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A black person posted:You did that without a pattern? I basically cheated, by repeatedly putting on the unfinished glove, and using the now-stretched stitches to estimate how much I needed to add or subtract in various places. I think I did the thumb tube on the red glove like three times before I was happy with it, and for the fingers on the camo glove, I made them with excess length, put both gloves on, and then raveled each camo finger to match the corresponding finger on the red glove, haha. Not a great method in general, obviously, but it worked well enough for one-off stuff that I'm basically doing for practice.
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Jan 25, 2009 09:34
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I just started crocheting, and have been making stuffed animals.  This pig was for a fellow goon. (Plymouth Encore Chunky)
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Jan 25, 2009 09:52
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Fake Edit: ^^^I really like this! Very cute.A black person posted:Right now I'm working on this scarf. I don't have the patience to just sit down and work on crochet projects for a long time, so it tends to take me forever to finish something. But I really want to buy some pretty new yarn, and I promised myself I wouldn't until I used up my stash, so I'm making myself finish this. Ahh..thank you thank you thank you! I needed something to use up the gigantic box of mismatched "garage yarn" that my grandmother gave me. She also gave me a huge wad of crochet mags from the 80's, some of which have really neat afghan patterns. I'm simultaneously working on an afghan, two scarves and a granny square...thing (I haven't decided what it should be yet). When I get bored with the afghan, I move on to the scarf and so on. I'm still trying to teach myself amigurumi, but I can't get the magic ring down at all. I've tried several video tutorials and its just not sinking in. Oh well  .
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Jan 25, 2009 17:54
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I found this tutorial quite helpful for getting the hang of the magic ring. It's really simple once you figure it out. http://crochetme.com/Dec_Jan_0405/reads_round.html
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Jan 25, 2009 21:03
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I've been crocheting without patterns for about a year now. Most of my stuff is just scarves and fingerless mittens with various stitches, and since I can do just about any stitch it's boring to post photos of scarf after scarf. But I am most proud of my non-pattern animals. These guys were just made up on the fly, and they're VERY smooshy and cute. Like the happy anglerfish (who really glows in the dark!):  My squid (given to a friend for her birthday, and I wanna make another for myself cause I miss him):  And my 3 toed sloth (finished since the photo, this was taken mid-creation):  My dream is to someday open a little shop full of one of a kind toys and really complicated lacy things. Right now I'm working on creating my own lace patterns but it's super tedious.
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Jan 26, 2009 18:26
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That anglerfish is AWESOME! I love it when people make the not so cute animals. Now someone do a giant anteater, please? They're my favourite animals...
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Jan 26, 2009 22:32
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Smam posted:awesomeness I know you're not too fond of guides, but would you be able to divulge a general idea on how the awesome anglerfish is constructed?
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Jan 27, 2009 21:16
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Snaily posted:I know you're not too fond of guides, but would you be able to divulge a general idea on how the awesome anglerfish is constructed? Sure! The only reason I don't like patterns is because even if I see someone else's idea and want it for myself, I am forcing myself to add a personal touch. I hate the idea of stealing. It's like copying a painting and hanging it on your wall- still very nice but a little like cheating. Mr. Anglerfish was made in only two parts; the body, which can basically be thought of as a ham shape, and the lower jaw/tongue which is the shape of a ball cut in half with a ridge of single crochet around the edge for a little lip esque definition. I made the body by beginning in the round and just increasing from the tip of the tail until the body shape looked right, then stuffed him accordingly. The inner mouth is attached but is done in black to lend some depth to the mouth. The lower jaw was done as a half-ball and attached at the base of the upper jaw section, then I ran a single crochet around the whole thing to keep it sturdy. Everything is single crochet on the main body. I'm not sure how better to describe than that. If you wanna copy the form, just start with a very small hat shape and keep adding stitches until you have something that looks like a ham! His teeth and other bioluminescent parts are made up of glow in the dark plastic (we all made lanyards out of this crap at camp, remember??) and are just attached with a single sewn stitch so they don't fall off or move too much. They bend so they look sharp but aren't dangerous. Normal stuffed animal safety eyes, and the fins are done in a fan shape with sparkly crochet thread in a simple single-half double- double-half double-single crochet pattern. His angle is more of the glow stuff wadded up in a ball and attached to a piece of pipe cleaner that was sewn loosely into the top of the head, then wrapped in excess yarn. WHEW that was long. But I hope it gives some general idea! An anteater would be amazing, I might have to give that some serious thought...
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Jan 28, 2009 02:39
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If you do the anteater, I would so buy it off you. I just can't get my head around making animals out of yarn, I have to do it with fabric instead. Has anyone got a favourite lace pattern that's ideal for crochet novices? I keep finding pretty lacy patterns that just look crazy difficult, but I'd like to start to make something other than flat boring trebles.
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Jan 31, 2009 02:01
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madlilnerd posted:If you do the anteater, I would so buy it off you. I just can't get my head around making animals out of yarn, I have to do it with fabric instead. If you're serious about wanting a giant anteater, PM me cause I really love doing stuff like that and I have NO idea what I'd charge for one! And if you're interested in simple lace patterns, I suggest My Picot. It has a ton of various patterns and stitches, from the simple to the extremely difficult, and the picture patterns are a lot easier to follow as a beginner than the shorthand written directions a lot of places have. There's an extensive key on the site for reading the patterns, and I've made everything from purses to cowls and scarves with their stitches.
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Jan 31, 2009 03:41
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Wow, I've been waiting for a crochet thread! Crocheting has been one of my passions since I was probably 11. Oddly, I love making baby sweaters, even though I'm really young. I have a huge arsenal of baby pattern books, I just really like the feel of baby yarn and using odd colors for baby clothes (I made an eggplant purple sweater once with a black trim for example.) Also and probably most importantly, baby clothes are tiny and so crochet up fast. One of my favorite things to do besides that though is making custom stuffed animals though. I really like just making up my own patterns for things. I made my boyfriend a Malayan Tapir for his birthday last year and I have since been trying to get him to photograph it for threads just like this. I saw someone mention Etsy, I was wondering if any of you guys have had success with it selling things. I always have baby clothes to unload because I don't have a drat baby but crochet baby clothes and I can never find a way to sell it. And I wanted to sell my stuffed animals on there too. I love that anglerfish a few posts back too, that is so awesome. I thought about making one once and putting an LED in it but I just never got to it. . I really want to see that anteater if you make it Smam, I think that would be awesome. I'm going to make a Kinkajou this week I think. It'd be cool if we could start a crochet trading thing or something, for example Windy, I would gladly trade you a stuffed animal (you name it, I'm sure I could make it) for a pair of those gloves. I know they'd be easy as poo poo to make myself, but I think it'd be cool to do something like that.Sorry for my hyper post, I'm really excited there is a crochet thread. And coming soon, I'll post a photo of that tapir.
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Jan 31, 2009 08:49
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Here's some characters I crocheted using patterns from Creepy Cute Crochet: If you can't tell, it's cthulhu and a ninja.
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Feb 2, 2009 05:30
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ambrosia posted:Here's some characters I crocheted using patterns from Creepy Cute Crochet: Those are awesome! I was thinking of doing little guys like this, but of video game characters and cartoons and such, to sell in SA mart. I figure if anyone's going to buy tiny crocheted Marios or Zoidbergs, it's goons. I really want to get started making them, but spring classes have raped me off all my yarn money. Oh well...I'll do it eventually.
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Feb 2, 2009 06:26
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Janelle posted:If you have spaces then you are probably skipping stitches. Try keeping count with each row. What size needle are you using? And are you doing a single crotchet or double crotchet? Also, make sure you have the right number of stitches in the turning chain. Hope that helps. I am using a size 6 needle & doing single stitch. I don't know what you mean about the turning chain... discordiaskitten posted:It's worth having a poke round YouTube for videos of where exactly to place your hook, too, I found that made a lot of difference. Happy Hooker (Debbie Stoller) is a good book for new starters in the US, I'd go with The Crochet Bible (Sue Whiting) if you're in the UK - there are some differences in naming conventions and it's a PITA trying to get US wool in the UK. Good ideas, all. I got some thicker yarn, perused the links mentioned in the thread, videos...and finally got the hang of it.  I've decided I'm making a scarf. :P The tension is still a bit irregular but no more enormous holes. I managed to also attach another color, tho it looks a mite wierd at the beginning. After I've gone on for a bit longer, I'll try something new. What's next...double stitch? Xoobee fucked around with this message at 02:18 on Feb 3, 2009 |
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Feb 3, 2009 02:12
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Xoobee posted:I am using a size 6 needle & doing single stitch. I don't know what you mean about the turning chain... Advice for when you start following patterns, always always count your stitches to make sure they match how many it says you should have at the end of the row or rnd. If you are working in the round, always mark the first stitch of the round or you're hosed. You may not think it's important when you are a novice, but seriously, if it's an article of clothing ALWAYS check your gauge! My aunt still ignores this advice and complains to me every time her clothes come out weird. Gauges are so that you can use different thicknesses of yarns than the pattern suggests, helps you adjust your own specific way of crocheting (tight or loose) so that it still matches the size of the pattern's author, and if you are working off a pattern that tells you to keep going until the piece is this many inches long it keeps your clothes proportionate.
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Feb 3, 2009 02:34
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I just bought the Stitch 'n' Bitch crochet book (along with the knitting book) about a week ago, and I made the "One Skein Scarf" (which ended up taking a little more than one skein for some reason; also, it's really loving long). It didn't turn out perfect, but it's the first crochet project I haven't given up on way before it was finished, and I'll definitely wear it with pride  I half-assed learned to crochet in grade school, but never learned the right way. I've spent at least the last 15 years trying with little success to make something that didn't turn out looking like a trapezoid. The Stitch 'n' Bitch book helped tremendously. I'm trying to learn to knit as well, but it seems harder to me for some reason. I had to have a friend who knits show me how to do it, and I still don't completely get it. Anyway, glad to see others who crochet! Most of my friends who do anything with yarn knit. Hopefully one day I will be able to make an awesome afghan or something
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Feb 3, 2009 07:56
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Smam posted:If you're serious about wanting a giant anteater, PM me cause I really love doing stuff like that and I have NO idea what I'd charge for one! Yep, I'm serious. I've just upgraded to Platinum account today, but it keeps saying I have to turn on the Private Messages in my profile and I don't know how to do it... As for the anteater, I'm thinking he could be about 20-30cm long with his tongue sticking out? Pricing would depend on where you live, but I can't really pay more than £20 (about $30 USD). Can you make him out of acrylic so it would be machine washable, or is that a bad idea (I don't know much about washing handmade toys)?
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Feb 4, 2009 13:26
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madlilnerd posted:Can you make him out of acrylic so it would be machine washable, or is that a bad idea (I don't know much about washing handmade toys)? I use acrylic for all my toys - I use some of them in the baby signing classes I teach so they *have* to be machine washable (euw, sick and half-chewed rice cakes). They come out fine, the yarn softens up nicely as you wash them.
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Feb 5, 2009 17:06
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madlilnerd posted:Yep, I'm serious. I've just upgraded to Platinum account today, but it keeps saying I have to turn on the Private Messages in my profile and I don't know how to do it... I'm in the US on the East Coast. I could of course use acrylic, and I actually find that using slightly cheap yarn allows toys to be washed and snuggled a lot better than nice wools which tend to warp, fade, or pill up horribly. My anglerfish was actually made with yarn that cost about $2 about 2 years ago and he still looks brand new. If you only want a little guy then $30 sounds perfectly fair. If shipping ends up being insanely expensive, we can haggle but otherwise I think it would be a fun project. I might even have some yarn in my stash I could use! If you get PM's working, drop me a message with your info, we'll discuss. I have 2 projects going right now but this little guy sounds like a lot of fun and I really love giving people toys
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Feb 7, 2009 04:16
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I clearly need tighter stitches for the stuffing phase not to pull the crochet all out of whack. Hopefully that will come with practice. This is my first stuffed animal out of crochet, and only my second one of any kind (the first was a sad robot that I made out of variegated materials in home ec class 15 years ago.) Scarf is ~100 rows of 5 sc with fingering weight yarn and a 3.5mm hook, while the main body is various sc with worsted weight and a 5mm hook, stitched together with a yarn needle. The whiskers are 7-strand steel wire, coated in black nylon. It took about two days' worth of free time to make, just in time for Valentine's Day. It's wedged into a shoe because it's a seal, and hence it does not have legs and can not stand on its own. ejstheman fucked around with this message at 05:46 on Feb 16, 2009 |
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Feb 16, 2009 05:41
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 I finished my baby blanket, and just in time for the baby shower. It turned out remarkably well, and will serve the infant well in future winters. I also finished the hat for my step-daughter, which she has been wearing nonstop... 
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Feb 16, 2009 18:56
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What projects do you have going? Right now I am working on a pair of slippers for my sister using black worsted weight thread and Yarn Bee's "Frosting" line. I'm also working on two blankets, one with red and purple worsted weight thread and pink "featherwisp" yarn and the other using a bunch of luxurious super bulky yarns. I'm on Ravelry as "kittencaboodle"
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Feb 24, 2009 19:11
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Two part-way through at the moment - a starghan which is driving me mad as I've used too light a yarn for it (but damnit, I will use it all up!) and a long blanket cardigan for myself which is in self-striping Sirdar Yoyo yarn. Big projects, though, I can only do them in short stints. Just finished a stripy earflaps hat for my friend's little boy, a penguin amigurumi for another friend and a batch of cakes for my Etsy shop. I think I'd probably better start a cardigan for my daughter next, before she grows out of the biggest size...and I have a bunch of toys and amis to do. My queue's a bit horrendous at the moment. I'm on Ravelry as Seawood - we should get a goon group together, maybe.
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Feb 25, 2009 12:20
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There is a goon group, "Show Me Your Knits" on Ravelry, but that's slightly dead as well.
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Feb 25, 2009 16:26
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Too busy actually making stuff...ah well. Actually most of the groups I was interested in joining are dead, too - none of my locals are active at all.
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Feb 25, 2009 20:57
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I just finished two more scarves, bringing the total to three now that I've made just to make them. Now I need to find someone to give them away to since I'm not sure anybody would buy them on etsy(there's a zillion scarves for sale there). Right now I'm trying my hand at amigurami again to make toys for my nephews, but I'm loving up the tension somehow. I'm also looking for simple cardigan patterns but haven't found any that I like on ravelry.
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Feb 25, 2009 20:59
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I just made my first amigurumi animal- a bee I made up as I went along! I gave him a grumpy face so he's a grumblebee. Dammit, I need to go pick up my upload cable from the ex's house so I can upload all my cool crap.
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Feb 25, 2009 21:43
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I'm so close to finishing a blanket it's not even funny. I'm having the problem of getting tired of looking at the same color of yarn, so I will switch projects. I will try to finish it next week and post pics.
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Feb 25, 2009 22:11
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Windy posted:Right now I'm trying my hand at amigurami again to make toys for my nephews, but I'm loving up the tension somehow. Change up your hook? I always find the hook quoted in the book is 0.5mm too small for me but that may be due to the yarn differences from UK to US. Damnit, started the CyberZombie from Creepy Cute last night instead of getting on with the cardigan. They're just too quick and easy to resist, I'll have him finished tonight.
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Feb 26, 2009 16:10
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Started AND finished today! My parrot!  Pining for the fjords....  Bird Butt!
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Feb 28, 2009 04:17
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Now that's a psychedelic parrot. What did you use for the beak though? It looks like it's fraying.
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Feb 28, 2009 20:02
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It's just an extra bit of cloth that I trimmed to a triangle. I sewed it on with some pastel tatting thread
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Mar 1, 2009 02:14
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Windy posted:Anyone have a recommendation for a GOOD Amigurami instruction style book? I want to make some little plush farm animals and trucks for my young nephews. I tried making a pig recently and he's looking a little....retarded. I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing wrong with the increase/decrease stitches, if that is even the issue at all. Three days ago I could only slip stitch and single crochet. Then yesterday I picked up a book called Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet by Ana Paula Rimoli. Now I'm halfway through my first amigurumi pal - a bunny! The instructions for the stitches used are really easy to understand and the diagrams are super useful. I can't recommend it enough! Amazon.com - http://www.amazon.com/Amigurumi-World-Seriously-Cute-Crochet/dp/1564778479/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236229801&sr=8-2
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Mar 5, 2009 06:11
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unfamiliar smells posted:Three days ago I could only slip stitch and single crochet. Then yesterday I picked up a book called Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet by Ana Paula Rimoli. Now I'm halfway through my first amigurumi pal - a bunny! The instructions for the stitches used are really easy to understand and the diagrams are super useful. I can't recommend it enough! Added to my wish list. I just hope someone gets it for me for my birthday instead of socks or more movies. Post photos of the little bun when you finish!
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Mar 5, 2009 08:40
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Windy posted:Added to my wish list. I just hope someone gets it for me for my birthday instead of socks or more movies. Post photos of the little bun when you finish! Oh man, I wish I had a camera! It turned out a little lopsided since it was my first attempt, but since it was made of this toxic-green colored yarn I just sewed X's for the eyes and called him 'Zombunny'. Then I gave him to my best friend. XD
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Mar 11, 2009 13:46
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I recently bought myself http://www.amazon.ca/Creepy-Cute-Crochet-Zombies-Ninjas/dp/1594742324/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2JX1DTU1FEDZD&colid=2PN8L5IKR586C on a whim, and after reading some reviews I don't think its exactly for beginners, which is bad because I've never crocheted before. I might pick up the book just mentioned, because I'm really only interested in making dolls, but before that does anyone know any online resources/videos that are good for teaching crochet stitches/reading patterns?
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Mar 11, 2009 21:18
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Blue_monday posted:does anyone know any online resources/videos that are good for teaching crochet stitches/reading patterns? I'm a fan of the picture tutorials on Mypicot.com You can find a lot of helpful videos on youtube too.
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Mar 11, 2009 23:21
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 Hopefully this works (never posted imgs before). I just finished it. It took me a few months to figure out the directions, but after working a few different patterns I figured it out. So proud. I'm currently making one in peach with softer yarn and then will make a white one with soft yarn for some friends.
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Mar 13, 2009 20:10
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Janelle posted:
That looks really nice I'm working on some smaller projects right now (laptop cover, scarf, and purse), but once I'm through with those, I'd like to make an afghan. How long did it take to make it (once you figured it out)?
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Mar 15, 2009 07:05
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Thanks! It took a few months, but I often took breaks to work on other things and I took 2 weeks off completely to just read one week and work out massively the other. It's always figuring out patterns that takes me the longest.
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Mar 15, 2009 20:18
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