Crochet Tutorial: Chain stitch and Single Crochet

Hi to all in Blogland! This is a seriously late post, for which I apologize ;)

The day was hectic and yours truly pulled out hair, bit nails and performed acts like those of an overexcited lemur because the pics took over two hours to load!!!!!! Anyhow, here they are!

The pic below was taken during a hike that the we all did in the beautiful area of Monk's Cowl in the Drakensberg.

Crochet Tutorial: Chain Stitch and Single Crochet

Today I have prepared the first in series of tutorials that I plan to do. I have decided to start with crochet because it is so quick and easy to learn. I will be posting a "Mystery Project" in the next couple of weeks, something that you will put together quite simply, and in the process learn the skills needed to go onto something more complex :)

Step 1. You will start by making a slipknot. It's really very easy...just follow the pics as shown!





Step 2. By pulling the loop through the circle of yarn you made in step 1, you will be forming the big loose open beginnings of a slipknot.



Step 3. Place your crochet needle into the knot as shown. When you pull the length of yarn that you will be working with (ie NOT the tail), the whole knot will shrink nicely to fit your needle. Don't make it overtight!

Step 4. Voila! a single stitch is born...

Step 5. How you hold the yarn, needle etc is a matter of personal taste and what feels comfortable for you. I do it as shown in the pic above and below. First, wrap the working yarn around your little finger.

Step 6. Bring the woroing yarn around to the front again, and gently close your little finger as well as your ring finger. You should have a bit of tension, but allow the yarn to move fairly easily.

Step 7. Closing the fingers...

Step 8. I extend my middle finger, so that the working yarn has an open area that I can easily hook with the crochet hook. It looks really odd, I know, but it works... :)

Step 9. Now, take the hook BEHIND the working yarn as show, you are preparing to pull it through the stitch on the crochet hook, thereby creating a new chain stitch.

Step 10. Preparing to pull the working yarn throughhhhhh...

Step 11. New chain stitch formed...yay!

Step 12. Keep repeating the same procedure to creat new chain stitches :)

Step 13. Once you have several chain stitches, it may be easier to hold the chain stitch tail as shown, to control the crochet that is growing.

Step 14. See....nice little chainy...

Step 15. Keep making chain stitches until you have about 10 stitches or so on the chain.
When counting stitches made in crochet, you NEVER count the stitch that is ON the hook. So, if you need to chain 10 stitches, you will have 10 forming the chain, AND one on the hook.

Step 16. You're now going to learn how to do a Single Crochet stitch, also abbreviated as "sc" in patterns. When you "turn the chain around" (which you haven't yet done...so don't panic about that!), you need to "skip" one or more stitches before putting the hook into the next working space. This is to allow a small bit of height at the beginning of the row, so your crochet doesn't look lop-sided. The number of stitches that you will skip, so to speak, will vary, depending on what crochet stitch you are doing next.
Don't be too concerned right now, it will make sense as you learn the stitches. Suffice to say that for the sc we are going to do now, as a rule of thumb, you will skip one stitch. Have a look at the pic above...it might clarify things...

Step 17. Put the hook through the stitch as shown in Step 16, and wrap the yarn around , exactly in the same way as before, when you were doing the chain stitches.

Step 18. Pull the yarn through. You will now have TWO stitches on your hook...this is OK, you are going to repeat wrapping the yarn around the hook AGAIN, and pull it through BOTH stitches.

Step 19. Wrapping yarn again...

Step 20. Pulling through both stitches...

Step 21. Well done you have completed a Single Crochet stitch...in order to make more stitches, you just repeat the steps above, but next placing your crochet hook into the stitch to the left of the sc you have just completed. See pic below.

Well folks...that all for now! I am going to bed now, will post a tutorial on how to do a Double Crochet tomorrow!


Lots of Love,

Heidi :)

Book Review: Norwegian Handknits

Hi! Hope you all had a lovely weekend :) Today I am blogging about a knitting book that I recently ordered.
The title is "Norwegian Handknits" , written by Sue Flanders, Laurann Gilbertson and Janine Kosel. ISBN: 9780760334287, Voyager Press 2009. 144 pages with lovely colour and black and white photographs.

I have developed a love for what we loosely term "Fair Isle" knitting. Really, not all colour stranded knitting IS Fair Isle knitting, but I guess it's a term most people use when referring to the technique of stranding  two or more colours along a row of knitting, more out of ease of habit than technical accuracy. As I also have been quite taken by knitting mittens and fingerless mittens, this book satisfied both desires...

This book is beautifully bound, with a hard cover and great quality paper for the pages. The print quality is also excellent: overall I was very happy with the product.

 The Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum's remarkable knitting and textile collection was the inspiration for writing the book. It is located in Decorah, Iowa in the United States, and it is here that the authors spent many years writing up patterns for the items that appear in the book.  

I enjoyed the chapter on the history of this style of knitting, and the authors included some old black and white photographs of Norwegian women spinning, knitting and shearing sheep. Makes me appreciate the online yarn shops that provide the finished product, all pretty and processed....  ; )

The patterns range in difficulty, from very easy to knit (for beginners virtually) baby's hat, adult hat and mittens, right up to "Oh! my goodness that will take me decades to complete!" multi-coloured knapsack (which would be well worth the required time portion of your life, as it is really gorgeous!)

There are aslo very nicely illustrated step by step tutorials for amongst others,making felted balls, making twisted cords and crochet picot cast-on. The authors have added touches of nostalgia throughout the book, including traditional recipes, folklore and short biographies of modern day inspirational artists that keep these artistic endeavours alive.  

There are several felted projects too, if you enjoy felting. By far my favourite pattern was that for the Entrelac sheep, seen below, with their gorgeous little fat bodies and funny little ears! From what I gather, these are not based on an original pattern at the Vesterheim Museum, but inspired by a pair of entrelac socks that do indeed live there ;)

The patterns have been charted clearly, and thank goodness for that...I don't think I would have the fortitude to knit the knapsack with only row-by-row instructions.....

I have added some pics of a few of the patterns in the book, just for inspiration...and because they are so pretty...

I haven't yet knitted any items from this book, so am not sure of any errata... and I searched the web to see if errata had been found, to no avail,so I am going with the "glass half full" crowd, declaring that all could be well on that front...

Overall, in my opinion, a WORTHY buy  :)

On another note: the pic at the top of the post was taken in the Mpumalanga lowveld area of Graskop, in South Africa. The area is beautiful, with countless stunning vistas and nature attractions, and well worth a visit!

Some interesting links: I was amazed by this, and truly astonished by the stupidity of some poor souls when I watched this, and found this eye opening.... we really live in an interesting world folks!!!

I have started my lecture block and will try to post every day...I really will try...promise...  :)

Below is our beloved dog Flash, who is extremely fond of sleeping in the sun on the carpets, but sadly is allergic to them...how could I wake him up when he looked so blissful??

That's all for today :)

Lots of Love,

Heidi :)

Tutorial : Origami Bird

Happy Sunday! This pic was taken in Hawaii during a conference Mr P attended. Quite peaceful, although a storm was brewing...

Today I have the finished tutorial as promised :) It's a lovely simple project that was enjoyed by my kids and their friends and was a lifesaver when they were bored and restless if we were waiting somewhere and the minutes felt like hours...

You can make it from any paper really, it just has to be a square.

Step 1. I have used a piece of 12X12 inch scrapbooking paper, which in this case happens to be double sided. Decide which side you would like to be the most visible on the finished bird. Turn the paper over to the other side and start to fold the corners towards each other, one set of corners at a time.

Step 2. Fold the bottom left hand corner up to the top right, then unfold, fold the bottom right hand corner up to the top left hand corner, unfold, then the paper right side to left side, bottom to top, in other words, at the end of all the folding, you will have a piece of paper that will look like that in the next pic.

Step 3. Rotate the paper so that it looks like the pic above.

Step 4. Now carefully manoeuvre the two outside points towards the middle, as shown. You may need to "help" the folding of the creases on the sides inwards.

Step 5. Holding the points as shown, gently bring your hand down to the table, and the whole thing will flatten itself.

Step 6. This is where you should be at :)

Step 7. All the points match up and you are ready for the next step!

Step 8. Lifting the top edge you are now going to fold the paper as shown above. The outer edges will fold in towards the inner folds. This is a bit tricky, but do it slowly, one fold at at time. Your paper should look like the next pic.

Step 9. WIP! Fold the other side now.

Step 10. Your birdie should look like this now. Both sides have been folded inwards. You can still see the under section needs to be folded. The bit that I am holding is the flap that will from the wing of the bird.

Step 11. Turn the paper over and repeat the same process.

Step 12. Turning over ;)

Step 13. Lifting the flap to start folding the edges inward.

Step 14. Your paper should look like this.

Step 15. If you slide your hand into the fold as shown, you can use your other hand to gently pull the point marked, up and outward.

Step 16. Lift the point as shown, making sure that you leave about 1cm of edge BELOW the line of the paper that my finger is placed on. This is important for the "flying action" of the birdie. In the small inset pic, I have lifted the whole flap that was in front, upwards to show you the area I mean.

Step 17. Flatten the side of the bird so that it looks like the pic below.

Step 18. Now repeat the same manoeuvre for the other side. You are nearly done!

Step 19. Your birdie should look like this.

Step 20. On the left side, fold the point as shown, you are making the head of the birdie.

Step 21. I have taken this pic from the top, to show you how to fold the crease inwards, to form the little head. When you flatten this area, the head will stay as is, as in the pic below.

Step 22. Lift up both flaps (which are the wings), as shown below. Your birdie is Done :)

You will need to learn how to make him fly now...

Step 23. You need to hold the little bird as shown below, EXACTLY! Your thumb on one side and your forefinger on the other. Your finger placement is really important, both fingers should lie ABOVE the wing fold line, in the "chest" area of the bird.

Step 24. Imagine that the turquoise dot under my thumb is the Bull's Eye that shows the thumb placement needed, and turquoise line is the reference point, above which your fingers should be placed. Pinch together with firm pressure. Use your right hand to bend the wings into a nicely curved shape, and then hold the end point of the tail, and gently pull outwards. Your bird will begin to fly....

The final product!

I like to use origami creations to add a bit of interest to wrapped presents, cards etc. You can also use them to entertain children, make them up in plain white paper, and let the kids colour them in with pencils and crayons. They are also inexpensive and easy to make... :)

On a completely different note, I found this link quite interesting... I have a bit of a survivalist streak in me, (knowledge is power I say!)...

Word of The Day

sedulous:

an adjective, meaning "involving great care, effort and persistence"

Have a FaBuLoUs SuNdAy :)

Lots of Love,

Heidi :)

Celebration Saturday

Happy Saturday one and all! It's a lovely day here at home, slightly cloudy but warm, kinda cosy feeling you know... It's a special day for two of our close friends, Heinrich and Mandy, who are getting married today!!!!! Congratulations you two, may you have only love and joy from this day on...

On another note, I am preparing a photo tutorial for tomorrow's post: How to fold an Origami Bird. It's a fun project that I have used often to distract my kids when they were small, as this little bird can flap it's wings when you pull it's tail! It's also an nice quick easy project that you can use to decorate a gift, make a hanging baby mobile, stick onto a handmade card etc... you just have to use your imagination :)

The above pics are from home...a gorgeous blue-purple rose that grows in my garden (Rhapsody in Blue), and one of my favourite wooden, carved and gilded vases (you have a leakproof pot inside ;) ), that always looks gorgeous with roses... small things that make me happy...

And now for a new thing... I am going to include a "word of the day" in most posts, something that I always enjoy, learning the meaning of a word I may not often come across :)

Word Of The Day

precatory

an adjective meaning:

1. Expressing a request

2. Non binding, only the expression of a request or wish

I am off to celebrate at the wedding...have a wonderful Saturday!
Lots of Love,
Heidi :)

My foray into Blogland (aka "How did I land up in the Twilight Zone...?")

Welcome to my first blog post! It's been quite a journey, setting up and adding all the finikity bits that make a blog attractive...at times I wondered if I would manage to work out the intricacies of adding tracking codes, and (miracle!), getting my pics to load! In any event...ta da!! here it is :)

I've started this blog to celebrate the wonderful creativity that lives in us all. I think that the majority of people have a creative side, even if they haven't yet discovered it. I wasn't creative at all in the "crafty" sense until after I gave birth to my first child, and having stopped work, had to fill some time with something to do that would entertain me while my daughter slept (which thankfully!) was quite often. Since then I have tried a zillion (ok, a small amount of artistic license here...) different crafts/activities/things... I haven't stuck to all of them, but found that the pleasure of swopping between them (I get bored quite easily), made up for the side effect of a consistently growing pile of UFO's ;)

I have, over the years , returned again and again to specific activities, and my intention is to blog about these. I won't promise to blog every day, but will try not to go weeks without a post... You'll find the odd interesting item, link or pic...some tutorials on a variety of subjects...an occassional book review...some scenery...a discovery... hopefully stuff that will appeal to most of my followers, most of the time :) You are probably going to have to get used to the liberal use of exclamation marks, and smileys...

My first post's pics are some of the activities that I have and still do enjoy doing. These include, but are not limited to painting, digital scrapbooking, photography, sewing, knitting, crochet, decor, beading/jewellery making, teddy bear making to mention a few... this won't be all though, creativity in my mind extends to other unrelated un-crafty (is that even a word?) things...like appreciating the creativity in others, and admiring their special abilities.

I am often inspired by passionate people and their doings...so I will post about anything interesting that I come across...

As I am new to the world of blogging, bear with me if links and things don't always play nice with us...I am sure it will become easier as I go... In these pics, there are two examples of digital scrapbooking, some photography favourites, a knitting pic (I am seriously crazy about knitting :) ), and a sweet bear that I designed and made a while ago...

All in all, I am very excited about this blog and would appreciate any suggestions for posts...

Have a wonderful Friday night, I am off to watch a movie with the kids and Mr P!

Lots of love,

Heidi :)