Yarn & Hook

Rediscovering a woolly skill...

I’m teaching myself to crochet.

Or rather, I’m re-learning how to crochet.

I learned the basics years ago, played around with it a little bit, but then abandoned my hook in favour of the knitting needles where I felt I had more skill, and enjoyment.

But on a visit to the Stitch Festival in London earlier this spring, I was inspired by so many incredible designs and stitch techniques that I ended up buying three patterns and vowing to have another go.

And then, when visiting Oxford recently, I made the small excursion north of the city centre to the Oxford Yarn Store and treated myself to two balls of yarn (one rainbow coloured, of course!), a new hook, and a book of granny square patterns that also has some helpful reminders of the basic techniques and stitches.

I opened the book that very afternoon and made a first, slightly wonky, attempt at a basic square.

My fingers were a bit confused to begin with, not quite comfortable with the grip and action, but then some long-buried muscle memory began to awaken, and things started to smooth out.

I’m very proud of that first square!

Sine then, I’ve tried to pick up yarn and hook several days a week, even for a few minutes, to keep practising.

It’s been fun! I’m really enjoying the mental challenge of reading the pattern instructions and translating them into stitches under my hands. I’m enjoying getting a feel again for the way the yarn slides over my fingers and the way my wrist rotates as I work the hook.

I’m a few squares in now and gradually growing in confidence.

And of course, the incentive of creating something rainbow coloured definitely helps 😊🌈

I still have those patterns waiting for me - a cardigan, jumper, and blanket - and have now purchased a whole pack of rainbow yarn to begin making at least one of them fairly soon.

Which one, I haven’t fully decided.

Possibly the cardigan.

I can envision swathing myself in it and feeling joyful and confident wrapped in the cosy colourfulness.

I may practise a few more squares first though.

Mainly for the fun of it.

But even when I do commit to a bigger project, my intention is to keep that enjoyment and not let myself get stressed about every stitch being perfect, nor impose some arbitrary deadline to complete it.

It’ll get done when it’s done.

And it’ll be all the more satisfying to wrap myself in for having that sense of relaxed but enjoyable creative play infused into it.

I’ll keep you posted how it goes.

Are you a crocheter? Current or lapsed? Or a knitter too or instead? Let’s chat in the comments!

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