Ahhh, I had to post a photo of this antique basket, I LOVE old baskets!! Whenever I see one for sale somewhere, I have to convince myself why I really don’t need it. (This doesn’t always work though, mind you). This particular one was given to me by my mom, she has had it since she was young, it is so beautiful and perfect for knitting projects. They fit in so neatly. I still need to make some fabric lining for it, but for now it just has a piece of calico for a liner.
I am so excited, I have been saying for months that I want to learn to crochet, I really like the look of it and it does seem to go quite fast once you get going. Well… finally today of all days, I sat down, crochet hook in hand and watched some tutorials here and off I went… I have been practicing the double crochet today and I love it! (Wow, who knew?)
So now for what is inside the basket……
This is what I have been doing for the last few hours, I am completely and utterly hooked, (excuse the pun!) I am making a cotton wash cloth! Yay. I really am enjoying the colour too. I bought this cotton here. I know this might seem like drastic over-excitement on my part for all those who crochet out there, but for me who has only ever knitted, this is Awesome! 🙂 I will start with these little cloths and then who knows….
Have you learned any new techniques lately? If you have, I would love to hear about them, feel free to leave a link:)
Some other great news is that I have finally finished my book proposal, it has taken me quite some time, but this week I sat down and finished it. Tomorrow it goes off to the printers to be printed and bound and then I will post it off to the publishers!
I am off to crochet, (I will have to get used to saying that…)
Take care:)
Linda
The basket is beautiful! And you’re right, it seems perfect for handwork.
I learned to knit first too, and I struggled so much. Wrapping the yarn the wrong way, tension problems, forming stitches incorrect – well, I’m sure a lot of people start off this way! It was more difficult because I’m lefty so I had no one to learn from. But I found I picked up crochet very quickly (from understanding knitting) and I love to crochet! I think it makes really great little toys and hats.
I’m currently pushing my handwork/sewing skills out of my comfort zone. So I’m trying out socks on my new dpns. 🙂
Congrats on the book – that is very exciting!
~carrie~
I just learned the kitchener stitch the other day. I used it to do a crotch graft on a pair of shorties. Who knew it was so simple? It fixed the stretchy gap problem I was having, too. Whee!
Here are the finished shorties: http://wildfaeriecaps.blogspot.com/2011/03/yarn-along.html
I haven’t been brave enough to try learning to crochet. I tried long before I learned to knit and couldn’t understand it. Now, though, I think I may be better able to get it.
Linda,
Congratulations on learning a new skill!
Enjoy.
Warm wishes,
Tonya
Hi Linda,
I also just started to chrochet! I learned to make some kind of flowers and now i’m chrocheting a round cushion. At a second handshop i found a great 70ties chrochet-book. I fell in love with crochet because of that book! I’ll show it some day at my blog.
Maybe you can use some of these tutorials? [url]http://www.youtube.com/user/tjw1963[/url] They where really helpfull to me.
O, and i also share the love of (old and second hand) baskets!
Yours is beautiful, especialy because you got it from your mother!
Sooo excited about your book. I can’t wait to hold it in my hands and look all through it!!
I too am learning to crochet. It is quite fun learning something new isn’t it?
The sun is shining here today. Sort of. Heavy clouds to the north so I know it is short lived but the thought of going and sitting outside for just a few minutes in the sun sounds quite delightful as you describe your warm sunny day there in S. Africa.
Happy crocheting and dreaming of when your book will be finished!
Linda,
I love old basket too. Here in New England we have beautiful baskets made by the Shakers. Even the reproductions are nice.
I can’t wait till you book comes out. Hopefully, we will be able to get it here in the States.
I have two weeks off from my classroom coming up as we have our spring break in March. I have a whole stash of crochet hooks that were my Mom’s but whenever I have sat down to learn I have run out of patience. Maybe it is time to pick them up again.
I also really need to learn to weave. I have a student loom from Harrisville that someone gifted to me that just needs some new cables. It has been sitting in my living room for two years. I really need to find someone to show me how to warp it and then weave.
Blessings,
Tracy
well done – the basket is lovely – I only crochet dodgy beanies for loved ones but keep meaning to do dish cloths!
x
It is fun isn’t it? and so fast! I am ‘hooked’ too.
Linda, I am so excited that you are learning to crochet. I’ve been knitting for about 6 years, but first and lasting love is crochet. Been crocheting off and on for over 40 years. Love your knit patterns and now looking forward to some crochet ones in the future.
Love the the basket Linda and how fun that you are learning the crochet! I learned to crochet as a little girl so I still find it easier than knitting since that’s a relatively new skill for me 🙂 Love the yarn you are using and have fun practising in the sunshine 🙂
I love that basket! The crochet is pretty, too
Crochet grows so quickly compared to knitting. Its good to have another string to your crafting bow. It means you can fit the craft for the finished item.
Congratulations on your book! Love the basket. Fiber in baskets is the perfect pairing!
Welcome to crocheting! Personally I like it better than knitting, for me it’s faster.
The yarn is working up nicely with a great color pattern for you too! Lookin good.
I’m with you, I love baskets, old and new. Your crocheting looks wonderful, such pretty yarn too!
You’re obviously a ‘natural’!!
If this is only the beginning, I predict great things. 🙂
…can’t wait to see what comes next!
Yay for learning crochet! Looking good so far!
What fun spring colors in your yarn. I’ve never seen cotton that pretty before. Thanks for the link, I’ll have to do some shopping there. Your cloth looks great! Happy Fiber Arts Friday!
How exciting! I teach beginner crochet classes, so I can tell you that you’re doing very very very well! 🙂
I’m excited to hear about your book, I’m sure it will be fantastic!
My new technique is to spindle spin. I’ve had a wheel for a year now, but it’s currently broken so I’m re-teaching myself to spindle spin and having fun. There’s a progress photo on my blog. 🙂
Jess
I crocheted before I knitted; it made learning knitting easier, I think. I still make baby blankets with crochet–granny squares, mostly. My favorite crochet stitch is the half-double crochet. And if you have a swiffer-type dustmop, you can crochet your own sweeper sheets! Congrats on learning a new skill~!
Looking good! I really think when things slow down (ba hahahaha) I shall attempt crochet again. It’s been 20 years…worth trying again.
From a knitting gal who finally got the crochet thing 2 years ago….there is no looking back! There is nothing worse than loosing all your stitches of the DPNS!!! Crochet is so fun! Hooray for new skills 🙂 Looking forward to your Amigurumi patterns 😉
The crochet is looking good!
I’m so happy to see that you are beginning to crochet. I learned about 15 years ago, long before knitting, and then in recent years only wanted to knit. But lately have been loving crochet so much again, and finally last year taught myself how to make granny squares, one of my most favorite things ever!
Wonderful basket!!
xo
Ah, this has lit up the conversation board, eh? I like the color in the basket, and that it came from your mama.
I learned knit and crochet as a teenager – at church, actually, in the Young Women’s program. I guess back then, they figured this was essential knowledge for an upcoming homemaker. (I smile benignly.) I think the first things I ever really crocheted was a huge doily. I’d inherited some things from my grandmother and there were these crocheted doilies among them. I remembered them – she used them to cover the arms of chairs, protecting the upholstery.
So I made this thing and it got bigger and bigger as I got better and more adventurous. I wonder where that thing is? Tiny, tiny work.
Then snowflakes – thousands of different ones.
Then somehow, I regressed to afghans – king sized ones. Holy cats. Now I hate them – heavy and with too many holes to keep warm. I did a modified triple crochet with those after a while, and it was far chunkier. I still have that one.
Now, I favor knitting. Toys. As you know. But my Ginna has done some remarkable things with crochet. I’m trying to find the link to one that blew my socks off. If I find it, I’ll post for you. I think you’ll be delighted.
Okay – this is the story: Gin’s little son, Max, fell in love with a plush fish purchased at, I think, a Hallmark store. Gin also bought a back-up (he was that in love, and the first fish got dirty quickly and had to be washed). And then she found more on sale a year or so later and bought them, terrified that that the first fish, named “Mama Fish” would be lost. But Max found all the backups and adopted them immediately. And just as immediately, it became apparent that he knew each fish and had named each fish, and that Mama Fish would never be replace by brother fish or father fish or Aunt fish, and to this day, he can tell them apart.
When gin started crocheting toys, Max requested a Mama fish done up that way. Of course, there was no pattern. So she borrowed elements from a pattern she’d found but completely sculpted a credible mama on her own. I was blown away.
This is the link:
http://lifekunst.blogspot.com/2009/12/more-mama-fish.html
Maybe I’ll put it on creative Friday, eh?