by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes
Howdy!
I've been gone a very long time. And now, during the covid-19 pandemic, I'm back - for a hot minute. I do a lot of crochet - and saw some questionable crochet info online.
This post contains comprehensive information!
My grandmother taught me to crochet as a young child. I have been crocheting for decades, have taught crochet, and had crochet (and knit) commissions.
Here's my 2 cents...
WHAT A COMPLETE BEGINNER NEEDS TO KNOW TO
CROCHET A SCARF
 |
'OOAK - Two color unisex gift scarf'
2016 by mlh1 |
Here are answers to questions you may have if you want to take
up the satisfying hobby of crochet.
The most basic info for a complete beginner to know is:
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNIT AND CROCHET
·
CROCHET
(pronounced ‘crow – shay’ – thought to be from the French word ‘croche’ meaning
‘small hook’):
o
One HOOK is used in crochet. Hook is
held in dominant hand, working yarn in non-dominant hand.
o
uses
more yarn than knitting. Usually makes more decorative, lacy type items.
·
KNIT (pronounced ’nit’
– thought to be from the Dutch word ‘knutten’
meaning ‘to knot’)
o
Two NEEDLES (or more) are used in knitting.
Each hand holds 1 needle (or more).
o
Working
yarn is held in any number of methods, it’s your choice. Each method has a name. For example, Continental
vs English vs Portuguese, etc...
o
uses
less yarn and is suited to creating garments. Usually makes more utilitarian
items.
o
Knitting
can also be done on a loom, but hand-knitting is portable - useful for nomadic and
non-agrarian societies.
WHY WOULD I WANT TO LEARN CROCHET VS KNIT?
CROCHET
- ·
Can
be faster than knitting to create a scarf.
- ·
Easier
and quicker to ‘rip’ out loops and fix mistakes.
- ·
Easier
to keep track of just the one hook.
- ·
Can
be more creative with more thinking and decision-making.
- Can be less structured with more freedom.
- ·
Crochet
items tend to have more texture – even using the thinnest yarn and simplest
stitch.
- ·
Items
can not be crocheted by machine – only handmade – may have originated in 18th
C.
KNIT
- ·
Can
be slower than crochet to create a scarf.,
- ·
Harder
and slower to ‘rip’ out and fix mistakes.
- ·
Harder
to keep track of two needles – if one needle is lost, you’re in trouble.
- ·
Can
be more structured with less thinking and decision-making.
- Can be less creative with less
freedom.
- ·
Knit
items tend to appear flatter.
- ·
Items
can also be knit by machine - since 1589.
However, both CROCHET and KNIT can be done using ‘free-form’
techniques.
WHICH IS MORE POPULAR?
CROCHET - as of 2020 online
searches, per trend.Google.com.
In 2014, knitting was the more frequently searched term of the two.
WHAT IS THE EASIEST ITEM FOR A COMPLETELY NEW BEGINNER TO LEARN?
A long scarf - or short headband.
WHAT LENGTH SHOULD I MAKE MY
SCARF OR HEADBAND?
- ·
Scarf
= 6’ (adult)
- ·
Headband
= 22” (adult).
HOW
MUCH YARN DO I NEED TO CROCHET MY SCARF?
More
than you think...
I
always buy 2 skeins for one 6' long scarf (no fringe) - or more. Dye lots
change. If you don't buy more yarn than
what you need (per the pattern), if you run out before finishing, when you go
to buy more yarn, it usually won't match. (You can always use any leftover yarn
for smaller projects, free-form crochet, or practicing stitches.)
WHAT SIZE/THICKNESS/# OF YARN DO
I BUY?
As a beginner, buy the size yarn indicated in your pattern.
But, if you are adventurous, you can change the yarn size in the pattern.
The
complete beginner needs to know that, in general, if you change the size of the yarn in
a published pattern (e.g. #4/medium to #5/bulky), you should also change to a
compatible size hook. That is:
·
Thinner
yarn uses smaller hook, thicker yarn uses larger hook.
Similarly,
when you change the size of
the hook, change the size of the yarn. That
is:
·
Smaller
hook uses thinner yarn, larger hook uses thicker yarn.
VERY IMPORTANT: If you change the yarn size without changing the hook or change the hook without changing the yarn size, your finished scarf will not look like or be the same size as the published pattern.
WHAT TYPE YARN FIBER SHOULD I USE?
A complete beginner should probably start with acrylic (synthetic) yarns to practice.
When you are more proficient in crochet, wool yarns are ideal for a winter scarf. Although most wool yarns are hand wash only, there are also machine washable wool yarns and wool-blend yarns. A wool or wool-blend scarf would make a nice gift.
Wool blended with bamboo is a soft and warm blend. Mohair wool yarns or cashmere wool yarns are the ultimate yarns - soft and luxurious. If you can find mohair or cashmere blended with silk, buy up as much as you can afford! (And let me know where you found them, too).
If you want to give the gift of an acrylic scarf, find a soft acrylic or acrylic blend. But I prefer to use acrylic yarn only for practice, not for gifts.
WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE THE EXACT SIZE YARN BUT I DO HAVE CORRECT SIZE HOOK?
A
good thing for a complete beginner to know is that if you don't have the size
yarn required in the published pattern (size #4 yarn, for example), sometimes you can
hold ‘two-as-one' of size #3 yarn which may result in the same look as the published pattern.
And
you can still use the required size
hook – for example, a 10mm hook.
WHAT TO DO WITH THE YARN SKEIN I
JUST BOUGHT? HOW DO I GET STARTED?
Before
you start your project, unless you plan to ‘arm crochet, if your yarn is not already wound into a ball, you should prep the skein (pronounced 'skayne') aka 'hank'. (Yarn also now comes in a 'cake' which does not need to be wound into a ball - unless you prefer to wind it).
Prepping
involves unwinding the skein/hank (either by hand or by using a ‘yarn swift’) while simultaneously
rewinding it into a ball. You can use a large, smooth, deep bowl or other
container to hold the re-wound ball(s) from the skein/hank. I’ve used bowls. Now I prefer to use a regular-size paper
shopping bag on the floor, with the working yarn threaded through one of the
handles. You can buy specific wooden or ceramic bowls - with a hole or a slit -
made for yarn. But I find the bowls are too small for my projects, so I use the paper shopping bag to contain/store my balled yarn.
Many
people do not prep their yarn and crochet (and knit) directly from strands pulled from the
skein/hank. That has been problematic at times for me, with skein yarn getting
tangled while working with it on a project. So
I always prep my yarn by winding into balls. I tape the outside end down with
washi tape or painter’s tape (don’t use masking tape – it’s too sticky).
You can wind yarn into a ball by hand - or buy a 'ball winder' online. I prefer to use the 'ball winder'.
HOW IS A SLIPKNOT INVOLVED IN CROCHET?
All
crochet projects start with a slipknot tied onto the hook. If you don’t already
know how to tie a
slipknot, it is easy to find a tutorial online.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO FINSIH
MY CROCHET SCARF?
Depends, on:
·
Size
of hook
·
Thickness
of yarn
·
Complexity
of pattern
·
Your
own rate of crocheting
·
How
often you work on your scarf project
In
my experience, the majority of published crochet scarf/hat patterns use 5mm or
6mm hook with #3 yarn. In my opinion, these projects take too long to complete
– weeks, if not months.
I
prefer to finish quick crochet projects – in hours, or a few days. So I use a 9mm
or 10mm hook - or larger - with thick yarn (#4/medium, #5/bulky, #6/super-bulky). I often hold ‘two-as-one’
of these thicker yarns while using a jumbo ‘J’ or ‘K’ hook for a fast project with super
‘chunky’ result.
There are even larger hooks that crochet faster scarves and
projects! Some people even use their arms/hands as crochet hooks. Research ‘arm
crochet’.
For a SUPER FAST,
SUPER EASY SCARF, try this:
- HOOK
– largest hook you can find (or your ARM)
- YARN
# – one color of the thickest yarn
you can find – usually #6/super-bulky
- YARN
STRAND (optional) – Double your yarn thickness
by holding ‘two-as-one’ (if you can still manipulate both with the hook)
- STITCH
– use Slip Stitch only.
- WHEN
– work on crochet scarf over 3 consecutive
nights or 3 consecutive days
WHAT
MORE DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HOOKS?
BASIC
- a basic crochet hook usually has three names:
1.
‘mm’
size,
2.
US/American
letter,
3.
UK
letter.
CHARTS
- Charts can be easily found online for differentiating hook sizes/names. I prefer to
use the ‘mm’ name size - with 10mm being my preferred size of basic crochet
hook (and knitting needles, too).
STYLES - Also, there a several types of crochet hooks based on the style of crochet you are working. Other styles with their own version of hooks are Tunisian crochet, Pjoning crochet, Bosnian crochet, etc.
WHAT ABOUT STITCH MARKERS?
Stitch
markers help to keep your place in a crochet pattern (and in a knit pattern),
that requires 'counting'.
There
are two basic types of stich markers - round and lockable. I prefer the lockable stitch marker for crochet (and I use both for knitting).
WHY USE A DARNING NEEDLE?
A
darning needle is a needle with very large eye. It is used at the end of a project to
weave in all the yarn ends aka ‘tails'.
WHEN
IS THE BEST SEASON TO CROCHET?
I crochet / knit projects in the
winter. If I plan to make Christmas gifts, I start around October 1st.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A 'STITCH' AND A 'PATTERN'?
- A 'stitch' is one complete movement of the hook through the loop(s) - which can be one or more 'loops'.
- A 'pattern' is a combination of one or more 'stitches'.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STITCH NAMES LIKE ‘SINGLE’ & ‘DOUBLE’, etc.?
A
complete beginner needs to know that crochet stitches are named because of
their height.
(And
also that the names change based on geographic location - American vs UK)!
From
shortest to tallest, ‘American’ crochet stitch names (and their abbreviations) are:
·
CH
– Chain stitch
·
SS or
SL ST – Slip stitch (there are different slip-stitch techniques, e.g. Bosnian)
·
SC
– Single Crochet
·
HDC
- Half Double Crochet
·
DC
– Double Crochet
·
TR
– Triple Crochet
·
DTR
– Double Triple Crochet
·
TTR
– Triple Triple Crochet
Look online for charts with comparable ‘UK’ named stitches.
WHAT IS THE BEST PATTERN FOR A COMPLETE BEGINNER TO
CROCHET?
For the complete
beginner, I would advise EVERY row [after (foundation) chain] to be a Single crochet. OR a half-double
crochet. OR if you get bored with those two, alternate rows between single
crochet and half-double crochet until the scarf is complete.
I prefer to always end with the last row
of Single crochet OR Slip Stitch.
For example, for 6’
scarf in Single Crochet stitch:
- ·
CH
until 6’.
- ·
Row
1 : SC in each CH to end of row. CH 1, turn.
- ·
Repeat
Row 1 to desired width (e.g. 5” – 6”).
- · SL last (border) row.
- SL to end.
For example, for 6’
scarf in Half-double
Crochet stitch (one of my fave
scarves):
- ·
CH until
6’.
- ·
Row
1 : HDC in each CH to end of row. CH 1, turn.
- ·
Repeat
Row 1 to desired width (e.g. 5” – 6”).
- ·
SL
last (border) row.
- ·
SL
to end.
For example, for 6’
scarf in alternating rows of Single
Crochet + Half-double Crochet
stitch:
- ·
CH until
6’.
- ·
Row
1 : SC in each CH to end of row. CH 1, turn.
- ·
Row
2 : HDC in each CH to end of row. CH 1, turn.
- ·
Repeat
Row 1 and Row 2 until desired width is reached (e.g. 5” – 6”).
- ·
SC
last (border) row.
- ·
SL
to end.
These scarves have a
lovely texture, are faster to make, require almost no thinking, so, no hassle. And
when you get interrupted or need a break, it is easy to pick up where you left off.
WHAT
IS YOUR FAVORITE CROCHET STITCH?
I have three fave crochet
stitches, because they are quick with lovely texture.
- ·
SS
- ·
HDC
- HDC in back loop (somewhat stretchy)
WHAT
IS YOUR FAVORITE PATTERN?
This may not be for a beginner,
but my fave unisex scarf pattern is to alternate rows of HDC in Back Loop with a
SL row between. For me, it’s fast and easy with interesting texture.
If I use a large hook and thick
yarn(s), I can crochet a one-color, 6’ scarf in an evening in front of the
TV....
But, the all-time, easiest, and quickest unisex texture for a scarf pattern is using only rows of SS! J
WHAT
ABOUT READING PATTERN CHARTS?
I prefer to design my own original, unique scarf and hat patterns – and not to read charts of other’s patterns. Early on I learned that many
crochet items can be made without reading a pattern chart.
You can make
scarves, hats, shawls, throws, ponchos, afghans – all without reading a pattern
chart. Use the crochet stitches above in different combinations to design your
own patterns. Or watch YouTube videos. Makes notes of which patterns you like.
HOW
DO YOU STORE YARN?
For yarn that is not being used
in current project, my preferred storage method is a large, clear plastic bin
with lid for each color family. Within each bin, I further sort yarn by future
project into 2.5 gallon Ziploc bags.
Bins are stored on industrial shelving
units at home on my 3-season, unheated porch. Works-in-progress are stored in
their shopping bag. Finished small projects are stored in a re-purposed 5’ CD
tower that has two columns of 6”square cubby holes in the room at home near
my TV.
HOW
TO STORE HOOKS/NEEDLES AND NOTIONS?
You can buy roll-up tool pouches online – or you can store hooks and needles in mugs and vases.
For my own stash, I designed and
sewed a roll-up, zip-top, tool pouch
with multiple pockets to store my crochet hooks, scissors, markers, pins, pens,
notions, notes, etc. I had inherited so many crochet hooks and knitting needles
from my female ancestors that
I needed a central place for them.
Because they are much longer
than the hooks, all the knitting needles are stored with the yarn for their respective
projects.
WHAT ABOUT BOOKS ON
CROCHET?
Books
and pamphlets on crochet give me endless inspiration. My library has a few
books on crochet (and knit) including a book I found about crocheting with
wire.
Many materials can be used as ‘yarn’ for crochet (and knit).
WHERE CAN I FIND MORE
CROCHET HISTORY INFO?
- "A Living Mystery, the
International Art & History of Crochet,"
Annie Louise
Potter, A.J. Publishing International, 1990
- "Crochet History &
Technique,"
Lis Paludan,
Interweave Press, 1995
If
you make a crochet item after using these FAQs, I’d love for you to share it
here!
Thanks for stopping by. I'd love for you to comment.
Peace,
LuLu
