Reading Crochet Patterns

I have to confess that not being able to read a crochet pattern kind of defies the whole concept of crocheting!

When I first learned to crochet, I wanted to know what these abbreviations meant. Maybe I was curious or wanted to learn everything at once - I honestly can't answer that at this point.

To my way of thinking, reading a crochet pattern is essential to the learning of easy crochet. You are very limited as to finished projects if you can't read crochet patterns!

If you can't read a crochet pattern, you are very limited in my opinion. What do you do, keep starting over till you think it's right and continue in that way?

If you can read a crochet pattern you have the world at your disposal. You are not afraid to venture on to try new things in my estimation!

But the number of people who can't read crochet patterns astounds me. It seems like a real pity that they don't learn how to better themselves and feel better about the projects they create!

If you can't read a crochet pattern, how do you make doilies or crochet home-made dishcloths? Remember, they look easy in the picture, but can you duplicate it that way?

When I learned to crochet (it seems like a life-time ago now), those patterns with those strange abbreviations were a challenge to me. At that point, I made up my mind to learn to read the patterns no matter what.

I did a lot of research and asked a multitude of questions and finally got results. The strange part of it was that then I was no longer limited to crocheting with wool alone.

Being able to read crochet patterns seems to give you the confidence to be able to move on to greater heights - by that I mean, I moved onto cotton and made doilies in a very short time of learning how to read crochet patterns.

The thing that amazes me is that people who aren't able to read crochet patterns don't seem to care that every part of every crochet stitch has to be explained and/or demonstrated to them on a one-to-one basis. This bothers me.

I was told at one time that not being able to read crochet patterns showed a lack of patience in whoever did home crocheting in that fashion. It showed no ambition!

Now, I don't agree with that statement, but I have one of my own - "Don't learn anything by halves, learn the whole thing, or don't waste my time!"

When my oldest daughter was in hospital when she was five (5) months old, I was able to crochet a doily, thanks to being able to read crochet directions.

Here's another point to ponder: If you can't read crochet directions or patterns, how do you expand your own crocheting knowledge to include the extra stitches required? I am referring to the treble stitch, the half double stitch and so on - that could be daunting!

So if you are a home crocheter, learn how to read the patterns and don't be stuck in that rut that I call never-ending - read patterns, expand your horizons beyond your own expectations.

There is a wealth of information to be found at http://learningeasycrochet.com.

Not only is there information, but it supplies encouragement as well.

When you get stuck, as we all do sometimes, leave a question in the comment box and you will get an answer within 24 hours.

When you sign up for a membership, you will receive a crochet pattern of your choice along with the help you may need to complete that project!

In the members area, you will shown "how to" and much more along with tips and tricks to speed up your progress.

Check it out today!

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What Makes An Easy Crochet Pattern? Learning to Read Crochet Patterns

Crochet patterns can look confusing at first. However, once you understand how a pattern works, and become familiar with the more common crochet stitches, you'll find reading crochet patterns one of the easiest aspects of crochet. Learning to read a crochet pattern will help you feel more confident when learning the basics of crochet.

Patterns can be written in several different ways. Crochet instructions can be written out in abbreviations, presented as symbols, or can be a combination of both. While it may take a while to learn the symbols, they can save space, and after awhile, many experienced crocheters find them easier to read. Another good thing about crochet symbols is that they are international, so no matter where the pattern comes from, the symbols will usually be the same.

If you are trying to read and understand a crochet pattern, the best way is to have both the written instructions and the symbols handy. If a series of stitches doesn't making sense by following the written instructions, often the symbols can clarify what is actually meant. Crochet charts and symbols can help clarify written instructions. Some crocheting, such as lace, is actually much easier to follow using a chart, than reading written instructions.

Here are some of the common abbreviations used in crocheting:

sc single crochet

ch st chain stitch

hdc half-double crochet

dc double crochet

sl st slip stitch

trc triple crochet

yo yarn over

tr treble crochet

sp space

sk skip

pat st pattern stitch

When reading crochet instructions, brackets and parentheses are used to convey related stitches. For example, if you came across this- "(sk 3 ch, 4 trc in next chain) across the row", it would first mean you leave three chains unworked, referring to the sk, which stands for skip. In the fourth chain, you would then do four treble crochet stitches. You would then repeat the whole process across the entire row.

When you purchase a crochet book, or patterns, you'll find the abbreviations and symbols will be explained at the beginning. Once you've worked with a few patterns, you'll find yourself much more familiar with the instructions, and you won't need to refer to the book any longer. The crochet symbols will become second nature. Similar, but easier than learning a foreign language, after a bit of study, crochet abbreviations and symbols will make perfect sense!

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Tips and Information on Afghan Crochet Patterns

In a particular aspect of sewing, crocheting, as one way of creating a work of art out of some pieces of threads in a yarn, is another form of strategy that enables an individual to make something out of a simple element.

Through this process, one can create a special kind of baby dress, a hat, or any garment that one could use to create a fashion statement. With the combination of supple materials such as the yarn and the different fundamental "crochet stitches," different items can also be made.

One of the most popular products of crocheting is the afghan. From babies to old people, afghan had been used, reused, and was handed down from one generation to another as it remained fashionable and durable blanket after so many years had passed.

What is the reason? It is based on the way the material was made. This is because afghans are made through the remarkable methods of crocheting. With the meticulous combinations of different crochet stitches and the careful manipulation of the creator in order to come up with a good material, afghan crochets are, indeed, one of the best products this kind of pastime has ever made.

The history of afghan can be traced back to the time when "Afghan Oriental rugs" were still very popular. Most of the people contend that the popular rugs bear a resemblance to the afghan crochets. Hence, from that time on most of the people that time had started associating this kind of crochet to the oriental rug. Even if there were no solid validity as to whether the name "afghan" was derived from the popular rugs, the name just stuck as history unfolds itself.

It is interesting to note that people who are trying to learn the basic of crocheting considers the creation of an afghan as their initial full-size endeavor. The reason behind this particular preference is that the concept of making afghan crochet is absolutely simple, with no fuss and difficulty. Besides, the main component of making afghan crochets is more on the utilization of the fundamental crochet stitches along with the different afghan crochet patterns.

Along with the simplicity of the item is the pattern. In fact, crochet experts contend that, just like any sewing endeavor, crocheting would not be easy to deal with if there were no patterns available to serve as a guide.

Since its inception, there are many different afghan crochet patterns that were established in the market already. This is in connection to the demands of the "crochet fanatics" who requested for more patterns to use so that they could make results that are more varied.

However, even if there are more modernized afghan patterns made available in the industry today, still the basic and the most fundamental afghan crochet patterns are the best.

To know more about that, here is a list of some of the most common and most simple to use afghan crochet patterns:

1. One could make a simple yet very elegant afghan crochet using the single crochet pattern. One good thing about this pattern is that it only uses either a pattern of stripes with varied colors or a dense and continuous color.

With its solidness, single crochet pattern for afghans are usually used when making a cover for a chair or on a bed.

2. The Granny square afghan is one of the most popular patterns in making afghan crochets. Based on its name, this particular afghan crochet pattern entails the utilization of distinct shapes such as rounds or squares. These shapes are crocheted separately and then they are fastened together in various motifs and figures.

3. The Chevron stripe crochet pattern is very helpful for people who are just learning crocheting. It is one good way of learning the basics of crochet as they try to create a masterpiece at the same time.

These are just a few of the many afghan crochet patterns that every person would be interested to use. Whatever afghan crochet patterns you will use, just keep in mind that the real beauty of the product is based on the reason that it was made.

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Vintage Crochet Patterns - As Old As Time

Crocheting, I bet you've heard of this before. Most people have, it's a hobby as old as time. It's been around for years, and it's been estimated that the hobby started as far back as the 1500s! Unfortunately no proof has ever been brought forth as to when it actually originated.

Have you ever wondered where and when this needlework hobby started? According to the September 1997 newsletter of the Crochet Guild of America, a researcher theorized that the art of crochet could be traced as far back as 1500s in Italy. However, there is no solid evidence for this statement.

But even so, we can only imagine that this craft has been around for the longest time. And it has evolved from making only home décor works to stitching clothes and other fashion accessories as well.

Reminiscing

Crocheting can let you do a lot of things. From small purses to jackets and sweaters, there are a lot of options to choose from. But there are probably some hobbyists that are looking for those old, classic patterns that can usually be seen during the early 1900s or even earlier. To help you in finding those hard-to-look for patterns, here are some resources that you can check out in the World Wide Web.

- Vintage Crochet Patterns. Tabitha Gibbons, the owner of this web site, offers several volumes of crochet patterns books. She sells a wide selection of vintage crochet patterns, from little doilies, rugs, afghans to bed covers and table cloths. By visiting her web site, one can fill out the name and email form to receive a free pattern book.

- Crochet Treasures. "Patterns from the past; Creating heirlooms for tomorrow..." This is the slogan of this web site with a collection of classic patterns. It is a member-based site that offers over 950 vintage patterns to its subscribers. For visitors, it also offers about 25 free vintage crochet patterns for personal use. However, it is not accepting new members at the moment until further notice by the owner.

- Celt's Vintage Crochet. Yet another vintage crochet patterns site, this really has a wide variety of vintage patterns to choose from. And the best thing about this site is that all of these patterns are for free! It also showcases the owner's finished projects, most of which are doilies and other table accessories.

- Soft Memories. This site brings you back to the past with its collection of more than a thousand vintage crochet patterns. The patterns are grouped in different categories - doilies, bed jackets and slippers, hanky edgings, potholders, ruffles and flowers, doll clothes, and other home décor pieces. All of these patterns can be viewed and printed out by subscribing to the site. There are also a few free patterns available for visitors to get a peak of what the site has to offer.

- Vintage Crochet Patterns e-book. This sort-of e-book contains 20 wonderful vintage patterns that are easy to crochet and can be hits in fairs and bazaars. Some examples of the patterns available are the crochet work bag, beaded doily, and the wedding ring bedspread. This is a portable document file (pdf) that can be downloaded for free from Crochet and Knitting web site.

- 1800's to Early 1900's Vintage Pattern Links. This site, authored by a lady named Martha who is also known as StarGazer, has several links to patterns that were designed way back 1800s up to 1930s. These patterns can be accessed for free. The site also has links to other web sites that offer vintage crochet patterns.

- Antique Crochet Patterns. This section in the web site Knitting-Crochet has almost a hundred of vintage patterns categorized into baby pieces, men's or ladies' wear, slippers, tablecloth, doily, and many others. It also offers to convert your knitting patterns to crochet and vice versa. Best of all, these patterns are free to access and print for personal use!

- Antique Crochet Patterns. This one is different from the site above as this is the web site name itself, not just a section. This site offers vintage crochet patterns from 1850s to 1950s and all of these are baby items such as bonnet, booties, hat, jumper, afghan, and a lot more. It also provides free lesson for the wannabes and beginners of this needlecraft.

These are just a few of the tons of resources you can find online that offers hard-to-find vintage patterns. Whether free or fee-based, these sites and resources can surely take you back in time with the wonderful, classical patterns that they offer.

If you are a crochet hobbyist you may seriously consider checking out these online resources. You should be able to find a huge variety of patterns for free, as well as purchasable ones. Whether you're a crochet master, or a novice of this eloquent hobby, these patterns will surely please you in many ways.

To learn more about getting started in crochet please visit [http://www.startcrocheting101.com] now.

Crocheting is a great pasttime with lots of history behind it. If you are interested in learning more about beginning crochet or are already involved and would like to further your knowledge, please visit [http://www.startcrocheting101.com].

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