Curls of Sunshine Crochet

CHICKS WITH STICKS
Date: Jul 10, 2008 (Thursday)
Time: 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: HAMILTON SOUTH CADDO LIBRARY
Contact: PEGGY SVEE
Event Details:
CHICKS WITH STICKS
"It’s a yarn thing."

A group of people interested in the learning and sharing of yarn arts (knitting, crocheting, etc…)

HAMILTON SOUTH CADDO LIBRARY
2111 Bert Kouns Industrial
2ND THURSDAY EACH MONTH
5:30 pm
CHICKS-W-STICKS@HOTMAIL.COM

If you have years of experience or just thought it might be fun to learn, come!

June is our first anniversary! And we received a present we want to share with you (for as long as it lasts).

A most generous benefactor donated a large quantity of knitting needles and crochet hooks!

Here are some helpful and handy tips and tricks that will make crocheting easier and keep you more organized.

1. When the afghan you're crocheting becomes too long and heavy, place quilting rings around the end you've already finished. It will make it easy to just flip it over when crocheting the next row.

2. When someone asks you to make something for them, write it in a notebook. Write their name, when they will need it by, and the item they want crocheted. Also write down where the pattern can be found. When you finish the crocheted item, take a picture of it and keep it in a photo album so when someone asks what you crochet, you can show them.

Once you have finished crocheting your project you need to tidy all the loose ends. This can take a while if you have a lot of ends to finish off. Here are a few tips to help you get the best results.

Try for an invisible finish. Ideally you do not want to be able to see where you have sewn in the loose ends.

Sew/weave in a good length of the loose end. The length will depend on the type of yarn or crochet thread you are using.

I like to trim the loose end to about 8 inches (20 cm) and weave in a good length of this to finish it off.

Working crochet left-handed is just as easy as working it right-handed. The methods for forming the stitches and holding the hook and yarn remain the same; you simply use your left instead of right hand. Patterns and instructions are generally written for right-handed people.

Therefore, remember to substitute left for right and vice versa. This is the only adjustment you will need to make. The easiest way to learn crochet if you’re left-handed is to sit opposite another crocheter and mirror their movements.

Crocheting is a favorite craft with a very long history. The fashion world has rediscovered the joys of crocheted accessories, causing crafters to once again pick up on this relaxing and rewarding hobby. Learn the art of crochet, and you may find yourself drawn to the art of crochet design as well.

If you are a beginner to crochet, it's best to start with the basics. This is the rule of thumb with any craft, and creating crochet design is certainly no different. If you have done cross-stitching, you will find it a little easier to understand certain crochet designs. On the other hand, if you have no stitching experience at all, you might want to consider taking beginners' crochet class, and then move on to crochet patterns.

Many people, when hearing the word crochet, instantly conjure the image of an elderly woman sitting in a chair, crochet hook held firmly in arthritic fingers as she concocts another table doily. Many older women do seem to have an innate ability to crochet, simply because it was a tradition handed down from generation to generation. And while most families do not pass along the art of crochet much anymore, there is still merit in this peaceful, beautiful activity.

Learning how to crochet can be a wonderful experience that rewards you with a lifelong skill and outlet for relaxation. Being focused on crochet means that there’s little room to be focused on much of anything else; in turn, all the clutter and noise from a chaotic and busy day is suddenly relegated to the back burner. It can be an amazing journey of mastering a new skill. Part of mastering crochet is the mastering of crochet instructions that will lead you through a particular project. While they may seem confusing at first, crochet instructions are like anything having to do with crochet – or anything else for that matter; the more you practice, the better you’ll be.

Anyone who is beginning to learn how to crochet, or even those who have been crocheting for a number of years, can benefit from some crocheting tips every now and then. There are some common crocheting queries that require tips which everyone needs at some point. For example, how to add beads can be a mystery unless you get a few tips from someone who is knowledgeable about crocheting. There can be a number of different ways of achieving your goals, so crocheting tips can differ. There can be several ways to add beads to crochet work and include threading the beads onto the yarn itself so that they can be pulled up whenever they are needed. Another way is to slip the bead onto the crochet hook when it is needed.

If you need a simple and easy summer crochet project, check out my free pattern for amigurumi crochet Love Bugs.

http://curlsofsunshine.tipzu.com/free-ebook

There are many reasons why people love to crochet.

For one, crocheting is therapeutic. Because of its calming, rhythmic movements, many studies have shown positive results for people suffering from chronic depression, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and schizophrenia. Crocheting is also for common ordinary people who simply enjoy the feeling of accomplishing something with their after-work, idle time. Crocheting relieves stress and muscle tensions after a hard day at the office as crocheting easily takes your mind off from work and draws you deeper into a solitary hobby where you can collect your thoughts as you let your fingers and the crochet hook do their work.