L Swearengin Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 I just watched a crafter from GB crochet granny squares for the bed that I posted the other day. My eyes would be crossed trying that. I would have to learn to crochet real world first. Amazing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 When my mother originally taught me to crochet I was 6 or 7 and learned with a small steel hook and crochet thread, then played with it on my own using ends of spools of sewing thread. I have used some crochet weight thread for mini crochet: and sewing thread for 1:24: 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debsrand56 Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 Beautiful work, Holly! I can't believe you learned with something so tiny. My mother taught me knitting and crochet with worsted weight yarn. Only after I got good with those did I "graduate" to smaller needles/hooks and finer yarn/thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldenrodfarm Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 My grandmother taught me to crochet starting with doilies, using the small metal hooks too. I enjoyed making doilies for many years, mostly for gifts, but they are a thing of the past now and nobody uses them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beulah Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 8 minutes ago, Goldenrodfarm said: My grandmother taught me to crochet starting with doilies, using the small metal hooks too. I enjoyed making doilies for many years, mostly for gifts, but they are a thing of the past now and nobody uses them. My mum made so many doilies, I have them all, and I have them all over the house lol I guess I'm out of style lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minigirl Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 5 hours ago, Beulah said: My mum made so many doilies, I have them all, and I have them all over the house lol I guess I'm out of style lol Lace is classic and never goes out of style in my book. Wow Holly! Sewing thread is not easy to work with. Nice work! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 I use a #12 hook with a single strand of embroidery floss for 1:12 afghans. I think I used a #14 hook for that 1:24 one. I haven't tried knitting in any scale smaller than 1:12, though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debsrand56 Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 1 hour ago, havanaholly said: I use a #12 hook with a single strand of embroidery floss for 1:12 afghans. I think I used a #14 hook for that 1:24 one. I haven't tried knitting in any scale smaller than 1:12, though. I've gone as small as size 16 for my crochet hook. I have ultra-thin knitting needles (I forget the size; I had to special order them), but haven't tried them yet. I'm a pretty capable knitter in real-life scale, and I have knit lace, but those tiny needles scare me. The thought of casting on makes me go cross-eyed (and fumble fingered). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 Indeed! I seem to recall the website I got my itty needles & hooks was something like Needles & Pins. I have #15 & 16 hooks, too; but haven't used them yet. I think the last pair of 1:12 longjohns I knit I used a fine candlewicking yarn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beulah Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 They are amazing Holly, you do such nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 Thank you all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgwyn Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 Wow, such tiny detail and such a cute afghan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyCindy Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 On 11/1/2017, 12:12:35, Beulah said: My mum made so many doilies, I have them all, and I have them all over the house lol I guess I'm out of style lol It's nice to know I'm in good company - I, too, have many doilies around my house that my mom made. I love them! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L Swearengin Posted November 3, 2017 Author Share Posted November 3, 2017 One of the Veterans spouses made me a cozy when I was a VSO. I used it for a bed cover in the contemporary ranch house. I really need to learn to crochet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 I really wish you lived closer! Maybe once y'all move to OS we can get together & I can show you how I do it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 This is the sort of thing I have done for years the knitting I mean it is just wood that is new to me Over the years I took my knitting down smaller and smaller. To knit really tiny buy some piano wire, it comes all sizes and it makes great fine knitting needles..I have to make my own needles to knit for the teeny tiny bears . I have the smallest commercial needles one can buy but the home made wire ones get you smaller still..I knit a lot of fine Shetland lace shawls for real babies and the wool I use a lot of is very fine 1ply wool which I have shipped over from either Norway or Scotland. It is just about the right size to knit for 6 inch dolls and it look perfectly in scale., Holly I love your work, it is very good . I am not good at crochet so I envy you that. I can make a full size granny square but not well, it is kind of hit and miss .. Like you I learned to knit as a child, in fact I don't remember learning .My mother of course taught me when I was very young and I learned on thin needles, she also was a shawl maker. Learning to crochet fine and learning to tat are still on my bucket list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldenrodfarm Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 I haven’t done the real fine work since my botched cataract surgery, but I used to crochet a lot of 3D Christmas angels with size 10 crochet cotton, on a dare I made the same pattern using thread and a size 14 hook, the angel was s cute only about 3/4” tall. Must still be kicking around here somewhere, it would look cute on top of the Christmas tree I want to make with preserved princess pine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Jeannine, I have a copy of a Workbasket magazine from the 1950s with good, clear instructions on tatting. I want to learn how to do Irish crochet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Holly I may just have another go at tatting. I did buy a book about 20 years ago and the shuttles etc which I still have. It seemed simple but every time I got to the same part one instruction did something and next instruction undid it. I thought I was going crazy and handed it to my husband who could read and follow anything complicated or technical with ease, he did it to the same point and found the same thing, he worked it out and we realized there was a misprint in the book. That did it, I never picked it up again. I just need to work from a different book. I need to have something complicated to focus on right now or my mind wanders off to places that hurt and I crumble..nuff said. I am finding great difficulty with some parts of my house building that I had not anticipated, when I reach my arms out I find my aim with a brush is poor. this is due to the problem with my spine which has got worse over the years. Most of the Fairfield and the Sugarplum was done on my lap except for the bricking and painting which is not good..However the main reason for doing the houses is still being achieved even if not to the standard I once could do Working on my lap with something resting on my chest with something very small I can achieve the fine lines I want with paint so I am OK building little furniture kits but I need a sit down change from this and knitting.. If I pick up tatting which is complicated it may be the change I need and should give me the challenge . I think I have some books on needle tatting somewhere but never tried it. Why is Irish crochet different. I know absolutely nothing about it at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 Dover Publications has books of tatting and Irish crochet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L Swearengin Posted November 4, 2017 Author Share Posted November 4, 2017 So, a quick trip to wally world with my daughter and granddaughter, (warrensburg), picked up cheap yarn and set of crochet hooks. My first attempt was pulled out. Second try going a little better., but sure doesn't look as good as the tutorials on you tube. Might be the cheap yarn but I don't want to use better yarn until I get the hang of this stuff. Nope, not ready for mini yet.. my hand hurts???? Better start again in the am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 I have found excellent yarns at the thrift stores locally, probably from folks who tried to take up knitting or crochet with a project and gave it up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 You are right Holly, for other than my Shetland fine shawls I get lots of wool from thrift stores. I make quite lot of quick to knit prayer shawls with it and it averages less than $5 a shawl on average. It is a good place to find books and needles too. Thank you for tip about books I will check out Amazon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldenrodfarm Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 I wish we had thrift stores around here, but we do have Mardens and they sometimes have big stashes of yarn and crochet cotton. I found a big box of tatting cotton there once for $2. I would guess not very many people use it any more. Lately I usually knit with my own hand spun. My grandmother also taught me to tat, but I would probably would need remedial training since it has been about 50 years since she taught me. I am not sure I can work as small as Holly’s beautiful blankets anymore, but I am going to try to do some knitted airy lace stuff for my fairy house. It is much more difficult for me to see tiny work now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L Swearengin Posted November 4, 2017 Author Share Posted November 4, 2017 I have other yarn, it's packed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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