ABOUT CROCHET

 

What is Crochet? 

Crochet is a centuries-old craft that takes its name from the French word for HOOK. Crochet is fun, relaxing and easy to learn. Using this popular needle craft, you can create beautiful fashion and home decor projects such as tops, hats, ponchos, scarves, doilies, tablecloths and bedspreads, as well as myriad of adorable items just for babies. 

Only two basic supplies are needed to crochet — a hook and a ball of thread or yarn. All crochet stitches are a series of yarn overs or wraps of thread around the hook, but once you master the single crochet stitch the rest come easily! While most patterns start with a slip stitch and series of loops called chains, you can even learn to create foundations without a traditional chain. Crochet projects are worked in rows, in which you stitch back and forth, each row on top of the row before, or rounds, in which you work around and around a center ring of chains, creating a geometric shape such as a square, circle, or hexagon. A motif is a geometric piece that you create as many times as needed, then stitch together to form your final project.

sample crochet of cloth

How is Crochet different from Knitting?
Crochet is a method of making patterns with fabric yarn or thread, much like knitting. In both crochet and knitting, loops of yarn are pulled through other loops to make a fabric. Crochet makes use of the crotchet hook, while knitters use knitting needles. In most cases, only a single thread loop is active at a given time in crochet.
Similar effects in patterns can be achieved in both crochet and knitting: they are just achieved differently. Cable Stitch, the braided pattern that is a standard feature of the fisherman knit sweater, can even be simulated in crochet. Working in the round – that is, crafting a tube of fabric can be done in both knit and crochet. In crochet, the foundation chain is simply connected to its own beginning whereas in knitting one uses multiple double-sided needles to knit in circles.

Crochet Stitches
There are many patterns of crochet stitches and all of them start with slip knot followed by a series of loops or chains. The first row of every crochet forms the foundation and is often done with simple chain stitches. Each row in a pattern may be made using several different stitches. There are many type of crochet stitches and below are a few to name:

• Chain Stitch
   
  
            
  
   
• Double Crochet Stitch
  
  
            
  
  
  
• Half Double Crochet Stitch
  
     
  
  
  
• Single Crochet Stitch
  
  
    
• Slip Stitch
  
  
  
  
• Start Crochet
  
     
• Treble Crochet Stitch
  
        
  
  
• Triple Treble Crochet Stitch
  
      
  
  
• Lacy Interrupted V-Stitch
  
  
  
            
• Striped Afghan Stitch Pattern
  
  
            
  
  
• Large Wheel Stitch
  
  
  
    
• Cable Stitch