Crochet

The Purple Pixie

cro·chet /krōˈSHā/

noun: crochet

a handicraft in which yarn is made up into a patterned fabric by looping yarn with a hooked needle.

"a crochet hook"

The ins and outs of the art of crochet

(if you're new to crochet, you'll get that joke later)

Crochet can be so wonderfully rewarding and often times addictive. It can also be terribly frustrating. So be forewarned. If you have never crocheted before, don't be intimidated. I taught myself how to crochet years ago. I still make mistakes, but the good thing about this art is that you can always fix your mistakes. Below is a list of basic supplies you will need to get started. They can be found at your local craft stores or even some of the big box stores we are all familiar with that have a craft section.

Basic Supplies:

Crochet Hooks- can be found in several different sizes. Most commonly used is a size H (or 5.0mm) hook with worsted weight yarn
Yarn- wrapped in a skein (pronounced skane). Most commonly used is a worsted weight (#4) yarn.
Scissors- a nice small pair of sharp ones.
A Yarn Needle- for weaving in the ends
A Pattern or tutorial- to follow in order to make a project

WARNING: Crochet really can be addictive. This can grow into a love of all things yarn related. A need to make things for your house or other people that you never knew you needed before. A desire to create things from a single strand of yarn. And before you know it, you have a stash of yarn and supplies that need their own room in your house. LOL. This can become expensive, but it is totally worth it all!

Here is a brief explanation of each of the supplies needed to get you started:

Crochet hooks- these come in many different sizes and styles. The most commonly used size for beginners is an H or 5.00mm hook, which works best when using a worsted weight yarn, or #4 yarn (more on that next). However I do recommend that you buy a set of hooks when shopping for your supplies. A set will come with several differnt sizes which makes its easy on you should you get adventurous and want to try a pattern that calls for a different sized hook.
Yarn- the most commonly used yarn for beginners is a worsted weight, or #4, such as Red Heart Super Saver. Yarn can come wrapped in a skein or what is called a cake. I recommend you just get a skein of Red Heart in a solid color to get started. However, i don't recommend you get black or a really dark color as it can be hard to see your stitches with these colors. Try light colors when you first get started.
Scissors- any pair of scissors will do, but you may want to purchase a brand new pair of small, sharp scissors. Small so they can fit into your crochet kit, and sharp so it doesn't fray the ends of your yarn when you cut it.
A Yarn Needle- some beginner's crochet sets come with yarn needles and other accessories. It is usually made of plastic. They have bigger eyes so you can thread the yarn through it. When you finish a project you will have ends that you need to "weave in". That is when you thread the ends into the yarn needle and kinda sew it into the project so the loose ends won't be seen.
A pattern or tutorial- you'll need to learn how to read a pattern. But first, you'll need to learn the abbreviations used in a crochet pattern (we'll get to that soon). There are literally 1,000's of crochet patterns on the web. some are free, some you have to pay for. Each one will tell you what kind of yarn and what size hook you need. But stick with me and I will walk you through the basics of abbreviations, stitches, and how to read patterns.

So, are you ready? Let's GO!!!