Does any one else Crochet or Knit

I can crochet, but I'm not very good because I can't afford any of my own accoutrements. I used one of my best friend's mom's hooks and some yarn she bought me, and I taught myself with a book she got me called "I Can't Believe I'm Crocheting!"

I really would like to learn to knit, too. I was at Target the other day and got a "pocket edition" of "Knitting for Dummies" for a dollar in their fabulous dollar bins. They also have awesome Valentine's Day stuff in the bins right now... they have silicone heart-shaped ice cube trays (also great for making V-day candies!) and really cute oven mitts and trivets and stuff. I need to get back over there before they run out!

But I digress. The point is I can crochet and I'd like to learn how to knit. Currently I'm trolling groups like FreeCycle to see if anybody has old crochet and knitting gear they want to get rid of.

You can get crochet hooks from charity shops (Or thrift stores..?)
And you can always pull apart yucky old knitted things from the same cheapo shops to create with.

I keep looking at my scarves and thinking "I could so make you into something nicer"

You just have to make sure you use the right wool for the right hooks. If you want a tight weave use wool thicker than the hook, if you want loose use wool thinner than the hooks.

So long as you keep at something, you can do it. I taught myself to crochet using youtube a few months ago and now I'm doing a blanket, and have done little toy projects in the past. It's so simple and so wonderful.

I love to crochet. I was taught as a little girl and just started doing it again after 45 years. I find that if I crochet that it really helps with the stiff joints. I'm in the process of trying to make baby blankets for my cousins babies. Our Grandmother made all the kids blankies and then when she died all the new babies didn't get a "Grandma B Blankie" So I decided to carry on the tradition. I copied my daughters blankie and now I'm trying to keep up with all the new babies in the family. My current project is a full size aphgan for my own daughter. I also love to make silly little cat nip toys. It is fun to go visit friends and while playing with their kitties find one of my very well loved toys.
Happy Crocheting

Try checking out your local thrift stores. I have found many knitting needle sets and crochet hooks and VERY affordable! Our local dollar stores also have yarn - FUN yarn.

I just got some old el-cheapo crochet hooks and like 4 pounds of (ugly) yarn from someone on FreeCycle, but I talked to my grandma today and she said she has a ton of stuff she can send me. Yay!

Yayayayay!

I can't find any crochet books I like. All the patterns are really ugly

True. Search amazon though, I've got some neat stuff in my wishlist.

www.craftown.com/crochet

www.crochetpatterncentral.com

http://crochet.about.com/

www.crochetnmore.com/

Here are some Free Crochet Pattern sites. and e-PatternsCentral.com doesn't have them free but they are only .99 to 2.49 each!

You can get cheap hooks off of ebay that are used too!

Here is another site

http://www.topiccraze.com/topic?topic=crochetaholics

that is interesting! I have been crocheting since 7th grade which was way back in 1972! I love to make toys now and have just resently posted some. I get so relaxed when I crochet that I often times fall asleep.

Knitting is done with needles of 2 or more. You usually make blankets and clothes from knitting. When you knit the stitches are thinner and thus fall nicer than "most" crocheted items. You don't see a lot of crocheted sweaters but a lot of knitted ones just for this fact. Crocheting however is done with a single hook and you are able to have more freedom in your creations (I believe) since it is easier to increase and decrease your stitches from one row to another. You are also able to make lacy and frilly items easier as well.

The best way to learn how to crochet is with practice. Make a chain stitch 50 chains long, rip it out or as we say frog it and do it again. You have the chain down when all the stitches are the same size and not varying by a lot. Next do a single crochet in your chains and frog them until they are even in size and tightness. If you are not able to stick your hook in your stitches, then don't crochet so tightly. That is the mistake most beginners make.
You just make each stitch until you have them all down which is quite boring but as they say, practice makes perfect. Once you are good at the chain, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet and the treble crochet, then you can just about make anything you want! My toy animals only have chains, single and half double crochets in them!

As far as getting bored, that is why I do my small animals... quick and easy!

Thankyou very much!

I like to crochet little animals too. I remember when I first discovered Amigurumi, I decided I really wanted to do it, but I wasn't very good at crochet so I tried to find knitted amigurumi patterns. I did find some, but I couldn't do those either, so I gave up. And then one day I stopped trying to teach myself crochet from my gran's crochet books (which are all english crochet) and learnt American crochet on youtube and everything clicked. Now I do lots of amigurumi ^_^

And yeah, I can't increase or decrease in knitting, but in crochet it just seemed obvious what to do.

I knit and want to learn how to crochet. I hardly ever start and finish anything though.

Roma, I have several crochet books I dont use any more Maybe we can make a swap

I'd love to but I worry I have nothing to give back to you!

We're going out of knitting season =(

Does anyone have any embriodery books? I don't know what I could swap it for though!

I can get loads of knitting and crochet and craft things from the market for really cheap

what do you want embroidery books for?!

I'll scan you in some embroidery diagrams for stitches if you want but seriously, you don't need no books! it's just drawing with a needle. AND I LOVE IT.