101 in 1001 - Item 6

Make a serious attempt at learning to crochet

...has been completed!

I'm really, really pleased with this one it's something I've been wanting to learn for what feels like forever.  I learned to knit in 2007 and I wanted to learn to crochet before I'd properly considered knitting.  In fact, Christmas 2006 I received a crochet book, a few hooks and a pile of yarn.  I just couldn't get the hang of it however.  My mum tried to teach me several times both then and again a few years ago.  It just wasn't happening and we were both convinced that it was something to do with my CP that was stopping it for clicking and making me a crocheter.  The yarn has mostly been used for knitting, the hooks very rarely used for sewing in ends and the book I received sat on my shelf alone, unread and unloved.

A couple of weeks ago I was knitting something in a pattern that was mostly stockinette but with enough modifications that supposedly it wouldn't roll.  It rolled like you wouldn't believe.  My friend C who goes to stitch and bitch suggested a type of blocking using an iron and a damp cloth.  But as 1) it was acrylic yarn and 2) I don't own an iron.  I wasn't convinced.  I'd been thinking what it needed was a crochet border.  So she offered to teach me the following week.


When I set this goal back in 2008 as a part of my 101 in 1001 it was just to have a last attempt, a proper attempt at learning to crochet. If I couldn't do it this time I'd give up on that idea.  I really wasn't convinced I could do it.

So about 10 days ago we sat down and in the space of about ten minutes she showed me how to do a double crochet into the border of my knitting.  She taught me a different technique, not the official one, but one that feels much more similar to knitting as it uses just one hand and you have both hook and yarn in it.  And finally that switch went click and I became a crocheter.

My mum has since shown me how to chain and what to do when you finish.  I'm really loving it.  In fact, you could say I'm completely hooked!

And before I get comments saying "Photos! We want photos!" I can't show you what I've been working on because it's either the piece C taught me on which is a gift for someone. Or its a rough attempt at chaining etc which I've ripped out to reuse as much of the yarn as possible.  But I'll share some soon, promise.