Top 5 Reasons to Crochet

As I write this, I realize that if we all sat down and made our own lists of top five reasons to crochet, there'd be some vast differences. But I think, amongst those differences, there'd be a lot of common themes. So, with this in mind, I'm going to write out my top reasons with the hope that you'll chime in and add your comments and additions.

This blog theme came to mind this morning when I woke up with the worst head cold ever and thought to myself, "How am I going to motor through the day feeling like this?" I determined I would work as best I can (I'm a freelance writer), and drink lots of liquids and rest, if possible (like that's going to happen). And I would crochet.

I could take a day off from crocheting, but why would I want to do that? As I sit here feeling stuffed up and with a raw nose from blowing it, the only thing that brings me comfort is the thought of crocheting. Which leads to my Top 5 Reasons to Crochet.

1. Crochet Brings Me Joy. Once we reach adulthood, there are few things that bring us pure joy the way so many things did when we were children. For me, crochet delivers that childlike joy.
2. It Brings Other People Joy. A crochet item is more than a practical article intended for use, warmth or wear. It's something that's stitched with love that can outlast the person who made it. Not every recipient of a crochet gift realizes this, but those who do value their gifts and find joy in them.
3. A Great Stress-Buster. On a stressful day, when everything seems challenging, crochet is an effective way to let go of the stress. Even if it's only for five minutes, the rhythmic motion of crocheting and the ability to get lost in thought makes all those worries and concerns dissipate.
4. Fuels My Creative Spirit. Creativity is like oxygen to me. Without creative expression, I feel like I'm withering away.
5. A Practical Part of My Plan. At the end of 2013, I decided that I must do more to balance out my life and experience more joy. I love crochet; I think about new designs and projects all the time. I've decided to make it part of my sustenance, as well as part of my joy.

 When I pick up my crochet hook and a new or current project, it's a moment of pure happiness. Now I want to hear from you! Tell me your top reasons to crochet and what it means to you.

An Inherited Crochet Afghan Created in 1937

My maternal grandmother passed away in October 2012 at 94 years old. Next to her Lazy Boy sat a basket with works in progress. She had been working on two granny square afghans, one in pinks and greens, and the other in gray and a variety of pastel colors.

For as long as I can remember, she'd always been the crafty type. As a child, I remember the "back room" of her house, which had been converted to a sewing room, complete with a dress form. She sewed clothing with perfect stitches and exact fit. Being a product of the Depression Era, she'd learned young to sew out of necessity, not just as a hobby.

Besides sewing, I also remember her working on various yarn crafts, needlepoint and dabbling in 3-D art. Like her sewing work, every craft project she undertook was done with perfection, producing something beautiful in the end.

After Grandma was gone, my mother and I were cleaning out her apartment. A large bag of yarn accumulated, including some of the fancy yarns I blogged about the other day, and my mother said to take them with me.  Then my mother pulled out an afghan from the closet and handed it to me. "Would you like to have this?" she asked. I struggled not to cry.

The beautiful lapghan my mother handed me had been crocheted by my grandmother sometime around 1937, when she was about 20 years old. Here she is a year earlier, standing proudly with her best friend, wearing the coats they'd bought on layaway for 25 cents per week.

My grandmother is on the right.

 Stitched in a potpourri of half-double crochets, bobbles and scallops, the beautiful lap-sized afghan is a medley of red, pink and taupe. As I examined it closely, it was clear my grandmother had a gift. I am certain she would have never identified her crochet or any other craft-ability as a gift.

Over the course of nearly 80 years, the afghan has gotten a bit stretched, it feels as if the stitches are tight from washing, but it's crocheted so well that I'm certain it will last on this earth far longer than I will. Someday, one of my grandchildren or great-grandchildren will be given this afghan and it's my job to make sure they understand its significance. It will be my responsibility to tell them about the woman who crocheted it.

Soon the afghan will grace my couch in Germany, where I live most of the time with my boyfriend. We have no pets there and no small children who are prone to spilling, so the afghan will be safe until it is given to a subsequent generation. I miss my grandma every day. But I feel connected to her each time I pick up a crochet hook and yarn, and especially when my fingers run over the very stitches she crocheted in 1937. 

My grandmother holding one of her great-great-grandchildren, September 2012.

Cream and Pastel Chunky Infinity Scarf

A few weeks ago, I started working on a new crochet project. It started out with a forest green chunky-stitch infinity scarf, which I blogged about here. After working on a few crochet square designs, I returned to my infinity scarf project to make a cream and pastel version of my chunky infinity scarf.

With my trusty wooden Q hook in hand, I stitched up this beauty, working on it in bits and snatches of time over the course of a few nights.

Made with Redheart acrylic yarn in Aran along with a variegated pastel brand from Germany, this infinity scarf will be one of two basic patterns in an upcoming infinity scarf pattern book. It's soft, has just the right amount of elasticity and the bits of pastel color woven through give a classic scarf an attractive look.

I think it's safe to say that I'm officially addicted to infinity scarves. My next scarf has already been planned, and it's a fun fun fun pattern designed for intermediate crocheters. I can't wait to share it here! Do you like or wear infinity scarves? What crochet project are you addicted to right now?

Fancy Yarns -- Do You Like Them?

I have to admit, just the word "fancy" piques my curiosity. The little girl in me conjures up visions of tutus, castles and lace. As an adult who's crochet crazy, the idea of fancy yarns delights me. Yet, I don't often know what to do with them.

Various fancys

By definition, fancy yarns are any type of yarn with a deliberate interruption or discontinuity in color or form. I have a bag full of fancy yarns -- eyelash yarns, yarns with tiny bobbles or rickrack-like things. Initially at a loss as to what to do with them, I turned to my go-to project: the hat.

A slightly metallic variegated fancy.

Eyelash yarn, which looks like yarn with fine eyelashes.

 Although the yarn was hard to work with at first, I eventually got the hang of it. A few fellow crocheters suggested using a second strand as a guide, then pulling it out after each row. I preferred to feel my way through each stitch, instead. They can be difficult to see.

My grandmother left behind a bag full of fancys when she passed away. She almost always crocheted with pastel colors of regular, four-ply yarn, so I can't imagine what on earth she was planning to do with an entire bag of eyelash yarn! Perhaps, like me, the little girl inside her was lured in by the word "fancy" and her mind envisioned tea parties with princes, moonlit dances and fun yarns that delight, even if they're only sitting in the bag.

Yarn Colors -- Do You Gravitate Toward Vibrant or Muted?

Just lately, I've noticed quite a few crochet items stitched up in vibrant colors. A deep purple infinity scarf, a kelly green neck warmer, and even a pair of hot pink mittens. It got me thinking about the yarn colors I use and tend to gravitate to.

I do love color. I'm attracted to bright colors and color combinations that make the item I'm crocheting stand out. But there are times when I shy away from the bright colors I'm attracted to and use something muted instead. Such as for these projects which, although they're not "stand up and get noticed" colors, I don't think they're dull either.

Forest green

A paler purple paired with cream.

Pale pink paired with shades of mocha brown.

Of the bright-colored projects I've made, the following are the brightest. (Which has me thinking that I need to start buying some bright-colored yarn that says "Hey, notice me!"

Granny scarf made with scraps of bright colors.

Bright-colored block afghan.

Berry red saves the day against muted green and cream.

The kelly green and deep purple I've recently seen have really inspired me to crochet something bright, even as I finish up another infinity scarf made of cream yarn with pastel shades woven into it. Or perhaps, I'll just have to be more mindful to combine toned-down colors with those that say "pick me, pick me!"

What colors do you tend to gravitate toward? Is there a color family you find yourself using over and over again? I'm interested to hear about the colors of yarn you find yourself attracted to.

For the Love of Crochet Hats

Somewhere in here, there's a hat waiting to be crocheted.

One of my favorite crochet projects to make is a hat. When I first started relearning crochet, I made granny squares. Then I made a hat. In retrospect, it should have been the other way around.

Hats are so easy to make, and they provide nearly instant gratification. A basic beanie, shown in this fantastic tutorial, can be crocheted in a couple hours if it's for a newborn or two nights if it's for an adult.

Basic beanie

I can't even begin to tell you how many crochet basic beanie hats I've made! It's my go-to hat pattern, which I usually personalize with favorite colors or embellishments, like this:

Basic beanie with flower

 Because I need creativity the way we all need oxygen, I've tried many other crochet hat patterns. A few have been unraveled and made into something else. Many have gone on to a new home. That's what I love about hats -- they're easy and fun to make, and are great gifts. After all, is there any such thing as too many hats? Here are a few other styles I've enjoyed creating.

Newsboy cap

Pumpkin hat

For the football fan

Owl hat

My last hat project was for the two baby girls that were born into our family last week. I used the basic beanie instructions, but changed to the granny stitch after the last row of increases. This simple change adds such a pretty twist to a basic hat.

Basic beanie with granny stitch in the middle

Hat Tips: One of the most important things I learned -- the hard way, of course -- is to crochet hats to the HAT size, not the HEAD size. If you crochet to the head circumference (at the widest part), you'll end up with a hat that's too big or too lose. Measure the widest part of the head and subtract 2 inches or 5 cm. You'll get the perfect fit every time.

Do you enjoy making crochet hats? What's your favorite pattern? Today it's all about hats!

Intimidating Crochet Projects

No matter how long you’ve been crocheting, there are likely to be one or two crochet projects that intimidate you. Perhaps you’ve seen pictures on Pinterest or read someone’s blog and thought “Wow! I’d love to make that.” But you still haven’t gotten up the nerve to start.

I feel pretty confident about my crochet abilities, but there are two projects that I’ve yet to try: a crochet sweater that’s stitched up in pieces and Tunisian crochet. 

Beautiful Tunisian crochet stitch.

Crochet sweaters are on my list of projects I’d like to tackle. But as soon as I see a pattern that involves crocheting and sewing together several pieces, I back out of it and continue searching for something simpler. I’ve gone as far as modifying a one-piece infant cardigan in order to avoid what I view as the more difficult approach. My attempt led to a crochet project gone wrong, and I’ve still yet to crochet a sweater that I’ll actually wear.

Tunisian crochet, on the other hand, always looks so beautiful, and I’m tempted to try it. Then I read the instructions, and I’m put off. It’s not so much that I avoid difficult crochet patterns as much as it’s that crochet is a Zen-like experience for me. I want it to be a stress-buster, not a stress-inducer!

Intricate Tunisian crochet wrap.

Do you have an easy-to-follow sweater pattern that you’d like to share? Have you attempted Tunisian crochet? What projects intimidate you? Come on; ‘fess up! Maybe, together, we can become brave enough to try a project that’s intimidated us. I’m game if you are! And I bet we’ll find out it’s not as bad as we originally thought.