For years Crochet has been on the top of my 'crafts to learn' list. I basically taught myself how to embroider and sew and quilt (and still learning!) so I was fairly optimistic (overly confident?) when I decided to try and learn myself crochet (right-handed by the way, even though I'm left handed).
So I bought the Mollie Makes Crochet book (the Dutch version), yarn and a crochet hook and while I was recovering from the flu last month I tried to make my first stitches. After (literally) fifty attempts at making an even looking 'basic' chainstitch in the first week I became a little disheartened. I'm not giving up though, it took me a long, long time to master the French Knot for example when I started Embroidery but I got there in the end with the help of online video! I love doing French Knots now. :)
Sometimes it's just one tutorial or one video that 'clicks' with you (where many others don't) and suddenly things start to make sense. This is one of the main reasons I post tutorials and how to's on my blog: I learned a lot from online tutorials myself and we are all beginners at some point and have to start somewhere!
I will watch with interest, I'm left handed and just can't seem to crochet!
ReplyDeleteTwiggy
I'm not very good at it either but I'm hopeful it will get better with lots of practice!
DeleteWell done on mastering crochet. I am similar to you, I have never done courses for anything I do, it is all self taught and there is something quite special about it even when some days I cuss under my breath wishing I had proper training. Keep at it xoxo
ReplyDeleteI haven't actually mastered crochet, far from it! One of the hardest crafts I did so far. Apart from stamp carving, I was pretty useless at that as well ;) Anyway there's nothing wrong with learning from books and the internet if you don't have someone to show you! :)
DeleteI taught myself to crochet from youtube videos. They're some brilliant tutorials on there. :) It was a little frustrating at first, but I soon got the hang of it.
ReplyDeleteI found some pretty good tutorials on YouTube too, definitely helped me to master the first steps :)
DeleteI found it quite hard to learn crochet, so I found an in person class which really helped. After that written instructions as well as video were fine.
ReplyDeleteEverybody learns slightly differently, one person's easy explanation is another's tangled knot.
But it is worth it, crochet gives such fast results!
I had my share of tangled knots already ;) Hopefully I will get the hang of it one way or another...
DeleteOh Nicole, I wish you were down the road so I could teach you! I think a Skype visit is definitely in order...(don't know if I've told you before, but I teach crochet workshops!). Hang in there, Cxxx
ReplyDeleteI had no idea! We must try and do a Skype session one time (or something similar) :)
DeleteThat's so funny. I like crochet exactly because I find it so much easier than knitting, where I just can't seem to get the tension right at all. I'm also self-taught (books mostly) on this one; it does get easier. :)
ReplyDeleteMy suggestion would be to worry less about getting the perfect chain stitch, and just make a whole bunch of crappy square dish-cloths. You'll learn more from building on the foundation chain in your second and third rows than you will from doing that foundation row over and over again.
Good luck!
That's a good tip, I'm probably trying too hard to get everything perfect right from the start. Not sure if I can stand crappy dish-cloths in my kitchen though ;)
DeleteCrappy square dish cloths can also make crappy small doll blankets and rags for the garage--no one ever has to see them in your kitchen. ;)
DeleteI'm sure however you learn, though, you'll pick it up. Second and third rows have a way of evening out the chain stitches; they kind of pull them into a more regular shape. I'll bet you're doing better than you think you are.