Need Help With Your Knitting (or Crochet)?

[WS]

I thought it might be good to have a place to ask questions if we were having problems with any knitted projects. I'm pretty advanced in the knitting department and may or may not be able to help with crochet, but I bet there is a lot of expertise around, if the problem is complicated!

[Wendel]

I'm learning how to knit and have been trying to figure out how to crochet because I would like to embellish my knitting with crochet.  But I can't figure it out!  I'm having trouble crocheting that second row after you cast on.  Any thoughts or tutorials you could direct me to would be wonderful.

[WS]

Hey, Wendel, I'm not a crocheter really, although I do do free form crochet and can manage the basics.  My recommendation is to start by practising with large white or light colored yarn and look at the mechanics. First we have to know if you are using English terms or American ones because we have different names for the same stitches, but my guess is that you are either A. having problems finding the next stitch to put your hook into OR  B. you aren't doing the extra stitches at the sides which keeps the piece rectangular instead of slanted.

When you start the new row you have to make two extra chain stitches before you start doing your regular stitches into the next stitch on the new row. 

Here is a you tube video on turning  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9bLltrVnog  or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2xMhR1TsSE

Having big, light yarn will help you see each stitch clearly (which you have to do, because if you skip stitches your work will start to shrink each row). Big light colored yarn also allows you to put the needle into the same place of each stitch.   You have a choice of three places in crochet to do your stitch . Crochet stitches have two sides and then two yarn bars across the top of these sides (on in front and one in back. You can crochet between the top bars (basically under the back bar), under both top bars (basically into the center of the stitch) or only under the front bar. Each of these choices gives a slightly different look and can add interest to either the fornt or the back of the work. Consistency usually helps.

If this doesn't help, let us know what the problem is that you are having and maybe we can address it.

At forst it can be hard to find the stitch, but after awhile because crochet is so uniform you can find it automatically without even looking. Your hand starts to recognize where that hook is supposed to go!

[Wendel]

I am having trouble identifying the stitch.  It doesn't look like it's the same angle as the examples I see in books or videos.  I took a break from it because I was getting really frustrated and have been working more on making my knitting stitches more uniform.  But then I switched it up a little when I switched to lever knitting because I was frustrated with purl so now I am learning how to make my stitches uniform again using that new knitting style!  Very funny.  Do you suppose that a person can have an affinity to either knitting or crochet but not both?

Thank you for your response and for the video!

[WS]

Of course they can! Knitting is very different from crochet and I know many confirmed crocheters who don't like knitting and vice versa. This can also change with time. I'm not so fond of crochet, myself, but I do it.

[WS]

By the way, Wendel, Is there a place where I can see the stitch you are talking about? I might be able ti help if I could see it.

[Trish Anderson]

Wendell

Those who have yarn addictions often swing both ways.  You Tube is fine but not everyone can learn from it.  The best way to get some help is to find yarn people.  I live in Wisconsin but here you can find yarn people at various places...libraries, senior citizen's centers, churches, Panera, Starbucks, any restaurant that is not upset when people don't leave immediately after eating etc. Knitting groups have crocheters,  Find a group and get some individual halp.