The One about Crochet

Yarn for Crochet

2011-06-21T07:32:00.000-07:00

Yarn for crochet is usually sold as balls or skeins (hanks), although it may also be wound on spools or cones. Skeins and balls are generally sold with a yarn band, a label that describes the yarn's weight, length, dye lot, fiber content, washing instructions, suggested needle size, likely gauge, etc.

It is a common practice to save the yarn band for future reference, especially if additional skeins must be purchased. Crocheters generally ensure that the yarn for a project comes from a single dye lot. The dye lot specifies a group of skeins that were dyed together and thus have precisely the same color; skeins from different dye lots, even if very similar in color, are usually slightly different and may produce a visible stripe when added onto existing work. If insufficient yarn of a single dye lot is bought to complete a project, additional skeins of the same dye lot can sometimes be obtained from other yarn stores or online.

The thickness or weight of the yarn is a significant factor in determining the gauge, i.e., how many stitches and rows are required to cover a given area for a given stitch pattern. Thicker yarns generally require large-diameter crochet hooks, whereas thinner yarns may be crocheted with thick or thin hooks. Hence, thicker yarns generally require fewer stitches, and therefore less time, to work up a given project. Patterns and motifs are coarser with thicker yarns and produce bold visual effects, whereas thinner yarns are best for refined or delicate patternwork. Yarns are standardly grouped by thickness into six categories: superfine, fine, light, medium, bulky and superbulky. Quantitatively, thickness is measured by the number of wraps per inch (WPI). The related weight per unit length is usually measured in tex or dernier.

Before use, hanks are wound into balls in which the yarn emerges from the center, making crocheting easier by preventing the yarn from becoming easily tangled. The winding process may be done by hand, or with a ballwinder and swift.

A yarn's usefulness is judged by several factors, such as its loft (its ability to trap air), its resilience (elasticity under tension), its washability and colorfastness, its hand (its feel, particularly softness vs. scratchiness), its durability against abrasion, its resistance to pilling, its hairiness (fuzziness), its tendency to twist or untwist, its overall weight and drape, its blocking and felting qualities, its comfort (breathability, moisture absorption, wicking properties) and its appearance, which includes its color, sheen, smoothness and ornamental features. Other factors include allergenicity, speed of drying, resistance to chemicals, moths, and mildew, melting point and flammability, retention of static electricity, and the propensity to accept dyes. Desirable properties may vary for different projects, so there is no one "best" yarn.

Although crochet may be done with ribbons, metal wire or more exotic filaments, most yarns are made by spinning fibers. In spinning, the fibers are twisted so that the yarn resists breaking under tension; the twisting may be done in either direction, resulting in an Z-twist or S-twist yarn. If the fibers are first aligned by combing them, the yarn is smoother and called a worsted; by contrast, if the fibers are carded but not combed, the yarn is fuzzier and called woolen-spun. The fibers making up a yarn may be continuous filament fibers such as silk and many synthetics, or they may be staples (fibers of an average length, typically a few inches); naturally filament fibers are sometimes cut up into staples before spinning. The strength of the spun yarn against breaking is determined by the amount of twist, the length of the fibers and the thickness of the yarn. In general, yarns become stronger with more twist (also called worst), longer fibers and thicker yarns (more fibers); for example, thinner yarns require more twist than do thicker yarns to resist breaking under tension. The thickness of the yarn may vary along its length; a slub is a much thicker section in which a mass of fibers is incorporated into the yarn.

The spun fibers are generally divided into animal fibers, plant and synthetic fibers. These fiber types are chemically different, corresponding to proteins, carbohydrates and synthetic polymers, respectively. Animal fibers include silk, but generally are long hairs of animals such as sheep (wool), goat (angora, or cashmere goat), rabbit (angora), llama, alpaca, dog, cat, camel, yak, and muskox (qiviut). Plants used for fibers include cotton, flax (for linen), bamboo, ramie, hemp, jute, nettle, raffia, yucca, coconut husk, banana trees, soy and corn. Rayon and acetate fibers are also produced from cellulose mainly derived from trees.

The two possible twists of yarn

Common synthetic fibers include acrylics,polyesters such as dacron and ingeo, nylon and other polyamides, and olefins such as polypropylene. Of these types, wool is generally favored for crochet, chiefly owing to its superior elasticity, warmth and (sometimes) felting; however, wool is generally less convenient to clean and some people are allergic to it. It is also common to blend different fibers in the yarn, e.g., 85% alpaca and 15% silk. Even within a type of fiber, there can be great variety in the length and thickness of the fibers; for example, Merino wool and Egyptian cotton are favored because they produce exceptionally long, thin (fine) fibers for their type.

A single spun yarn may be crochet as is, or braided or plied with another. In plying, two or more yarns are spun together, almost always in the opposite sense from which they were spun individually; for example, two Z-twist yarns are usually plied with an S-twist. The opposing twist relieves some of the yarns' tendency to curl up and produces a thicker, balanced yarn. Plied yarns may themselves be plied together, producing cabled yarns or multi-stranded yarns. Sometimes, the yarns being plied are fed at different rates, so that one yarn loops around the other, as in bouclé. The single yarns may be dyed separately before plying, or afterwords to give the yarn a uniform look.

The dyeing of yarns is a complex art. Yarns need not be dyed; or they may be dyed one color, or a great variety of colors. Dyeing may be done industrially, by hand or even hand-painted onto the yarn. A great variety of synthetic dyes have been developed since the synthesis of indigo dye in the mid-19th century; however, natural dyes are also possible, although they are generally less brilliant. The color-scheme of a yarn is sometimes called its colorway. Variegated yarns can produce interesting visual effects, such as diagonal stripes.

by : wikipedia

International Crochet Symbol

2011-06-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

Here are some crochet symbols :

Basic Crochet Symbols with American Equivalent

Additional Symbol Stitches that can be found in American Patterns

part 1


part 2

part 3

part 4

From : The Solutions Book for Crocheters

Diffrences between Crochet and Knitting

2011-06-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

One of the more obvious differences is that crochet uses one hook while much knitting uses two needles. In most crochet, the artisan usually has only one live stitch on the hook (with the exception being Tunisian crochet), while a knitter keeps an entire row of stitches active simultaneously. Dropped stitches, which can unravel a fabric, rarely interfere with crochet work, due to a second structural difference between knitting and crochet. In knitting, each stitch is supported by the corresponding stitch in the row above and it supports the corresponding stitch in the row below, whereas crochet stitches are only supported by and support the stitches on either side of it. If a stitch in a finished croc heted item breaks, the stitches above and below remain intact, and because of the complex looping of each stitch, the stitches on either side are unlikely to come loose unless heavily stressed.

Round or cylindrical patterns are simple to produce with a regular crochet hook, but cylindrical knitting requires either a set of circular needles or three to five special double-ended needles.

Freeform crochet is a technique that can create interesting shapes in several dimensions because new stitches can be made independently of previous stitches almost anywhere in the crocheted piece.

It is generally accomplished by building shapes or structural elements onto existing crocheted fabric at any place the crafter desires.

Knitting can be accomplished by machine, while many crochet stitches can only be crafted by hand. Although some crochet patterns can emulate the appearance of knitting, distinctive crochet patterns such as the Granny square cannot be simulated by other methods. The height of knitted and crocheted stitches is also different: a single crochet stitch is twice the height of a knit stitch in the same yarn size and comparable diameter tools, and a double crochet stitch is about four times the height of a knit stitch.

Crochet produces a thicker fabric than knitting, and tends to have less "give" than knitted fabric. It also uses approximately a third more yarn for a comparable project than knitted items do, since each crochet stitch is composed of several loops versus a single loop as in knitting.

by : wikipedia

The History of Crochet

2011-06-20T19:56:00.000-07:00

Little is known of it's earliest history, but it is believed that the earliest crocheted projects were to have been made by finger crocheting (meaning the use of fingers instead of the traditional hook that we use today). During the Renaissance period,
both upper class and lower class women crocheted several strands of thread (like macrame) to produce lace-like fabrics, imitating European lace. The website, The Renaissance Tailor discusses how a man's cape on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum uses the crochet braid as an adornment from the late 16th and early 17th century.

It was not until about the mid 1800s, when printed materials became more mass produced, that the popularity of Crocheting excelled. Usually in magazines or books, printed patterns for various crocheted items made it easier, and more popular, to produce Crocheted products. World War II though, nearly brought this art form to a halt due to shortages in available materials.

It's popularity sprung back to life during the 1970s when it became extremely popular to wear Crocheted items. Today, according to a study done by Research Inc. for Craft Yarn Council of America, 34 million women in 1994 crocheted or knitted. In 2002, some 38 million women do.

Compared to today's Crocheting hooks which are mostly mass-produced and made of steel, aluminum, or plastic, vintage Victorian hooks were handmade, usually with materials such as: real ivory, brass, various woods, and other bone material. Most vintage hooks were ornately carved, including those with beautiful Mother of Pearl. It is believed that the more ornately carved crocheting hooks had a higher likelihood of being a wedding gift.

Today's crochet is primarily created by using soft yarns to produce mostly garments and blankets. The crochet stitch can be made by machine but in large, continues to traditionally be a home craft. And, although primarily thought of as a "woman's hobby," men are starting to catch onto Crocheting for it's relaxing qualities and satisfying results. (Some men reportedly like to crochet because the stitches have a mathematical quality which lead them to artistic creations.)

Crocheting still appeals to the various economical classes as a popular hobby because most of the materials still remain inexpensive and easy to obtain. The hobby of Crocheting also transcends between the ages. Young children are taught the art of Crocheting for many reasons: to increase their fine motor skills, aid in counting and instruction following, to bolster self-confidence, to introduce "quiet time," to learn a family tradition, and more. The older generations like Crocheting for the pleasure their craft brings to them, for the social outlets (yes, there are Crocheting Clubs!), and for those who are sufferers of arthritis -- the movement in the hands reportedly helps keep the arthritic symptoms in check!

Contrast to knitting, crochet (meaning "hook" in French) is a series of interlocking loops of thread onto a chain using a slender rod with a hook at the end. A single chain of loops is created, with each new loop catching the thread or yarn and pulling it through the previous loop. After the chain has been completed to the desired length, the thread or yarn is then turned starting a second chain (or the start of a row). Various stitches and patterns can be created. Some of the more common stitches known are: Chain, Single Crochet, Half-Double Crochet, Double Crochet, Popcorn Crochet, and Cluster Crochet.

The Crochet Hook

2011-06-20T19:07:00.000-07:00

Hook sizes in the US are usually denoted by letters and numbers, for example H/8. But they usually are also marked with the European or metric size in millimeter (mm). So, the US H/8, is also the European size 5.00mm.

all crochet hooks are not made equal. even different brands can vary slightly in size (and I mean only very slightly). But, that variation may mean the difference between you getting gauge for the pattern you love, or not.


Steel Hooks

The smallest hooks are steel hooks. They go from size...Metric - 0.75mm/ US - #14 (smallest) to Metric 3.50mm/ US 00 (largest - there is no UK size equivalent for these).

Steel crochet hooks are used for thread crochet and very fine yarns (lace weight or cobweb yarns). They are also used extensively for bead crochet. The heads of the finest hook scan fit through teeny seed beads! Below you will find a table of steel hook sizes.

Steel Hook Sizes

Metric(mm)	US	UK/CANADIAN
0.75	14	-
0.85	13	7
1.00	12	6.5
1.10	11	6
1.30	10	5.5
1.40	9	5
1.50	8	4.5
1.65	7	4
1.80	6	3.5
1.90	5	3
2.00	4	2.5
2.10	3	2
2.25	2	1.5
2.75	1	1
3.25	0	0
3.50	00	-

You can find the more common sizes in plastic, but usually you'll find them in aluminum. These sizes range from Metric - 2.00mm/UK 14 (no US size equivalent), to Metric 19.00mm/ US S (No UK size equivalent).

These hooks are used for yarns ranging from cobweb/lace weight at the fine end of the scale right up to 3 or 4 strands of worsted held together for the largest size.

Aluminum Hooks

Beginners may prefer to start off with plastic hooks, available in general craft stores. (The larger sizes are only available in plastic as their aluminum counterpart would be way too heavy to work with).

Plastic is fine to start off with, but you may find your plastic hook to be slightly rough and catch on your yarn - not ideal. This becomes frustrating, and you may like to check out the next level - aluminum.

There are many metal crochet hooks around - the most popular being Boye (Wright's) and Susan Bates. These hooks are also widely available in craft stores other discount stores.

Aluminum/Plastic/Wood Hook sizes

Metric (mm)	US	UK/CANADIAN
2.0	-	14
2.25	B/1	13
2.5	-	12
2.75	C/2	-
3.0	-	11
3.25	D/3	10
3.5	E/4	9
3.75	F/5	-
4.0	G/6	8
4.5	7	7
5.0	H/8	6
5.5	I/9	5
6.0	J/10	4
6.5	K/10 1/2	3
7.0	-	2
8.0	L/11	0
9.0	M/13	00
10.0	N/15	000

Crochet has come a long way in it's time and whereas hooks were made in bone, and ivory you can now also find handmade hooks formed from beautiful woods.

Rosewood Hooks

You can also get crochet hooks which have a hook on one end and what looks like the end of a knitting needle on the other. This is an "afghan" or "Tunisian" hook. In this method of crochet the loops are picked up along the row, then "knitted" off on the way back.

you can also get hooks with hooks on both ends! They are for what's called "cro-hooking", "cro-knit" or more recently "crochet-on-the-double". This is similar to "Tunisian", whereby you pick up loops and knit them off, but you can crochet 2 colors and have a reversible fabric with one color more dominant on one side and the other more dominant on the other side.

you can also find square hooks! It's more comfortable to use than the rounded ones.

What is Crochet?

2011-06-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

Crochet is a process of creating fabric from yarn, thread, or other material strands using a crochet hook. The word is derived from the French word "crochet", meaning hook.

Hooks can be made of materials such as metals, woods or plastic an
d are commercially manufactured as well as produced by artisans. Crocheting, like knitting, consists of pulling loops through other loops, but additionally incorporates wrapping the working material around the hook one or more times.

Crochet differs from knitting in that only one stitch is active at one time (the sole exception being Tunisian crochet), stitches made with the same diameter of yarn are comparably taller, and a single crochet hook is used instead of two knitting needles. Additionally, crochet has its own system of symbols to represent stitch types.

by : wikipedia