Crochet Some Great Gifts!

The finest gift is always your time, and even if you do not have a large family, or group of friends, there are so many people who would really appreciate your gift of a crochet. Think of the many people in nursing homes, who are serving in armed services, or any of the non-profit groups throughout the world. Any item that can be easy to start, can be a great gift. Every crochet starts with a chain, and some yarn, and your hook. It is not a super hard start, which should be very easy for you. Here is a great video that showcases the chain start, see the chain at 1 minute and 17 seconds, and the chain is as easy as this to start...do as many knots as you would like...to create a 60 inch length...the real trick is starting the first row! So, the infinity scarf is a great gift don't you think? Here are some other simple ideas for gifts with instructional videos to help!

Amanda's Knitted Baby Blanket

The best present you can give a friend who is expecting is a baby blanket! Especially if the baby is going to be a winter baby, as they will go through blanket after blanket when they are little. Those little hands have a way of spreading the diaper mess everywhere, and when it is cold outside, you can be washing and drying often. There is no better way to spread love and good wishes to your friend or family member than to take time to make a knitted blanket. I know, crochet seems to be the right solution, but when I began this project, I remembered why I love a knitted blanket-the tightness of the stitches keep a warmth and a quality that crochet loses. I promise, you will love the result! First of all, it is a baby blanket. Amanda and Luke are having a boy! So, here is a really nice blue baby boy blanket that is one row after another. The length is up to you, but I used two skeins of each blue, and added an accent navy blue in the middle to join them together. It was no more than three skeins of yarn, and it cost me no more than $15. What I spent in time, was given back to me in rest and relaxed knitting, which is a gift to any knitter who knows best. The most relaxing and calming activity I have ever come close to knitting, is yoga, but that involves only a brief few hours at best. You can knit all day if you need to find rest and relaxation! Take your mind of politics, off your worries, and any of your daily chores, and find a comfy chair and knit away. I love it so much!

Here is another shot of the middle, with the stripe change close up:

So, here are the instructions to make this blanket yourself. You can use any three colors, and if it is a girl, use pink, rose and a dark red. Or, to keep it simple and clean, try three grey tones. Beautiful! Start with a middle blue, and cast on 72 stitches on a Size 9 needle, 550mm. The yarn I used was the Patons Classic Wool, a Medium 4 Hand wash wool skein, that is easily found in most craft stores. The wool is soft, and comes in many colors. I used royal blue, color 77132, and new denium, color 77115, with an accent of Navy, color 00216. Use up the first color, and when you get to almost the end, start two rows of Accent color, and then two rows of the first color, and then two rows accent, etc, and then four rows accent, and two rows first color, and then 8 rows accent, two row second color, and then 4 accent, and then 2 second color, and then 2 rows accent, and then continue with the new color until the skein is complete. Now, you can finish by binding off, and then single crochet around the edge, and a little bit of a twist to create the curley edge. The end result is a small, but manageable blanket for mom and dad!

Consider a Larger Needle

If you are looking for a fun project, choose a big needle, like a size 35, and some really soft wool, like a mohair or a soft worsted wool.  You can make a beautiful scarf, the kind that is sold in fancy boutiques, in virtually no time!

Cast on 12 stitches, and work in a knit only stitch, where you knit each row.  No need to purl, so that you get two great sides to this wonderful scarf.  This is a called a garter stitch, and it is a great project to start if you are stressed, have just started to knit, or are looking for a way to just create a great gift in no time.

Keep going, until you hit 60 inches.  Your mind will be so relaxed when you get to 60.  It is like a spa day!  Then, when you get there, bind off loosely. Your work will be airy, loose and beautiful.  You can make fringe if you want to, by just cutting some same length yarn, and tying to the ends.  Use your creativity, and keep knitting!

How to Double Crochet

Here is a great video that offers the visual help to learning a double crochet stitch.  It is abbreviated by dc and is almost the same as single crochet, just doubled.  You will love it, as it gives some height to your project.  Happy times ahead!

Finding Great Yarn Can Be Hard!

If you have a great pattern, and you want to make a really nice sweater or blanket for your next project, it can be really hard to find the same dye lot, and the right yarn for your project.  Here is a way to do it, with the available yarn that is at the shop!

Hit the sale racks first!  Your first stop should be the sale area, as you can often find a clearance on the entire line of yarn in a certain style.  It is a great way to find a good start to a project, and get a bunch of colors that are all the same contrasting value of color.  For instance, if you are knitting a baby blanket, you want a nice soft wool, and the colors should all be bright and warm, or cool and neutral.  Never neutral and bright or cool and warm.  The coloration should be mixed to the decor of the home it is going to, so if your project is going to sit in a red room, you do not want to knit cool and neutral.  You will go bright and warm!

This is an easy way to think, and if you are finding a great value on natural wool, cotton or silk, buy the entire lot!   Do not hesitate, or you will really detest yourself later on.  You can always return the yarn if you need to, but often, I find that one lime green ball of yarn, can be worked into my neutral brown pattern, as an accent, and makes a very nice contrast around the neck, wrists, and bottoms of any front or back.  Again, this is bright and warm!

Here are some analogies to give you some inspiration on color:

Blue, mint green, lavender and tan, ecru and cremes

Moss green, olives, red, orange, and burgundy

Silver gray, white, brown, tan, and heather pinks

Yellow, blues and reds with a variety of bluish purples and greens

Do not be afraid to mix colors, and you can find enough yarn to complete any project, and it will be your own!

Crochet a Flat Circle

If you are going to hook a nice series of glass coasters, pot protectors, or round place mats, you can do them in the round!  It makes sense when you want to have a place to set your tea pot.

Here's how to start! 

Get some great natural cotton fiber yarn, as you can easily wash it, and it will be absorbent for drips and water.  You can get some amazing colors, and the price is usually very kind on your wallet.  The hook you use, is bigger for a loose, but fast project, like a US K10.5/6.50MM, or a smaller, tighter, but slower and dedicated project, like a US F 5/3.75MM.  It is your decision, and often I would start out with the bigger hook, and then try a smaller hook later, after I have worked out the kinks.

Then, make a chain.  I would make a chain of 4.  Then, take your chain, join the two ends with a sniped piece of yarn, and tie the two ends together, keeping the ball end of the yarn out of the chain.  You have made a ring!

Next, look for your stitched ring end, and grab your yarn with your hook, and work into the beginning of the chain, not that nice little bump you made with your chain, but into the center of the ring.  You can roll it around, and if you made a chain of 4, you will not have too big a center, but just enough to double your stitches around.  Keep working in a single crochet, and add the number of stitches as you go around.  It sometimes is helpful to add a twist tie to your "start" as you will do 6 stitches in row 2, (not including your first single crochet to get you started), 12 in row 3, and 18 in row 4, etc...  You are adding 6 on each turn.  Always, when you reach the end of the row, join the row you created with the start.

Here is some great yarn to get you going!

Can you slipknot?

I love a good slipknot, and if you are not used to doing it, here are some great starter tips!  You need to have some patience-deep sigh!-and some yarn, and two needles.  Two needles will be needed to get you knitting, but we are only going to use one for your slip knot. 

So, you have the ball of yarn, the end, and your hands.  Yes, I know this is very simply stated, but I want to keep this as simple as I can.  Take the ball of yarn, and pull it on your right side.  Then, pull out maybe two feet of yarn, more if you are making a blanket.  You will see why later...

Take the end, and closer to the yarn ball, wrap around your left index finger and your middle finger.  Do this from back to front, looking at it.  Then, do it again.  Take your ball yarn, and then bring it through the hole.  Drop your left hand fingers, and pull on your loop.  Yippee!  A fine slipknot you have made!

The best part is now to come! Take your knot, and push your needle through it, and do it from the front to the back, with the point further from you.  This way, you have the ball of yarn behind your right hand, and the end to your left. The knot sits under your needle, and the knot is your first stitch in your work. 

Here is a nice video to show you how it looks in action.  Let me know if you have any questions! Cheers!