Sunday 30 August 2015

My Crochet Diary - Two


So I am still working at learning to crochet, and here is my first completed crochet project. Isn't he cute. I saw an appeal on Linda's Crafty corner for knitted/crochet bear puppets for a charity record attempt. Linda has also really helpfully published a Bear Crochet Pattern. What was reassuring was having read through it I thought I could understand the pattern. The only thing I slightly altered was making him a little circle for a muzzle. He also has a little bit of wadding in his head and muzzle. I must find out where to send him to for the record attempt in September.

I am still making a few mistakes, but I am learning as I go. The first major mistake with teddy, is that once again I have put my crochet hook under one strand, not two. (Thank you CreativeJewishMom for explaining this to me.) The book I am working from only illustrates the first row, and doesn't explain that further on you insert the needles under both strands. 

Thank you everyone who gave me tips and advice and encouragement after my last Crochet Diary post. I have found that Youtube videos are really helpful, although the UK/USA difference in stitch names is a bit annoying. The main thing you can really learn from a video is how to hold the thread and hook (another thing I have been getting wrong and doing much more like a knitter).

The other things I am finding hard is how to count how many rows I have done, and how many stitches I have. How many extra chains to make at the end of each row, and how many stitches in to start.  I can see if you get this wrong your work could start shrinking or expanding. So turning at the end of the row is always a bit scary.

My target is to eventually make a granny square blanket, or perhaps even a single granny square would be a good start. But for now I am looking at little crochet projects to learn a few more skills. More advice would be very welcome!


14 comments:

  1. Your Teddy looks perfect you will soon get the hang of it the more you make the easier it becomes. :) xx

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  2. Wow, really amazing, you're doing a great job! Glad to have helped as well! Of course there are times when you do crochet only through one loop, in order to create a ribbed look, take a look on my blog at some of the ribbed scarves and cowls I've made that way, simple and very lovely! AND when making baskets or sides for something you also only crochet through one loop to make a row that is perpendicular to the base. (though actually there is another way to do this as well, ask me about that if you'd like to know!)

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  3. Youve done a fabulous job having just started to learn, and to have a finished product at the end of it. I like that crochet is a never-ending learning process. I started out making circles, which i then folded in half to make birds and butterflies, before i progressed on to squares, and youtube was a huge help. Keep going youre doing fab!! xx

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  4. Hats off to you, never mastered crochet and you have inspired me to get out a needle. I think the teddy looks so sweet.

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  5. Lovely little Teddy !!!!
    Thanks for your visit !
    Have a nice week !
    Anna

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  6. He is so cute! You're making so much progress with crocheting, it's great!

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  7. Your teddy is adorable, I think you're doing brilliantly. I agree the U.S./UK terminology is really confusing, I've only worked UK patterns so I don't get muddled, at least not until I'm a lot better at crochet!

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  8. This is brilliant! I have crocheted a granny square blanket but that's the only thing I've learned how to do - I got the hang of it because once I did the first round, I could repeat the same pattern over and over. I've not yet transferred any of the stitches learned there to other projects. I look forward to seeing more of your work!

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  9. Your crocheted teddy bear came out so nice and it's adorable!

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  10. Too cute

    Mia
    minonimia.blogspot.com

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  11. This teddy is so cute! Thanks so much for sharing at the Submarine Sunday Link Party! I hope you'll stop by again soon!

    Navy Wifey Peters @ The Submarine Sunday Link Party

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  12. I'm learning crochet too at the moment. Went straight for the Granny Squares and am now on my second blanket. Your teddy is very sweet. Maybe I need to try something a bit smaller next time. It does look tempting. I was caught out by the UK/US terms too.

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  13. Very cute and great for your first project. Some projects it really doesn't matter about stitches. I'm a firm believer that handmade doesn't have to be perfect anyways. A granny square of any size would be a wonderful starting point as it is easy to do. Most crocheters complain about the joining aspect of crocheted squares, so if you did a giant granny, it would just be the joining of colors you would be doing, not the joining of a whole heck of a lot of squares. Good luck!

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