posted
I'm an avid crocheter, and I've never heard of a rib stitch either. Blacwolve, you'll have to describe it for us.
I'm planning on asking for some knitting books and supplies for Christmas (though I need another craft hobby like I need a horse in my living room). I love to crochet, but the patterns for knitted clothes are much more stylish.
posted
Hmm, my book calls it rib stitch. What I'm doing is just going under the top loop in previous row, instead of the top two. The text in the book I have says this:
quote: Unless otherwise instructed, always pick up both loops of the stitch you're working in. When only one loop is picked up it is not single crochet, but a stitch called "rib stitch."
Ah, now I know what you're talking about. I did one pattern, once, that called for a rib stitch. Yeah, I can see how that would cause problems if you did that all the time!
I taught myself to crochet from books as well, which has led to some interesting confusion as I puzzled out patterns. The worst was when the pattern called for working stitches over a chain in the previous round. At first I thought I was supposed to work the stitches in the chains instead of over them. I felt kind of dumb when I finally figured it out.
posted
I have looked and looked and looked at the crochet instructions and I just don't get it.
It may not help that the instructions I have are in the back of an old knitting book of my Mothers from the 70s (knitted hot pants, anyone?).
If anyone could point me to a good guide online that would be great (can't afford to actually buy a decent instruction book right now).
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I taught myself to crochet from books as well, which has led to some interesting confusion as I puzzled out patterns. The worst was when the pattern called for working stitches over a chain in the previous round. At first I thought I was supposed to work the stitches in the chains instead of over them. I felt kind of dumb when I finally figured it out.
--Mel
How you felt is nothing compared to how I felt. I've been crocheting for 2 years now! I always wondered why patterns didn't work for me. I also don't have the faintest clue what the heck my half-double and double crochet stitches are, since I'm pretty sure they aren't actually half-double and double stitches.
It is very depressing.
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quote:Originally posted by imogen: Ahh, Jannie I was going to suggest entrelac!
I'm doing a scarf in at the moment - the wool looks woven, it is very cool.
(And, suprisngly easy to knit, once you get your head around it)
It looks gorgeous - but I am terrified to try it, to be honest. I am still trying to figure out circular needles.
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posted
imogen, the stitchguide website is very good for learning new stitches. It has diagrams and short videos.
For learning the very basics, I suggest the Crochet Guild of America's site. That link goes to the right-handed instructions. If you're left-handed, there is a link at the top of the page that will take you to those instructions.
I would suggest starting with the CGOA site, as it covers things like turning chains that the other site doesn't. Once you have the basics down, the Stitchguide site is very good for learning more difficult stitches.
There are a lot of free patterns online, although it can be hard to determine the difficulty level of them before starting. Yarn websites will often have patterns as well, or you can look in the yarn section of many craft stores.
One final thing: don't use any specialty yarns until you understand how crocheting works. I tried to teach myself on Lion Brand's Homespun yarn, which is very bumpy and fluffy. The yarn irregularities made it very difficult for me to see where to put the hook.
posted
Kama, come back to the US and I'll make you one.
Kara, don't get depressed, i've been trying to chrochet since 4th grade, and thought I was doing a pretty good job then, but my teacher (actual 4th grade teacher) told me it was awful. Since then I've tried several times, and I cant make my new stitches line up with the same numbers. Knitting worked easier, but I just figured out how to add stitches to a row, it's not like I have everything down yet or even close, I hate reading from normal patterns, but ones with hole words are ok.
enterlac looks fun but I'm not ready yet, I'm soo busy with so many other things. I did find that when I tried to rib on a triangle I got the diagonal rib instead.
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posted
I have just started a yahoo group for jatraquera's to sell their hand made items, and others to buy them, feel free to join, use responisbly, I may list a few of my knit projects from time to time, join even if you don't craft, there might be something you want, price however you want, to make a profit, cover expenses, or whatever.
quote:Originally posted by Tatiana: I love to knit. It's just like building things, only in a softer medium than I'm accustomed to. The funnest part is the design, I think, though the nice repetitive hand motions become a soothing ritual as well. . . .
I put all sorts of symbolism into the patterns I used. I modified and made up patterns to suit, basing them all on traditional Irish designs. It was fun and interesting to come up with. I drew a dimensioned sketch, (I resisted the temptation to make a scale drawing in AutoCAD, though it would have been nice to have), and then made a detailed instruction key in Excel. It's the best way for me to keep the stitches straight in all the various sections. They repeat at different intervals, so it is easy to get quite confused using a less detailed pattern. Yet it was fairly easy to make the spreadsheet because I could copy and paste each repeating section over and over.
. . .
It's so nice to make something by hand for someone to wear, I think. What better way to surround them with your love?
Wow!! Anne Kate you are truly a woman after my own heart. I just finished making a sweater for my sistern in-law. It's a rap around sweater knitted in an alternating cable pattern. It has a fun fur collar and cuffs. Now I'm working on a sweater for my sister which is a modified version of a traditional Austrian cardigan. It has three different types of cable/braids in it. I've already started planning a sweater for my baby brother. I'm adapting an Escher space filling design for it.
I knit continental style -- i.e I hold the yarn in my left hand and do all the work with the needles. I think it's easier to get even tension this way. It also seems faster but that may simply be because I'm practiced at it. If you are just learning, I'd highly recommend learning to knit continental style rather than the English/US way.
[ October 20, 2005, 05:55 PM: Message edited by: The Rabbit ]
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posted
blacwolve, I get ya now. I've actually done that stitch. Last year for a hat I made my daughter the pattern alternated between that and a regular single crochet to create wide, raised bands. And don't feel bad - I had single crochet and half-double crochet confused for quite awhile. I think it's easy to get confused like that when you learn from books versus another person who can check your work.
breyerchic, any Opera kidlets would absolutely love a horse for the living room
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None of those look like what she was wearing. It's hard to remember, though. 
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