Okay, I know how to do all these stitches now, but I'm reading this pattern and it's all a bunch of letters!Most of the time, patterns are abbreviated by symbol or letter. Generally, the abbreivated letter will be the first couple letters of the name of the stitch
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
dc - double crochet
hdc - half double crochet
tc - triple/treble crochet
ss/sl st - slip stitch
If you don't know what an abbreviation means, try searching craftster or google to find the answer.
What is a round?Crocheting in the round means to chain a certain length of stitches and then join the first and last stitches using a slip stitch to form a circle. Next, you crochet in the circle (With most patterns, you crochet inside the circle rather than into the stitches, though the pattern should specify). The next part can be done in two different ways: first, you can simply keep crocheting around and around to form a spiral. When reading a pattern, it will say "do not join" or something similar if you are to crochet using this method. Or, you could join the the first stitch of the round with the last stitch of the round using a slip stitch, then chaining however many chains to equate to one stitch (ie: single crochet: chain one, sc in next stitch. double crochet: chain (2 or 3, depending on how many equates to one of your dc's), dc in next stitch, etc..).
This is a great tutorial on crocheting in the round:
http://barney.gonzaga.edu/~aburton/crochrnd.htmlThis is a great tutorial for the infamous "magic ring":
http://crochetme.com/Dec_Jan_0405/reads_round.htmlWhat is a granny square and how do I make one?The granny square is a basic square crocheted on the round using (mainly) double crochet. Most granny squares are very easy to make and are great first projects. There is a picture tutorial on how to make a granny square located here:
http://www.crochetcabana.com/tutorials/granny_square.htm . Also, there is a list of different square motifs here
http://www.digitalgranny.com/va/ with patterns.
How do I change colors when crocheting?Changing colors with crochet is incredibly simple. All you have to do is drop the color you were using and pick up the next color and start crocheting with it. When finished, be sure to weave the ends in. There are several other methods to changing colors, such as weaving the two ends of the pieces of yarn together to make one continuous piece of yarn, or corchet using both pieces with one color in front and one in back.
My crocheting is turning into a triangle! Help!If you're crocheting and your piece starts to become uneven, there are a few explanations. Either your tension is too tight (ie, you're starting to pull the thread tighter than you were in the beginning) or you're missing the last stitch.
I give up, I can't make this work.Don't give up: practice makes perfect. You can always start over. Don't just cut the yarn from the skein, though. You can "frog" it and unravel the yarn from the work, rather than throwing it all away.
Okay, Im done! What do I do with the ends?Weave them in! Crochet does not involve knots, though many crocheters knot two ends together to save time. It is much better to weave your ends into the work because the fabric will stretch and move more freely. If you knot the pieces, the ends can only stretch so far and you run the risk of break your yarn or having tight spots in the piece. Use a yarn needle and weave your loose ends into the fabric. There is a picture tutorial located at:
http://crochet.about.com/library/bl_weave_ends.htmMy piece is all wonky. Can I block crochet?Of course you can! As with knitting, crochet can be blocked depending on the fiber type.
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter02/FEATdiyknitter.html is a wonderful tutorial.
What is felting? How do I know if my yarn will felt?Felting is actually the process by which raw wool is matted by either water and agitation or a barbed needle to make an object. With felting, you do not use processed wool; meaning, the wool is not in the form of yarn. When you crochet an object out of yarn and put it in the washing machine to felt the object, it is actually called fulling. Many different types of wool will felt, but some are better than others. Cellulose and synthetic fibers, like cotton and acrylic, may mat together, but they will not felt. Some yarns which are a blend of cotton and synthetic fibers may work for fulling to an extent, but may warp the project. The link below explains the process by which wool can be tested for shrinkage and felting ability.
http://peak.org/~spark/felttestsample.htmlWhere can I find ___ pattern?There are hundreds of posts asking for different patterns on craftster, and at least 2/3 of them have a link to at least one pattern. Before posting, PLEASE search the site for the pattern you're looking for. If you have a repeat post, it will be deleted.
These websites and threads are also very helpful for finding patterns:
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=284386.0http://www.crochetpatterncentral.comhttp://www.crochetville.orghttp://www.lionbrand.comhttp://www.garnstudio.comCopyright and etiquette:Hotlinking:As stated in craftsters rules of conduct:
Don't hotlink to an image on someone else's site without their permission because it can cause a bandwidth drain for them without their permission and it also may be a copyright violation. Post a link to such an image instead.
Borrowed from Melidomi and the knitting board:COPYRIGHT(thanks
ax174)
Is it ok to post a copyrighted pattern here on Craftster?Only if you wrote it yourself. If the pattern is already on the web, post a link. If it's in a book or magazine, post the name and author (and issue if it's a magazine). You can post an excerpt if you have a question about it, but don't post the whole thing.
Can I sell stuff I made from someone else's pattern? Usually no, unless your have author's or publisher's permission.
Can I make patterns from trademarked images?Yes, as long as you don't sell the pattern or sell stuff made from it.
Can I swap copyrighted patterns?If you bought a physical hard copy of a pattern, you can trade that for someone else's (e.g. you can trade a magazine for another magazine). You cannot trade a photocopy of a pattern, or a printout of a pattern you bought electronically, or an electronic version of a pattern (that could be interpreted as redistribution in digital form, and the author/publisher usually holds digital rights).
