Crocheting is one way I keep my hands busy during down times, especially late in the evening.  I seriously taught myself using YouTube videos.  I can knit as well, but I personally prefer crochet.

When I read aloud to my family, some of my children benefit from having their hands busy while concentrating on the story.  Some might find it distracting especially when first learning the skill.  Every person is different.  Find out what works best for you.

I have made dishcloths, hats, blankets, scarves, etc.  The other day my house was full with a total of 12 people, nine of which were children.  I was crocheting a blanket and hat for my newborn niece, Adriana, as I visited with them.  Soon, my daughter decided to knit a belt for herself, which is actually really cute.  Then, one of our guests asked if I could teach her to crochet.

I put down my work to teach her.  We began with a dishcloth in order to get used to chaining and mastering the single crochet.  Also it does not take long before the project is finished; therefore, a sense of accomplishment spurs on more productivity.  She took to crochet like a natural.  I have since taught her several different stitches and she is excited about making gifts for Christmas for her loved ones.

When I went to the store, I picked her up a skein of yarn in her favorite color and a crochet hook of her own.  It is hard to crochet when you don’t have the supplies.  The great thing is that a hook costs about $1.25 and a skein of regular yarn is less than $3.00.  So it does not cost much to begin.  Crocheting does not require a big investment in money.  But you have to be careful because if the bug hits you, you might find it requires an investment of your time.

Crocheting is apparently contagious because soon I was putting down my work again to teach another one of my nieces.  She insisted on using homespun yarn, which is prettier and softer than regular worsted weight yarn.  I warned her that it was not easy to work with and might frustrate her.  She did not get far before she opted to change to the regular yarn.

Now I am making something for myself.  I am using two one pound skeins of soft buttercream yellow yarn with a large N crochet hook.  The pattern is simple to follow once you understand how to chain, how to single crochet, and how to double crochet.  The only difficulty is that you are doing these maneuvers with two strands of yarn simultaneously.  The end result looks like little cream puffs.  All of my children say it is their favorite of all of the things I have made.  My blanket is going to be beautiful and soft.

The fall and winter are the best times to do knitting or crocheting projects.  Not only is it getting near gift-giving season, but as you work on a big project you welcome the warmth it supplies.  In the summer, a baby blanket laying on your lap as you add the last row can be uncomfortably warm.

If you have been looking for a way to be productive and keep your hands from being idle, then invest a few dollars and try crocheting.  Search You Tube for videos on crocheting whatever it is you want to make.  “Crochet Baby Blanket” is how I stumbled on to two beautiful patterns.  One I used for my niece’s blanket; the other I am using on my own blanket.  “How to crochet-beginning project” is how I stumbled upon the directions for making a dishcloth.  There are always new videos being uploaded.

I am a visual person so it really helps me to see a person do the required steps.  Step-by-step written instructions only confused me in the beginning.  Most people will ask me how I knew how to crochet.  When I answer, “YouTube,” they always laugh, but it is true.

I enjoy crocheting for many reasons.  I am being productive by keeping my hands busy.  I am making items to give to others.  Crocheting is one way that I do not “eat the bread of idleness” and that is the most important part to me (Proverbs 31:27).

If you want to start today, watch this video.  It is how I began my journey into the world of crochet.

Tags: baby blankets, being productive, belts, busy hands, crochet, crochet patterns, dishcloths, hats, how to crochet, scarves, youtube videos

This entry was posted on Friday, September 23rd, 2011 at 6:02 am and is filed under Homeschooling, Homesteading. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.