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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Appreciating Crochet in the Closet

The other day, I noticed I have lots of things in my closet that I wear without even thinking about how beautifully crocheted they are! Here are some things I found in my closet that are crocheted that I just LOVE.

This one is so beautiful and detailed!

This has a dainty, web-like nature to it. The body is crochet, but the base and sleeves are cabled and knitted.

I wear this all the time, and never stopped to appreciate the fancy shell patterns at the base!


So fine and detailed, I can barely see the stitches.
Found this in the under-bed storage. My mom made this when she was a little girl. Its a beautiful variation of the brick stitch, and has a lot of hard work and pride attached to it. ;-)
Whats crocheted in your closet? Please comment!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Beginner's Best Friend: How To Make A Double Crochet

Double crochet stitch (dc) is a vital stitch for all new crocheters to learn, because almost all beginner crochet patterns use it. Double crochet is very similar to single crochet. To learn how to make a double crochet stitch, view the short tutorial below.


Any questions? Please comment!

Beginner's Best Friend: How To Make A Chain Stitch and Single Crochet

As you begin to explore the world of crochet, you will often see the terms chain stitch (ch) and single crochet (sc) used in patterns. These are the basic stitches. This short tutorial will show you how to make a chain stitch and a single crochet stitch.




 
Any questions? Please comment!


Beginner's Best Friend: How To Hold A Crochet Hook

Is one of your new year's resolutions to learn to crochet? Maybe you've always admired you're grandmother's gorgeous afghans, or maybe you have a friend who's inspired you by crocheting some cute hats. Whether you're looking for something to do with your hands or you just want to pick up a new skill, this you've come to the right place! I'm starting a new series for new beginning crocheters called "Beginner's Best Friend", with both photo and video tutorials (because I know personally that sometimes the best way to learn something is to watch someone else doing it).  So, with that in mind...lets get started!

How To Hold A Crochet Hook

For those just learning to crochet, the hardest part is getting used to holding the crochet hook and the yarn. The crochet hook is held like a pencil, between your forefinger, your middle finger, and your thumb, as shown.

The yarn is held in your left hand. As shown below, the tail of the yarn is held between your thumb and middle finger, and the tension of the yarn is held with your forefinger.


Although the above is the correct way to hold your yarn, I learned to crochet by instead using my middle finger to hold the tension. Even though this is technically not correct, you can also crochet this way, though I encourage newbies to try it the correct way. However, in my tutorial videos, you may frequently notice that I hold my work as shown below.

For those of you who are left- handed, its debatable as to whether you should crochet left handed. As you become more advanced, you will stumble upon patterns that may trip you up if you crochet left handed. It wouldn't be a bad idea to go ahead and learn to crochet right handed, since this will make life easier for you in the long run. However, my younger sister is left handed and hasn't had much trouble, so its completely up to you!

Any questions? Please comment!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Happy Anniversary!

Today is Fat Cat Crochet's 1 year anniversary! To celebrate, I am officially going to start posting again! Haha, its been a crazy holiday season, for me especially. But I haven't forgotten you, my friends! And now I really am back for good. I am so thankful for all my wonderful readers who have enjoyed my patterns, shared with me your own work, and left a bazillion wonderful comments! You all mean so much to me. So whaddya say? Lets get this New Year crackin'!

Happy 2011! And Happy Anniversary to Fat Cat Crochet!