Silver Thread Crochet Hoop Earrings

One of my favorite things to crochet is jewelry. Combining beads with crochet or just forming crochet stitches into necklaces, bracelets or earrings really allows your creativity to soar.

You don’t need to know any fancy stitches or techniques to try this. The basic crochet stitches like chain, slip stitch, and single crochet can get you a long way.

This article I wrote for eHow.com a few months ago shows how to create Crochet Hoop Earrings. The first design features a loop formed from crochet stitches. The second project shows you how to take an existing earring wire hoop and add crochet to it. I think the silver design is my favorite and perfect for a holiday party.

LINK: http://www.ehow.com/how_4854243_crochet-hoop-earrings.html

Bead crochet necklaces or bracelets don’t need to be difficult either. Try stringing a bunch of large seed beads on size 10, 20 or 30 crochet thread, then simply pull up a bead each time you make a chain stitch. One strand alone makes a simple piece of jewelry or you could combine several strands into one necklace or bracelet for a different look.

The pictures below are examples of what you can do by simply stringing beads on thread and using the chain stitch. Give it a try and see what you can create! If you feel more comfortable following a visual guide with project ideas, try Bead Crochet Basics by Mary Libby Neiman or Bead Crochet (Easy-Does-It) by the Bead & Buttons Editors.

Simple Crochet Bead Chain Necklace with Charms

Simple Bead Chain Crochet with Square Glass Beads

Two Strands, Crochet Necklace Using Stone "Chip" Beads

Multi-Strand Bead Crochet Necklace with Glass Beads, Uses Only the Chain Stitch

Bead Crochet Bracelet, Chain Stitch with Seed Beads, Bugle Beads and Lamé Thread

The key to interesting crochet jewelry isn’t always the stitches. You can create unique jewelry by simply varying the combinations of beads and thread. Experiment with different colors, sizes and textures of beads and don’t be afraid to try different types of fiber for the crochet stitches. The examples show above all use this wonderful shimmery thread called Lion Brand Lamé. It gives the piece just a hint of sparkle to complement the beads. You can also try novelty yarn such a eyelash or ribbon to create different textures in your jewelry.

It is also possible to crochet with wire, but that’s a topic for another day (which I will write about, I promise!).

Happy crocheting!!!!

Cathy

Yet something still drew me to knitting and it became like a yearning. Something I had to learn how to do. I liked the smooth texture of the knitted fabric; I loved all the beautiful sweaters I saw in magazines and wanted to make them. Crochet creates beautiful things too, but I found very few crochet sweaters that I liked.

So once again I picked up the knitting needles and my trusty copy of The All New Teach Yourself To Knit by Evie Rosen (Leisure Arts) and forced myself to learn. Third time’s a charm they say and this time more of the craft stuck with me. My determination to conquer it after all these years probably had a lot to do with it. After all, I was using the same instruction book, the same needles. Not much else had changed. I even managed to knit a few things that looked okay. Yay for me.

But the problem was that compared to crochet, where I could just grab a skein of yarn and a hook and casually make magic while watching TV, barely even paying attention to what my hands were doing, knitting stressed the heck out of me. I was a complete ball of tension every time I sat down to knit. Every muscle felt clenched; my palms were practically sweating. Why? Because of my fear of screwing it up.

You see, I learned how to make the knit stitches following the diagrams in the instruction book, but I didn’t really “understand” what I was doing. I couldn’t recognize and identify the stitches I was making the way I could with crochet. I didn’t know anything about why the stitches were on the needle in a certain direction, and I completely panicked if a stitch slipped off the needle.

But that was then.

A few years later, I have conquered my knitting fears (well, most of them!) and found a calmness, a confidence, a sense of “this is fun!” that I’m sure experienced knitters must feel when they work on a project. The secret? Learning to understand what knitting is (how it works physically on the needle), learning to interpret what I see on the needles (and allowing the stitches tell me what comes next), and exposing myself to enough new techniques that unfamiliar patterns no longer seem like a foreign language.

And I did it with the help of Fearless Knitting Workbook: The Step-by-Step Guide to Knitting Confidence by Jennifer E. Seiffert. This book builds your confidence and your skills in small increments from the very first page. It shows you how to knit, but then continues the instruction so you understand what you’re doing beyond making a knit stitch or a purl stitch. You learn to see a larger picture through studying what the needles and yarn are doing and how the stitches combine to form fabric.

The lessons in the book start with something very simple (but versatile), like ribbing, and slowly build on that, teaching you how to read chart, work cables and more. A whole new world of possibilities has opened up to me now that I can “read my knitting.” I feel more in control of my knitting and and more confident that I won’t lose my place or screw it up. And I enjoy it. It is a relaxing craft once you know what you’re doing. And dropping a stitch? While not exactly something I look forward to, it’s no longer a reason for a minor heart attack. And if I do drop a stitch, I get to use my favorite tool to rescue it–my crochet hook!

Don’t let your fears hold you back. You can do this!

Happy knitting, everyone!

Photo credit: ©iStockphoto.com/felinda

It seemed to me that if you get bored and lose enthusiasm after knitting one sock, the same probably happens after you knit one mitten. For myself, I could see that that would be true. I tend to like to move on to new projects quickly and don’t enjoy assembly line crafting where I’m making the same thing over and over. So, I thought why not give it a try? And you know what? It worked great!

The first pair of mittens, pictured in progress above, were a very simple pair where the fronts and back were identical so you didn’t have to worry about which was the left mitten and which was the right. I used two balls of yarn, one of each mitten and simply knit them on the same needle one next the other.

The next pair of mittens I tried were a little more complicated because the front of each has a cable and there is a definite difference in shaping between right and left. But the technique still works. I marked one mitten to I’d know it was the left one, and then simply did the specified stitches for the right mitten in the opposite order for the left mitten (except the cable, I left that as is).

You may notice in the photo that I used a circular needle for the cable mittens, but that was simply because I LOVE my new Harmony wood circular needles I got for Christmas and couldn’t wait to use them. I’m using the circular needle as straight needles here.

So, if you’re the type to get bored after that first mitten, give this technique try and you’ll have a pair of mittens done at the same time, in no time at all.

Until next time…

Happy crafting!

Knit or Crochet a Heart for Valentine's Day

In honor of Valentine’s this year I’ve drawn a simple heart chart to inspire your next knit or crochet project. The panel can be  a wash cloth, the start of a potholder/hot pad, or even a block for a blanket. I saved the chart as a PDF file you can download and print.

For our knitters out there, the edges are 5 rows/stitches in garter stitch (knit both sides). This not only adds a nice frame to the piece, but it also stops it from curling. If you’d like the final product to be a wash cloth, use 100% cotton worsted weight yarn. For my sample shown here, I used Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice in Dusty Green and Cranberry and size 8 needles. The interior of the square is stockinette stitch (knit right side, purl wrong side).

Stitching Chart

The graph can be knitted as shown, changing yarn colors for the heart. Or if you’re not comfortable yet with changing colors, knit the panel all in one color, then use Duplicate Stitch and a second color yarn, as I’ve done in the sample, to add the heart.

If you would rather crochet the heart, use the single crochet stitch throughout. You can single crochet in back loops only for the border stitches, to give the edges a slightly different texture than the main body, and single crochet in both loops for the interior. When you need to change colors for the heart, use the tapestry crochet technique of carrying the unused color along the tops of your stitches and crocheting over it as you go. This way you don’t need to worry about weaving in cut ends or attaching multiple balls of yarn as you move back and forth following the chart. It also gives you a firm fabric, which is nice if you plan to use the square as a pot holder or hot pad.

Just as with the knitted version, there is a stitching alternative if you don’t want to change colors while crocheting, and add the heart design after the piece is finished. With crochet, you can cross-stitch over the single crochet rows with your second color, following the blocks on the chart.

These links below provide additional information to help you with this project:

Sweaterscapes.com: Changing Yarn Colors While Knitting (Intarsia)

Squidoo.com: Intarsia Knitting Tutorial and Video

KarensVariety.com: Knit Duplicate Stitch

Videojug.com: Changing Yarn Colors while Crocheting (Video)

iWeb.tntech.edu: Tapestry Crochet Technique For Working With Two Colors

CraftStylish.com: Cross-stitch on Single Crochet

Additional inspiration for your crochet this Valentine’s Day–frame a heart shaped doily:

Valentine's Day Crochet Framed

There’s no entry fee and who knows, you could advance to the final round, where you send in your completed item for judging, and maybe even win a nice gift certificate to Michael’s or a cash prize. The grand prize winner receives a trip to meet Vanna herself!

The four categories (afghan and throws, hats and scarves, baby items, and gifts and crafts) give you a great deal of freedom to be creative. What project couldn’t fit into the gift category, right? The only requirement is that you use Vanna’s line of yarn from Lion Brand. It includes three different types: worsted weight Vanna’s Choice, which comes in a glorious rainbow of colors; Vanna’s Choice Baby, a worsted weight yarn in a selection of  colors popular for baby gifts; and Vanna’s Glamour, a sport weight yarn with metallic thread woven in for just the right amount of sparkle. I’m dying to make a fashion doll dress with this one!

So, what’s stopping you from entering? Even if you don’t win (and there’s always a chance you could), you will still have a handmade item ready for your next gift-giving occasion. Last year, I entered a child’s hat I’d crocheted in red, white and blue (see photo below). Even though I didn’t win the contest, my son loves this hat, and wears it to school every day now the weather’s cold. Maybe I didn’t get the cash prize, but I still feel like a winner.

And yes, I”ve entered Vanna’s contest again this year–twice so far!

Happy stitching!

Patriotic Hat in Vanna's Choice

It’s a new year and for me that means trying something new. Lately I’ve found myself practicing more knitting than crochet, but that’s probably because I’ve been crocheting for 35 and only recently taught myself to knit (after several false starts over the years), so right now knitting feels new and exciting. I’m eager to try knew things and stretch myself, see what else I can learn.

This year I’m going to try a new knitting technique: knitting two socks simultaneously on two circular needles. I received a great book for Christmas (Knitting Circles Around Socks by Antje Gillingham) that makes it look easy. First, however, I need to get two circular needles the same size. That I don’t have yet. I have one of every size, but to do this you need two, so that’s my first task.

As for crochet, this year I’d like to return to my first love: making gowns for fashion dolls, like you see in the Annie’s Attic bed doll society patterns and the Paradise Publications historical doll gowns. They’re gorgeous! For years I made these and love it. It feeds right into my doll collecting hobby that has slowed considerably over the years as I ran out of space! I took a break from fashion doll crochet when I had a baby and didn’t have the free time for spending hours in my craft room attending to detailed work like applying tiny crocheted roses to a doll’s perfectly coiled hair or sewing boa feathers around the hem of a dress. I have a doll in the Paradise Publication 1900 Century Celebration costume about 85% complete, waiting for my return. Maybe this will be the year I finish her.

So what’s on your New Year’s Craft Resolution list? A new technique? A new project? Let us know how we can help you succeed.

Welcome to the Knit and Crochet section of Creative Mind and Hands. I’m your host, Catherine Chant. I’m looking forward to sharing my love of these crafts with you. I’ve been crocheting for 35 years and it’s been my number one craft for as long as I can remember. In recent years, I’ve taught myself to knit and have come to enjoy it as much as I do crochet. Together we’ll explore these two crafts and try new things. So grab your hook, or your needles, or both, and get ready to get creative.