In which I am finally introduced to the concept of textile crafts

[cahn]

I seem to have randomly picked up crocheting this past week? A babysitter taught me how to chain stitch when I was a kid, but I'd never figured out how to do any more than that. And anyway I'd been looking around for something to do with my hands during Zoom meetings that would let me still pay attention to the meetings without being bored out of my skull (I've been doing chain maille, which fills that niche, but was looking for another potential activity) and then I saw these cute amigurumi kits which a) I really wanted to make one, because they're so cute b) they had all these tag lines like "total beginners who've never crocheted before can do this!" and I was like... hey, total beginner who has never crocheted before, that's me! I could... maybe... do that?

So I bought a set of crochet hooks, got out the yarn in the kids' craft bin (I am rather amused that the two super cheap spools of yarn I bought when E was a toddler as basically play toys for her have lasted through almost ten years and two kids, though we're down to assorted medium-to-small balls of it now), and watched some videos. I hate watching videos, but I must reluctantly concede that for this kind of thing it is six thousand times better than pictures (yes, yes, this is cahn getting with the digital world, decades after everyone else did) as my ability and motivation are not large enough to figure out how to do it from pictures, but I was able to pretty easily via video. Some large number of ripped-out stitches later, I now know how to single crochet and double crochet, and courtesy of not just meetings but also the kids having outside karate and E and I watching She-Ra, I have a small half-washcloth-sized single-crocheted piece of material that E has already earmarked as a blanket for her (small) stuffed animal, at which point A commissioned a similar blanket for his small stuffed animal, which I finished double crocheting today during back-to-back meetings.

(It's soooo good for meetings, better than chain maille; it's just the right combo of repetitive but requiring a bit of visual attention and also hypnotic that I can actually concentrate better on someone else talking while crocheting than I can if I'm not doing anything with my hands.)

Something that's weird to me is how much more physically compelling I find crocheting than knitting. A friend taught me how to knit many years ago and I knitted a washcloth and then quit because I didn't find the act of knitting particularly interesting, whereas I actually enjoy crocheting and find it very soothing and kind of addictive. (Not gonna lie, part of this is that ripping out stitches, which I've been doing a lot, is extremely satisfying :) ) I assume there are others who feel exactly opposite (most of you? like... I think half the people on my DW list are huge knitters) and find knitting compelling and crocheting uninteresting. It's just fascinating to me though because I guess I'd always subconsiously assumed (yes, feel free to laugh at me) they were pretty much the same in terms of crafting appeal, they both involve creating cloth from yarn with one stick vs. two sticks, what's the difference? ;) (All this being said, I'm thinking that some of it probably also has to do with where I am in life, and maybe I should try knitting again. I do think I like the fabric that results from knitting more!)

The only thing is that it seems to tear up my neck and shoulders. I think this is because I don't have good back/shoulder posture while crocheting. (I'm pretty sure my hands themselves are in reasonably good ergonomic position, but it's certainly rather repetitive so I think I'd need to be careful there too.) It's about the time of year I usually have some problems with this anyway, so I'm trying to be better about stretches and we'll see.

I haven't bought a kit, and will try to make the chick by myself after I get yarn for it (I've been practicing magic circle), as I am pretty sure I can do it on my own. But I will probably get their fox kit and make that for E, as she adores foxes and I feel like I should support their business for inspiring me to do this, and also the fox looks more difficult and like a kit might be more fun than me trying to figure it out myself, whereas it was more fun for me to figure out the chick by myself :)

So anyway! Tell me about yarn you like! Ideally yarn that comes in pretty colors and is soft and easy to crochet. Cheap and durable is a plus, especially until I get better at this :P I don't have any opinions about artifical vs. natural fiber -- it's all good :)

Comments

[thistleingrey]

I can't stand making dishcloths, but making other stuff entertains me usefully--knit or crochet. No lie, I botched my starting dishcloths badly for both crafts and just kind of sailed onto a harder project with my fingers crossed. Definitely agreed that having one loop to track is way easier than a bunch of loops, and not only for ripping back!

For crochet especially, cotton tends to be stiff and thus not worth it unless you need it not to stretch (for example, a thread doily) or have very strong hands. Otherwise, I guess it depends on which size of amigurumi you intend to end up with? I've used several wool yarns for crochet amigurumi, but lots of things will work....

(Also, cotton stretches more when knitted than crocheted, mostly because crochet tends to fold the yarn over on itself, which is inherently more stable.)

You may or may not also find hyperbolic surfaces of interest...?

[cahn]

Ha, that's rather encouraging to me that you didn't get the dishcloths and moved on successfully :D Maybe I should give knitting another try after all...

This is super useful information, thank you! Especially since I was about to experiment with cotton yarn... and "strong hands" are basically the opposite of what I have :P Though I see these interesting patterns for baskets... Amigurumi-wise, I think I'm going to stay with simpler worsted-weight amigurumi for now :) We'll see how those go and whether I (and my hands) feel up to anything more difficult.

Okay, those hyperbolic surfaces are amazing. :D

[thistleingrey]

A cotton yarn that a friend found congenial for baby blankets is Rowan's Summerlite DK. DK is nearly as thick as worsted weight. Softer yarns tend to be less durable on average, but that one has survived being dragged around a fair amount! When I made little blankets, I used Lily Sugar 'n Cream, which is indeed more durable but kind of defeated my hands; I can still manage it at placemat/coaster size.

If available to you for local pickup/etc.: both Michael's and Joann carry Lion Brand (+1 rosefox's suggestion re: good/inexpensive, though I no longer buy acrylic, which nixes most Lion stuff--Lion likes offering blends). ...They have Lily, too.

Two web vendors that tend to carry a lot of colors of a given yarn, when I can't find stuff locally: jimmybeanswool.com and yarn.com. I prefer the former because shipping reaches me sooner (they're in Nevada) and because the latter has grown large enough to put a few smaller companies out of business. :/ Good as backup, however.

[cahn]

Ahhhh that looks lovely. It makes sense that a slightly less thick yarn would work better.

We do have a Michael's that's available for local pickup, and I got a couple of skeins of Lion Brand :) They did have Lily, but not (locally) in colors I was excited about, so I may wait on that a bit -- maybe after I've finished these amigurumi :)

[rosefox]

I'm one of those people who loves knitting and can't stand crochet. It's one of the few crafts that my hands just will not do—something about the twist of the wrist.

Lion Brand yarns are generally excellent and inexpensive.

[cahn]

*nods* The funny thing is that the wrist twist is a draw for me, because I like how elegant it looks and feels when I do it, but at the same time I can see that it would probably tear up my hands if I do it too much. I need virtual hands :P

Thank you! I will try Lion Brand out :D

[hamsterwoman]

Those amigurumi kits do look totally adorable!

Congratulations on your accomplishments so far!

it's just the right combo of repetitive but requiring a bit of visual attention and also hypnotic that I can actually concentrate better on someone else talking while crocheting than I can if I'm not doing anything with my hands.)

That's really interesting to know! Because I find there is definitely activity that does that for me in meetings with little/no visual input. Usually I'm playing silly games on my phone (if no-one can see me) or doodling (if it's a face-to-face meeting), but I've never found anything productive I could do, hm...

[cahn]

Thanks! I'm excited to see how this goes... :)

I've experimented with those too, lol! Yeah, it's doodling for me in a face-to-face meeting. I have tried the phone games thing but that usually tips over for me where I'm paying too much attention to it *facepalm*

[hamsterwoman]

I have tried the phone games thing but that usually tips over for me where I'm paying too much attention to it *facepalm*

Yeah, it can't be anything too mentally demanding, and it has to be pretty mechanical -- solitaire is working best for me right now, but previously I'd also tried 13! and Pop Star.

[cahn]

Ha! I hadn't thought of solitaire. Maybe I'll give that a try :)

[allmyfansquees]

Oh HURRAY, someone else who prefers crochet over knitting - I admire knitters enormously but my brain simply Will Not Track two needles. Just Nope. It freezes up like an elderly computer and refuses to process any further. But crochet is no problem at all beyond the usual nonsense of counting my starting chain if I'm doing a big project like a full-on blanket.
I tend to look for machine washable yarn simply because I know both myself and most of the people I crochet for (generally folks with toddlers/babies who are not going to be hand-washing anything). That's generally meant acryllic/wool blends and I've also found Lion Brand good, though it's not as ubiquitous in the UK. I received a project pack from this lovely person's store a couple of years ago as a Christmas present and it's a pleasure to work with, so many gorgeous colours! Plus it will definitely last me a very long time: https://attic24.typepad.com/
But she's UK based so I'm not sure the shipping will be worth it when there are sure to be a lot of amazing independent places to find closer to you...
Best of luck with the chick (and future fox) and I hope you continue to enjoy the crocheting!

[cahn]

Oh yay, I'm not alone! :D Ha, yes, one of the things I like about crochet is that there is only one piece of equipment to keep track of! Even two is Too Much for me, apparently :D

Machine washable!! I hadn't even thought of that, and yep that's me too. (All the clothes I buy are required to be machine washable.)

[tree_and_leaf]

Yeah, I'm the opposite. I just can't get a good rhythm with crochet, blue I find the stitches annoyingly hard to count.

[cahn]

Ha, I might be annoyed with counting if I ever get to something more complicated for which I actually have to count the stitches, which I haven't had to do for the washcloth-stuffie-blankets :) (...which is the next-up project, so we'll see...)

[mildred_of_midgard]

Okay! I have consulted with the expert. My wife took up crocheting via online videos 6 years ago, and since she's clinically depressed and has no job and limited ability to do most things, has been crocheting day in, day out for 6 years, while listening to audiobooks and online lectures and such.

I have watched her tastes in yarn grow ever more particular and expensive over the years: we used to go to Michael's, and now she won't touch the stuff with a ten-foot crochet hook. :P

So I gave her your criteria for yarn and told her you were working on amigurumi kits for beginners (she used to do that!), and she recommends lovecrafts.com, which she says has a huge variety, many colors, and is cheaper than Michael's even with shipping.

If I've got this right, she recommends Paintbox and Stylecrafts brands.

And she's happy to give tips if you want them!

[cahn]

Oooooh I didn't know your wife was a crocheting expert! :D Haha, I can see how yarn tastes could creep upwards!

I checked out lovecrafts.com and it looks really promising -- although we did pick up a few skeins at Michaels because instant gratification they are going to be my next stop :D I'd heard of Paintbox while scouring the interwebs but Stylecrafts had not passed my radar. Thank her for me!

[mildred_of_midgard]

Oooooh I didn't know your wife was a crocheting expert!

I will add that she spent about 5 of those 6 years calling knitting the hobby of Satan, and only in the last year or so has grudgingly come around to it. :P I think it was because she discovered a different way to hold the needles that felt more natural to her? I can ask if you care.

[cahn]

heeeeee. I don't care right at this point, but if I ever try to knit again (which maybe someday? if I ever get through this rapidly-growing list of crochet projects I want to try?) I may ask for tips, because I just remember it not being fun (I didn't think it was the hobby of Satan, just that I couldn't see why someone would do it voluntarily), whereas crochet makes something in my brain go "yessss this is fun let's do more of this!"

Btw thank her again for the tips, I am intending to make my first lovecraft order soon *facepalm*

[genarti]

I find knitting much more physically compelling as something to keep my hands busy while my brain and attention do something else, but that's really not about anything inherent to either one, I don't think; it's just that I've been knitting for years now, and so that I can knit without looking at what I'm doing, unless it's a very complex pattern. Whereas with crochet, I'm a rank beginner; I'm not sure if one can do it as easily without looking in any case, but if one can, I personally am a long way away from being able to.

(In terms of the difference in textile products: crochet tends to be stiffer, tighter in terms of the actual stitches, and not very stretchy unless you're making something that's really netting, which is worse for things like sweaters and better for things like doilies and amigurumi. Also, because you don't have to have a long stretch of stitches on a needle, crochet makes much easier to do complex shapes and just sort of build out from a central point -- flowers, hyperbolic surfaces, etc. Knitting makes better flexible flat textile-type shapes, though, and I don't know if crochet can do the kind of overlapping-stitches stuff you get with cables and so on.)

I like www.knitpicks.com as a yarn source, and find their Wool of the Andes great as a cheap, soft option for knitting garments, but I'm afraid I can't speak at all to what's easy to crochet or durable for amigurumi.

[cahn]

*nods* I think it might be hard to do without looking? Which is probably part of why it works for me in meetings, where I often have to pay attention to what people are saying but am sort of impatient for visual stimulus, actually.

Thank you for the info! Ooooh knitpicks looks very cool, and I will have to look into Wool of the Andes, which looks nice! Idk whether easy-to-knit is the same as easy-to-crochet, but I assume at least some of it is the same (less prone to splitting and fraying, for example).

Hi, lurker here

[(Anonymous)]

I'm a lurker that checks your bookloging from time to time who started to crochet amigurumies a couple years ago. I've a couple of recs if you're interested.

www.allaboutami.com has a lot of cute free patterns and some tips to start crocheting amigurumies and learning how to read patterns.

https://www.allaboutami.com/springbunniespattern/
These bunnies are adorable and pretty easy to do. They're the third amigurumi I did and the result was very good.

https://www.amigurumi.com/Cats/Dumpling-Kitty/
These kitties are a bit more tricky because the joined ears, but it's a easy way to learn a technique you can use after for joined legs in a lot of patterns.

https://www.happyberry.co.uk/free-crochet-pattern/Amigurumi-Fox/6233/
This is one of my favorite fox patters. The tail is a pom-pom!

https://www.allaboutami.com/blackwhiteheadband/
And if you want something to do with your hands while you pay attention to other things, this headband is made all with single crochet.
The main difference between amigurumi and wearable items is that for amigurumi you usually use a tighter gauge and a hook one size smaller.

My favorite yarn for amigurumies is 100% cotton, pretty durable and it comes in a lot of nice colors.

Re: Hi, lurker here

[cahn]

Hi hi! Thanks so much for commenting!! I love all of those links -- I think I may have to make those! I definitely want to learn how to make joined legs -- but my absolute favorite is the fox! I'd already started making my daughter E's fox in the woobles design, kind of in conjunction with making the chick/penguin as it has the same base design, but I know once I show that link to my kids they will both want one of those too! (E's favorite animal is the fox, and I don't think A has a favorite animal of his own so he mostly wants what she wants, lol!) That will keep me busy in meetings for a while :D

And I am happy you like my random thoughts about books :D (Feel free to comment on those posts too if you like!)