The Maternal! What is your hobby? After the article titled Of course, this article does not tell anything new to those who have already started down the path of yarn addiction, but they may also read a few new things.
Like all DIY activities, especially in which the we achieve a fun, relaxing, nerve-soothing feeling of flow and challenge! Crocheting is especially good because it requires a lot of concentration, like this completely captures your attention reduces accumulated during the day stress and tension and a pattern is very large when finished gives a feeling of satisfaction. I think the latter is addictive, you get sucked into this feeling and want to feel it more and more. Which of course requires more yarn and more patterns.
So but let's start from the beginning! What do you need for crocheting?
In addition to time, desire and patience, it is considered basic equipment:
- 1 pc crochet hook
- suitable for the size of the crochet hook yarn
- a great one crochet pattern
- scissors
- larger needle (through which your chosen yarn can pass)
This toolkit is perfect for trying out whether this hobby is for you or not, and as you can see the cost implications are not too big, so it's worth a try if you don't have a hobby yet, but you want to spend your free time in a way that's not just relaxing , but it should also be useful.
What else do you need to make amigurumi?
In addition to the tools that can be used for crocheting, to make amigurumi - i.e. crocheted stuffed toys - you also need filler material, which you can use to fill the game.
Photo: Pexels (www.pexels.com)
How do you choose basic equipment?
Choice of yarn
The first and most important question is what your goal is. You want to make clothes, scarves, hats, baby blankets, bags, tablecloths, crocheted decorations, or amigurumi. No matter which one you choose, there is a suitable yarn for each. Without claiming to be exhaustive, I will describe, based on my own experience, which type of yarn I would recommend. In any case, I recommend that you crochet a smaller piece in the first round, and then it is enough to buy 1 skein of yarn to see how much you like crocheting. It's a good idea to keep a record of the yarns you've used in the past, so that even if you run out, you'll know the name, type and color code. This will greatly facilitate the purchase later.
If clothes if you want to crochet, choose thinner yarn than for knitting, as crochet is much stiffer, so you can make looser, more flexible pieces.
Photo: Pexels (www.pexels.com)
Baby blanketI definitely recommend softer materials (acrylic, chenille, merino wool, cotton, etc.), however, always check the quality of the yarn here, as with all items made for babies! Look for a yarn that fits OEKO-TEX certification STANDARD 100, so it's definitely suitable for babies too.
For bags and crochet decorations, as for crocheted containers, we usually use cord yarn or T-shirt yarn, but of course these can also be made from thicker cotton yarn.
For making amigurumi the offer is quite wide and colorful, there are countless possibilities for what you like. There are those who crochet exclusively with cotton yarn (e.g. Schachenmayr Catania, Scheepjes Catona, Kartopu Organica, Drops Paris). But you can use mixed yarns, acrylic, or furry yarn, or one of my favorite types of yarn is chenille (velvet) yarn. For the latter, especially if you are making it for a baby, be sure to check the OEKO-TEX certification!
Crochet hook selection
For the selected yarn a specified in the yarn description you don't have to think much about the recommended needle size and therefore the choice of crochet hook, unless amigurumi you make It is the latter buy 1-1.5 sizes smaller than the recommended needle size, since the goal here is to get a stiffer piece that keeps its shape and can be filled so that the filling material is not visible.
Choice of filling material
I believe that when making toys, it is important to pay attention to the quality of the filling material and it does not matter what we fill it with, if we give the finished figure to children. In this case, definitely a anti-allergenic siliconized polyester ballsI recommend at. This sealant does not collapse, does not deform, and holds its shape nicely.
Choosing a crochet pattern
Initially, the free samples I recommend. Lots of them YouTube video, you can find free patterns on the internet, including mine My blog posts also between During the free samples, you can experience how suitable this hobby is for you. Of course, you definitely have a selected pattern, or one that you really like and jump right into it, but to avoid disappointment, I recommend that we first test our skills on an easier, free piece, and only then tackle a more complicated project.
What is it worth learning in the first round?
Crocheting, as a subculture, has many branches, as was evident in the description of the basic equipment. It offers countless opportunities to develop our creativity, but there is a basic knowledge base that you may need and you will come across it in almost every genre.
In my opinion, basic knowledge consists of the following crochet operations:
- chain link
- short stick (rp)
- half-fish (fp)
- single fold stick (erp)
- double folding stick (krp)
- creep eye / false stick (ksz / hp)
- propagation (mud)
- consumption, including invisible consumption (consumption)
- Crocheting in the front and back strands (ESZ and HSZ)
- magic circle (vk)
The markings at the end of the lines are not always the same in the samples. Mainly there are differences in the marking of consumption and reproduction in the patterns of some designers, however, it does not change the essence, since it must be made in the same way, only the designer marks it differently in the description.
Photo: Pexels (www.pexels.com)
How can you learn basic crochet operations?
In this regard, there are many options available to you in the 21st century, as the Internet is full of even better videos, pictures, and guides. Last year, I learned from YouTube videos on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, so even if crocheting seems like a lot of magic at first, this also proves that it is not!
However, to make it easier for you to adjust to whether it is worth taking the plunge, I can recommend the following:
- Take part Sylvee's Crochet at a workshop where he teaches you how to make amigurumi either in person or online.
- If you like to learn from books a Yanina Schenkel: Friends of Pica Pau I can recommend it, each book contains the basics of crocheting and you will also be able to crochet 20 wonderful figures.
You thought it was final
As you can see, crocheting is not only my preferred toy-making, it offers countless opportunities to develop your talent and creativity. Personally, I like amigurumi the most, because then I crochet toys not only for my children, but also for my inner child. But in addition to toys, I have crocheted containers, scarves, and bags, the everyday use of which reminds me of the wonderful things that can be created. Anyway, I have a great desire to learn how to knit socks, I hope I will have the time and capacity for it soon. However, in the meantime, I will stick to my crochet hook. I hope that this short article of mine helped to give you an insight into the world of crochet and made you want to get hooked too.
