A few things I’ve learned about the craft
As a more experienced crocheter, who loves yarn and the process of crocheting I’ve realized what is for me and what I love about crocheting isn’t what always draws others to the craft. There are always lists of what novice crocheters should know or tips to improve. Instead, I have a few reflections that go beyond how to hold your hook or how to monetize your hobby.
1. Make what you want
There are many tips and tricks that people will share on how to crochet faster or how to do myriad things in crochet but if you are passionate about crochet, what is really important is that you like doing what you want. That means if you want to pursue crochet as a business, as a side hustle or just as something you like to do to relax… make what you want. If you want to make six dozen lovies, or baby blankets to sell, cool. If you want to make hats go for it. If you want to solely work on one project or have six concurrent projects – that’s your prerogative.
2. Crochet with yarn you like
Though I have tried different yarns and will experiment with different ones, I am firmly in the worsted/Aran weight camp. DK or Light worsted are ok, but for my regular comfort zone… give me a worsted. The range of worsted still seems to vary; they aren’t all on the bulker side or on the thinner side so there are still quite a few to work with. As I’ve mentioned before, there are more than enough yarns for people to love and use. Working with bulky too long, makes my hand cramp and I like to see more progress which I can’t see after working with laceweight for a lengthy period of time.
3. Don’t be afraid to change the pattern
Patterns are like recipes – suggestions. There are times when I look at a pattern and think there’s an easier way to make a section or make changes based on what I want to do. Patterns are great just as recipes are. Once you have made them then tweak them. Or if you know that you don’t like a certain ingredient don’t use it or select another. If you aren’t a fan of eggs, then don’t make a frittata and if you aren’t a fan of puff stitches or cables, then choose another pattern. If you are being graded on what you are making or need to sell something that needs to look a certain way, then fine, otherwise feel free to express yourself.
4. You don’t have to use the recommended or suggested hook
The biggest, most freeing thing that I have learned about crochet is that you don’t have to use the recommended or suggested hook. There are certain manufacturers whose suggestions are useful, while others, I’ll increase a hook size or two. Also, not all hooks are the same, a metal hook may glide over one yarn while a plastic or wooden one will slow you down. Use the right tools for the project. You only know what the right tool is, if you try a lot of yarns and use different hooks.
5. Crochet in public
Crochet in public. For a while I didn’t crochet in public because I didn’t want people to ask me about my project. Though, I would crochet at lectures or talks at the public library. Just sitting and listening, makes me fidgety. I would take pages of notes that I wouldn’t necessarily want to keep just to keep busy and stay focused. Taking notes on the salient points is still useful but for something where I may zone out, crocheting a pattern that I know well, helps me stay focused. Also, when I have to wait, having a project allows me to be engaged with my surroundings and not as closed off as I would be if I were just reading a book.
There still more to learn and about the art of crochet. It’s fun, a pastime and a way to make things that I can share with others. I don’t want to sell things, that’s added pressure to make a deadline. Even though I set goals and break those down into mini goals for myself, that’s it a goal I have set for myself. If I don’t make my goal, I haven’t disappointed anyone. It’s enjoyable sitting down with a hook and yarn while rooting for my favorite team on tv or a streaming a movie or show and finishing a few rows or a hat. No pressure and no stress, just relaxation and a way to share something with others.
Happy crocheting!
A few YouTube videos have been dedicated to Kraemer Yarns’ Mystery Boxes. When I found out about this wonder last year (2021), I was unable to get in on the action. I had forgotten about it until I saw a new crop of videos this year and was able to score one of the smaller boxes before they sold out. For less than $60 including shipping I received a variety of colors and weights of yarn that I can use for myself and gifts. Plus, some is natural and that I can dye. Kraemer’s yarns are mostly wool, which is why I wouldn’t use all of the yarns for my general donation projects, as some groups specifically request machine washable items. The amount of yarn that is in the box is a great deal, if you aren’t picky about weights or colors. Even as a kid, I always loved a good mystery box so that is why I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.
Yarn mystery boxes are more appealing than yarn subscriptions, to me. In the case of Kraemer and other mystery boxes that I have purchased in the past, there has been enough to make an item, that I can make for myself or as a gift If there’s at least enough to make a hat or mittens, I’m satisfied. Anyone who is familiar with mill end yarns or unbanded yarns would be comfortable with this mystery box.
I have a few projects already in progress, but did decide to dip into the yarn that I received. There were two small squishy skeins of a lilac that is similar to a lighter weight Lion Brand Homespun or Red Heart’s [discontinued] Baby Clouds. While I was never a big fan of homespun because of it’s bulk and difficulty to fix any mistakes frogging, the yarn that I tried from the mystery box glides over the hook and doesn’t snag when unraveling. Bonus so far! Kraemer box came with some bulky yarn on cones which I can use for solo hats. Not everything is wool, there are some blends that look similar to ones on their site that are machine wash/dry, so I will give them a whirl soon. All of the yarns are unbanded so it’s a guessing game to figure out what they are (if the yarns are still available on their site). Still, I’m happy with my box and am excited to try the others in the box.
There’s just a rhythm to crocheting, not just the stitches or a pattern but the time that is spent crocheting. Recently, I realized that I complete more sets when I have a few hats made and then make the scarves later. For the past couple of weeks I have made a few hats and then made the scarves later in the week and found that I was more productive that way. When I made a hat, then immediately started working on a scarf, somehow the flow was interrupted and I completed fewer sets in a week. Not that it’s a race, even though I set yearly goals, I realize that by having several projects in progress at a time makes me more motivated.
From Friday to Sunday of Super Bowl weekend I finished four scarves. A couple had already been started with a few rows already completed on a couple of them. The routine starts with a few rounds of a hat on Sunday night so I can mindlessly crochet during webinars or large group meetings on Monday. Then Sunday through Wednesday make a few more hats. Then, Thursday through Sunday work on the scarves to match the hats and the cycle starts all over again. This pattern and rhythm has worked since the last weekend in January. I’ll keep working at it and see if the rhythm of making a few hats in the beginning and then the matching scarves works.
This week I’ve finished five hats and may complete another to add to the “inventory” before transitioning to scarves. There’s no set schedule, I might start another hat and then start working on scarves since this is a long weekend or maybe make a bunch of hats and then switch to scarf mode not following a hard switch because of the day of the week. The rhythm of a group of hats then scarves is a more natural flow rather than finishing a complete before starting another.
Also, as I was looking for something on my computer, I saw something that jogged my memory about other things I made last year, I’d forgotten about the 
A hat pattern that I have memorized this year is 
Though I’ve made dozens of hats, I want to get better at making them. To improve my technique, I look at patterns and stitches to see what I can incorporate into future hats. Particularly I’m looking to see what works, what doesn’t and to develop a better eye for hat making.
My eye for hats hasn’t developed yet. I make plans for afghans and can see the best use of oddballs and color combinations. While hats are smaller, it’s the varied sections: height, crown, brim, circumference means there’s more variables to take into consideration, not to mention style. Is this a close fitting beanie or a slouchy hat? So many options.
Summertime and the thoughts turn to crochet? Maybe not for everyone, though for me, crocheting is a year round pursuit. This month, I’ve been finishing my red scarf goal and I’m on my twelfth scarf and the goal was 10. Before the end of the year, I hope to complete 5 infinity scarves and a few hats for a couple of groups and 28 more sets.
While scrolling through Facebook, I saw that the 