Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Basic Crocheting and Projects
    Basic Crocheting and Projects
    Basic Crocheting and Projects
    Ebook405 pages1 hour

    Basic Crocheting and Projects

    By Sharon Hernes Silverman

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Learn the fundamental skills of crochet with step-by-step instructions and clear, easy-to-follow photographs and illustrations, and then use your new skills to make a variety of crochet designs.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherStackpole Books
    Release dateOct 1, 2015
    ISBN9780811762465
    Basic Crocheting and Projects
    Author

    Sharon Hernes Silverman

    Sharon Silverman is the author of seventeen crochet books, including Crochet Cowls and Tunisian Crochet. She was a featured guest on HGTV’s fiber arts show, “Uncommon Threads” and is an instructor for Annie’s Crafts online classes. Known for her fashionable creations and crystal clear instructions, Sharon is honored to have had her designs published by leading yarn companies including Louet North America, Lion Brand Yarn, and Plymouth Yarn Company. Her private line of patterns is available through Ravelry.com.You can find Sharon at her website, www.SharonSilverman.com; on Ravelry and YouTube at CrochetSharon; and on Facebook and Pinterest at Sharon Silverman Crochet. She resides in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

    Read more from Sharon Hernes Silverman

    Related to Basic Crocheting and Projects

    Related ebooks

    Crafts & Hobbies For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Fancy Footwork

      Oct 7, 2021

      Fancy Footwork
      3 min read

    • Article

      Catch A Wave

      Jul 12, 2022

      Catch A Wave
      12 min read

    • Article

      Make Mine Motifs

      Oct 3, 2023

      Make Mine Motifs
      4 min read

    • Article

      Modern Monochrome Pouf

      Jan 24, 2023

      Modern Monochrome Pouf
      4 min read

    • Article

      Bargello Pillow

      Jan 24, 2023

      Bargello Pillow
      3 min read

    • Article

      Autumn Flash Mug Rug

      Aug 2, 2022

      Autumn Flash Mug Rug
      2 min read

    • Article

      Perfect Pooling Basket & Bowl

      Dec 7, 2021

      Perfect Pooling Basket & Bowl
      3 min read

    • Article

      Boho Summer

      Aug 19, 2019

      Boho Summer
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Knotted Sac Bag

      May 31, 2022

      The Knotted Sac Bag
      3 min read

    • Article

      Immersed In Crochet

      Aug 27, 2020

      Immersed In Crochet
      4 min read

    • Article

      Berry Patch

      Jan 24, 2023

      Berry Patch
      4 min read

    • Article

      Cali Cover-Up

      Dec 6, 2022

      Cali Cover-Up
      10 min read

    • Article

      Bring Me New SHADES

      Dec 27, 2022

      Bring Me New SHADES
      5 min read

    • Article

      Tapestry Deer Antler Tunic

      Jun 8, 2021

      Tapestry Deer Antler Tunic
      3 min read

    • Article

      Essential Fingerless Mitts

      Sep 6, 2022

      Essential Fingerless Mitts
      1 min read

    • Article

      Playful Uptown Poncho

      Jan 12, 2022

      Playful Uptown Poncho
      1 min read

    • Article

      Tunisian Knit And Purl

      Sep 2, 2021

      Tunisian Knit And Purl
      5 min read

    • Article

      Coastal Trails

      Jan 12, 2022

      Coastal Trails
      3 min read

    • Article

      Tile Cushion

      Aug 27, 2018

      Tile Cushion
      8 min read

    • Article

      Rustic Retreat

      May 2, 2023

      Rustic Retreat
      3 min read

    • Article

      Hooked

      Aug 9, 2022

      Hooked
      6 min read

    • Article

      Sparkle Knot Necklace

      May 3, 2022

      Sparkle Knot Necklace
      2 min read

    • Article

      Mélange Sampler Throw

      Apr 4, 2023

      INTERMEDIATE 50 inches wide x 59 inches long • PatonsCanadiana medium (worsted) weight acrylic yarn (3½ oz/205 yds/1 OOg per ball): 11 balls #10744 medium teal • Size l/9/5.5mm crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge • Tapestry needle 11 dc = 3V2

      7 min read

    • Article

      Creative Differences

      Jan 24, 2023

      Creative Differences
      4 min read

    • Article

      Rag-gety Rug

      Jan 24, 2023

      Rag-gety Rug
      2 min read

    • Article

      Crochet Sweater

      Oct 7, 2021

      Crochet Sweater
      6 min read

    • Article

      Corolla Mini Bowls

      Mar 15, 2022

      Corolla Mini Bowls
      3 min read

    • Article

      Sunset at Red Rock

      Mar 14, 2023

      Sunset at Red Rock
      3 min read

    • Article

      All In The Family Hats

      Sep 6, 2022

      All In The Family Hats
      2 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Basic Crocheting and Projects

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Basic Crocheting and Projects - Sharon Hernes Silverman

      Contents

      Introduction

      Part I: Basic Tools and Skills

      Tools and Materials

      Yarn

      Hooks

      Other Equipment

      Basic Skills

      Preparing Yarn for Use

      Holding the Hook

      Making a Slip Knot

      Holding the Yarn

      Chain Stitch

      Removing Extra Chains

      Slip Stitch

      Single Crochet

      Half Double Crochet

      Double Crochet

      Treble Crochet

      Working in Rows

      Joining New Yarn

      Fastening Off

      Weaving in Ends

      Measuring Gauge

      Blocking

      Reading a Pattern

      Reading a Symbol Chart

      Part II: Build Your Knowledge

      Stitches to Learn

      Single Crochet Two Together

      Double Crochet Two Together

      Front Post Double Crochet

      Back Post Double Crochet

      Reverse Single Crochet

      Tunisian Crochet

      Tunisian Simple Stitch

      Picking Up a Dropped Stitch

      Techniques to Try

      Working into a Chain Ring

      Working into an Adjustable Ring

      Working into Chain Spaces

      Working into Front or Back Loop Only

      Working an Edging

      Filet Crochet

      Joining Motifs as You Go

      Part III: Projects

      Sophisticated Chevrons Pillow

      Openwork Placemats

      Woven Shoulder Bag

      Shadowbox Pillow

      Tunisian Crochet Scarf

      Red Hot Heart Pillow

      Basketweave Blanket

      Wavy Sweater

      Mesa Tapestry Bag

      Lakeside Cliffs Shawl

      Ruby Red Jumper

      Fair Isle Fingerless Mitts

      Lilytopia Shawl

      Ripples on the Lake Wrap

      Cascading Beads Shawl

      Berry Sorbet Scarf

      Checkerboard Blanket

      Diamond Loop Scarf

      Cactus Lace Scarf

      Rosalia Motif Shawl

      Resources

      Skill Levels for Crocheting

      Crocheting Abbreviations Master List

      Standard Body Measurements/Sizing

      Standard Yarn Weight System

      Books

      Yarn and Crochet Tools Suppliers

      Other Resources for Crocheters

      Visual Index of Projects

      Introduction

      Crocheting is easy to learn! Once you know a few basic stitches, everything else builds on that knowledge in a logical way, making it easy to start your first project and also fun to build your skills as you become more adventurous in your crocheting.

      In Basic Crocheting and Projects, I’ve followed this logical approach to learning crochet. In Part One, you will get an overview of yarn, hooks, and other tools used in crocheting, and then I’ll walk you step by step with photos and illustrations through how to work the basic crochet stitches. In Part Two, you’ll build your knowledge with more advanced stitches and techniques such as working in the round, working front post and back post double crochet, Tunisian crochet, and working an edging. Then in Part Three you can use what you’ve learned to make twenty projects, including shawls, bags, scarves, blankets, pillows, and more.

      Grab a hook and some yarn and start crocheting today!

      Yarn

      Color

      Yarn comes in a dazzling array of colors. Variegated yarns combine several hues in one skein, changing from one color to another along the yarn. A visit to your local yarn store or craft shop is sure to inspire you with its rainbow of colors.

      Most yarn is dyed commercially in batches, or lots. The color can vary from one batch to another. To avoid color discrepancies, purchase all the yarn you’ll need to complete your project at once. Check the codes on the skeins’ labels to make sure the yarn is all the same color and is from the same dye lot.

      It is easier to see the stitches with light-colored yarn than with darker colors.

      Six of the CYCA’s yarn weight categories, top to bottom: super fine, fine, light, medium, bulky, super bulky

      Weight

      Yarn also comes in different weights, from lace to jumbo. A crochet pattern will specify the type of yarn you should use. To make the finished project look the way the designer intended, use the recommended weight.

      The Craft Yarn Council of America (CYCA) has issued yarn weight standards. These guidelines organize yarn into eight weight categories. Finer yarns are well suited to baby items and other delicate pieces; bulkier yarns lend themselves to thick, heavy sweaters and afghans. If you ever want to substitute one yarn for another, make sure that it is in the same weight category.

      Composition and Structure

      Yarn is made of spun fibers. These can be natural, such as wool, mohair, silk, or cotton; synthetic, such as acrylic, nylon, or polyester; or a blend. Each fiber has its own characteristics. Wool, for example, is warm but not as strong as some other fibers; acrylic is durable but not as breathable as natural materials. Blended yarns can provide the best of both worlds. Creative new blends—incorporating materials such as Tencel, camel’s hair, even soybean fibers—are being developed all the time. Mercerized cotton is thread that has been processed to preshrink it, add luster, and help it hold dye.

      The word ply means how many strands are twisted together to make the yarn or thread.

      The way a yarn’s fibers are spun determines its structure. Here are some examples:

      Spiral: Thinner yarn twisted around a thicker yarn.

      Chenille: Plush, velvety pile. Comes from the French word for caterpillar.

      Bouclé: Curled or twisted yarn held together in a way that produces small loops on the surface, giving it a kinky appearance and a springy feel.

      Nubby: Two strands twisted so that one overlaps the other to produce a bumpy texture.

      Slubby: A strand that is alternately thick and thin, twisted with a smooth or a bumpy second strand.

      Tape: Yarn made of knitted threads woven into a narrow, flat band.

      Novelty yarns: These can have eyelash threads, metallic threads, faux fur or feathers, ladder or railroad-track effects, sequins … you name it. Some can be used solo; others work best when combined with another yarn.

      Almost any stringlike material can be crocheted. Try your hand with gift-wrapping ribbon, raffia, fishing line, strips of rags, or plastic gimp to see what you like.

      Hooks

      The crochet hook is your basic tool. All have a hook on one end, which is used to pull loops through the work. Many have a flat part in the middle for you to grip. Cushioned hooks are also available. Hooks are made in steel, aluminum, plastic, wood, bamboo, and bone. They are sized by the diameter of the shaft.

      Hooks are sold individually or in sets.

      In addition to the standard hooks, there are specialty hooks. An afghan hook, or Tunisian hook, is a long hook with a stopper on the end or with a flexible plastic extension. A double-ended hook is similar to the afghan hook, but it has a hook on each end. These long hooks are useful for Tunisian crochet projects, in which the loops for each row remain on the hook all the way across a row and are then worked off.

      Crochet Hook Sizes

      *Letter or number may vary. Millimeter sizing is the most accurate.

      Other Equipment

      Pins

      Used to hold finished pieces in place for blocking and when sewing seams.

      Tapestry Needles

      Used to sew seams and close rounds at the end of a project (like at the top of a hat).

      Hook/Stitch Gauge

      Used to measure the gauge of a crocheted swatch and to identify the size of unlabeled hooks.

      Tape Measure

      Used to measure people to determine garment size, and to measure work to check how a garment fits. Can also be used to check gauge.

      Scissors and Yarn Cutter

      Used to cut yarn. The pendant has a recessed blade accessible through the notched edges.

      Row Counters

      Used to keep track of rows. This is especially useful if you get interrupted while you’re working. Alternatively, use a pencil and paper to log your progress as you go along.

      Beads

      Incorporating beads into crocheted work brings an added level of sophistication. When choosing beads, take their weight, hole size, and shape into account.

      A big-eye beading needle is helpful for prestringing beads onto yarn.

      Steam Iron or Steamer

      Used to block finished items, before or after assembly.

      Stitch Markers

      Used to mark the beginning of a round or the position of a stitch.

      Preparing Yarn for Use

      Most commercially manufactured yarn comes in machine-wound oblong skeins. You do not need to take off the label, also called the ball band, to use the yarn. It will pull from the middle of the skein. If the label indicates which side to pull from, follow those instructions. If not, you will have to find the correct end, tucked into the skein. Reach inside with a couple of fingers (kind of like you are pulling the giblets from a

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1