crochet instructions when starting out. By combining basic crochet stitches and lighter weight or softer yarns, you create a delicate, drapable fabric; a thicker yarn produces a sturdy fabric. Crochet is making a comeback. It is is very relaxing in today’s world.

Crochet is a great way to relax and to make gifts for family members on a budget. If you are interested in trying your hand at an vintage pattern, possibly from the Victorian era, their are many available free on the web. Just do a Google search and you will find them. For vintage patterns, crochet directions you can get from an eBook are helpful for your first patterns.

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Lion Brand Crochet Patterns

Sometimes it’s hard to imagine that the stars who shine so brightly on cinematic screens are people just like the rest of us. We often think that their lives are so much more interesting and exciting than our own and that we have little or nothing in common with the Hollywood crowd.

Well, it may surprise you to know that at least some of today’s hottest stars enjoy perfectly normal leisure activities that we might acquaint more readily with something your grandmother enjoys doing.

I’m talking about crafts. More specifically, knitting and crocheting. These two activities are especially hot in recent years and Hollywood stars and other celebrities are certainly not immune to the lure of a relaxing evening spent with a crochet hook or knitting needles and a skein of yarn or two.

Indeed, some stars seem to be particularly captivated – some might even say addicted –by these old-time traditional activities. Julia Roberts, for example, is now well-known as a knitting enthusiast who loves to knit sweaters and was once photographed knitting on the set of a movie she was working on.

Other well-known knitters include Madonna, Sandra Bullock, Sarah Jessica Parker and Hilary Swank. Not to be left out, some well known celebrity men have decided that knitting is not just an activity for women. Tough-guy actor Russell Crowe and former NFL player Rosie Grier have made no secret of the fact that they enjoy it as well.

And who didn’t see the TV footage of Martha Stewart and her now-famous “Coming Home” poncho that she was wearing during her trip home to Connecticut after completion of her sentence at Alderson Federal Prison in West Virginia?

The poncho was reportedly crocheted especially for Martha by one of her fellow inmates and after it appeared on TV, it seemed every knit and crochet addict in the country had to have the pattern. There was so much demand for the pattern that it crashed the server that hosts Lion Brand’s web site soon after they posted a version of the pattern there.

And it’s not just celebrities that are knitting and crocheting in record numbers. Manufacturers of yarn and other craft supplies report that sales are way up in recent years. One of the best-known yarn manufacturers, Lion Brand, reports that their sales have doubled in the last year alone. Granted, celebrities have a lot of money, but still, I don’t believe they are solely responsible for Lion Brand’s recent success!

It’s hard to know just what may have triggered all the recent interest in these activities that have been around for so many years. Some believe that the terrible events on 9/11 have influenced people to focus more on home life and simple, more traditional activities. Others suggest that these activities are a nice contrast and welcome respite from lives that have become far too hectic in the wake of the new millennium.

Enthusiasts report that knitting or crocheting can be a very relaxing activity that also provides a nice sense of accomplishment upon the completion of a project. It’s also a great way to create gifts for friends of loves ones that have that personal touch – so much more so than something purchased at the shopping mall.

Some also cherish the traditional aspect of these activities and still harbor fond memories of a beloved relative that took the time to pass along a skill that has endured through countless generations. A skill that they intend to pass down to their children as well.

Whatever the motivation, there’s no question that these traditional activities are experiencing a revival of sorts. There are many possible explanations, however I suspect that speculation and statistics don’t interest these enthusiasts as keenly as their plan for the next project they intend to tackle just as soon as the finishing touches have been applied to the current project.

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Easy Crochet Patterns

You have just typed “easy crochet patterns” into Google and are scouring the pages to find the first crochet project. Are you wondering if that trip to your favourite craft store was a waste of time? Are you just wondering what else you can do with 12 coloured crochet hooks?

Crochet is the best craft

Crochet is one of those great crafts because you can get started really quickly with nice projects that will not have people asking you “what is that going to be when it is finished?”

By learning a few basic crochet stitches you will be able to make some really nice crochet projects.

How many crochet stitches is a few

Is three stitches ok for a few? You can make a crocheted toy with the knowledge of three stitches and the ability to read a crochet pattern.

So what can you make with four crochet stitches? Does a fashionable crocheted handbag sound good enough? Is that better than what you get to do in a pottery class?

So with a few basic stitches you can make toys, handbags, purses, scarves and yes even a bikini.

So the stitches are easy how about the pattern

Crochet patterns are really easy. All you need to read a pattern is to know how to do your crochet stitches and remember that they are abbreviated in the pattern. You do not have to remember the abbreviations for the stitches as they are repeated in the pattern.

So all you need to get going is to find a pattern that includes the stitches that you know, the materials and the right crochet hook or hooks and you are good to go. Have you found your easy crochet patterns already?

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Crochet Patterns

I have to confess that not being able to read a crochet pattern kind of defies the whole concept of crocheting!

When I first learned to crochet, I wanted to know what these abbreviations meant. Maybe I was curious or wanted to learn everything at once – I honestly can’t answer that at this point.

To my way of thinking, reading a crochet pattern is essential to the learning of easy crochet. You are very limited as to finished projects if you can’t read crochet patterns!

If you can’t read a crochet pattern, you are very limited in my opinion. What do you do, keep starting over till you think it’s right and continue in that way?

If you can read a crochet pattern you have the world at your disposal. You are not afraid to venture on to try new things in my estimation!

But the number of people who can’t read crochet patterns astounds me. It seems like a real pity that they don’t learn how to better themselves and feel better about the projects they create!

If you can’t read a crochet pattern, how do you make doilies or crochet home-made dishcloths? Remember, they look easy in the picture, but can you duplicate it that way?

When I learned to crochet (it seems like a life-time ago now), those patterns with those strange abbreviations were a challenge to me. At that point, I made up my mind to learn to read the patterns no matter what.

I did a lot of research and asked a multitude of questions and finally got results. The strange part of it was that then I was no longer limited to crocheting with wool alone.

Being able to read crochet patterns seems to give you the confidence to be able to move on to greater heights – by that I mean, I moved onto cotton and made doilies in a very short time of learning how to read crochet patterns.

The thing that amazes me is that people who aren’t able to read crochet patterns don’t seem to care that every part of every crochet stitch has to be explained and/or demonstrated to them on a one-to-one basis. This bothers me.

I was told at one time that not being able to read crochet patterns showed a lack of patience in whoever did home crocheting in that fashion. It showed no ambition!

Now, I don’t agree with that statement, but I have one of my own – “Don’t learn anything by halves, learn the whole thing, or don’t waste my time!”

When my oldest daughter was in hospital when she was five (5) months old, I was able to crochet a doily, thanks to being able to read crochet directions.

Here’s another point to ponder: If you can’t read crochet directions or patterns, how do you expand your own crocheting knowledge to include the extra stitches required? I am referring to the treble stitch, the half double stitch and so on – that could be daunting!

So if you are a home crocheter, learn how to read the patterns and don’t be stuck in that rut that I call never-ending – read patterns, expand your horizons beyond your own expectations.

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