Dandelion Crazy Lady's Yarn Afflictions

Has it really been this long since my last post? I'm sure that one post a year does not an entertaining blog make, heh. But let's catch up, shall we?

But first, a small announcement: Dandelion Lace now also includes crochet. No, I don't think I will rename it to Dandelion Lace and Cosy Crochet. A more fitting name would be Dandelion Crazy Lady's Yarn Afflictions, but that is rather long, isn't it?

But how did it all happen? Well, among my ambitions, I would have wanted to make my own garments, but tatting large pieces takes quite a long time and also tatted stuff traditionally has many holes, which limits my options a lot.

So I turned to the traditional options, crocheting or knitting. I was of course clueless about either craft, knowing only what tools each uses. I knew that one of my grandmothers knitted and the other (or the great-grandmother) crocheted, so I would be continuing a family craft either way.

A crocheted square made by my grandmother or great-grandmother, that would have been part of my heirloom blanket

So I researched the differences between the two methods. What eventually won me over were the fact that crochet can't (easily) be done by machine, it is done by hand so it looks different than all the things you can buy in stores, and the fact that... I already had 4 crochet hooks of different sizes (my husband had bought two bigger ones to make his gillie suit). So off I went to the internet to learn how to crochet!

Just like with tatting, I learned from Youtube videos and practised a lot with the thickest yarn I had (fingering weight) until I got the single crochet good enough. Here are some of my attempts:

Chains, single crochets, squigglies, oh my! I just kept going here...

Somewhere, over the rainbow...

Some pebbles are crooked in my yell- green brick road.

Finally, some decent rows! We're off to see the wizard!

Of course, there were several attempts in between these, spread over several days. But I finally got the hang of it.

My first item was a headband, made with wool yarn I frogged from a headband I had bought. Don't feel bad for the one I destroyed, it was kind of hideous. Not saying that what I made was a thing of beauty...

Before

After

As you might be able to tell if you crochet yourself, I was doing back loop only single crochet. I honestly thought that was how it should be done, at first...

I still wear the headband I made, when I work out in the garden. It is great for spring-autumn, where there is only a light breeze.

Since then, I have made several items and started a couple of others, running out of yarn being to blame for my several WIPs. But I will tell you all about it later. Hopefully not next year, hehe.