During the holidays I love to give handmade gifts. I think it adds a sentiment that our society as a whole has devalued in the past. Something from the store new and shiny definitely has appeal. Whatever that item might be, it will grow old in time and it will need to be replaced. However, the afghan from Grandma is priceless and is still in use years later! Something handmade is like a hug from a loved one. You can put your heart and soul into this gift. Hand crocheted presents can boast something that no other store bought gift can and that is love… straight from the heart! read more »

A center pull skein is a skein of yarn (or ball of yarn) that you pull the yarn from the middle while working on a project. This way ensures that the ball won’t roll around or get wound up with other yarns. Also, with a center pull skein you can stick it into your pocket and crochet while you’re strolling around. I do this all the time, mainly when I’m taking my kids to the park or even during their bath times! Though this is one of the best and convenient ways to wrap yarn, if you notice that a yarn is easily knotting or are getting wrapped up in itself, it might not be a suitable yarn for a center pull skein.

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Have you ever held the softest, silkiest yarn in your hands and decided not to buy it for your next crocheted project because it wasn’t machine washable? Ever feel like a precious item is ruined because you don’t know how to properly hand wash it?

Never fear, Crochet Spot (and Erin) are here to the rescue!

Here is a step by step guide to gently hand washing your favorite delicate crocheted items. read more »

Do you crave yarn like you crave food? When you walk into an aisle of yarn, hooks and patterns are you tempted beyond your means? If this is the case, it might be time for your talents to start making you money, so you can support your love. There are several options available to those who want to start their own home business around crochet. I have outlined some below, but it only takes a few creative moments to come up with other ideas to make a little extra crochet “mad money” on the side. read more »

I was recently bestowed with a large number of family and family accumulated patterns, mostly handwritten and mostly impossible to decipher. I have shared some of these patterns in previous posts, The Starburst Throw, Star Washcloths in Two Sizes and the Giant Granny Square Blanket with Clusters.

Reading and figuring out these patterns has been both wonderful and enraging at times; some of it is hard to read because of age and some of it takes a lot of deciphering due to language and abbreviation barriers. I became aware during the process that in some cases the patterns were written using UK abbreviations and then I realized why I had been so confused! Here is a quick chart to familiarize you with the differences. read more »

Clusters are a great tool for adding texture and fun to any crochet project. Some patterns call for a ‘cluster’, others use clusters that are involved in a more intricate stitch. Below are two sets of instructions for two cluster stitches and some photos to help you accomplish the specific clustered look. Check out the crochet abbreviation chart for help with abbreviations and symbols.

This tutorial is for both right and left handed people. For left handed pictures, roll your mouse over the image and it will change for you.

V-Clusters

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Now that you’ve decided on your yarn you need to find the perfect match in a hook. Your crochet hook is like a magic wand turning a skein of yarn into a crocheted masterpiece. It can become your best friend and once addicted it will be a tool you simply can’t live without.

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One of the most exciting and beneficial aspects to being a mother is being able to share the things you love and enjoy with your children.  It can also be one of the most disappointing aspects as well…especially when the child does not enjoy something as much as you might!

I learned this the hard way when my oldest daughter Rosey was five.  I had been waiting and waiting her whole life until she was old enough for us to read A Wrinkle in Time together and within the first five minutes of reading it she exclaimed, “Momma!  This book is so boring!!!!”.  Bummer.

Thank goodness she is very much into crochet, or I might have lost all hope! read more »

Out there in Crochet Land there are many ‘special’ stitches that I call ‘YO Stitches’ (the abbreviation for yarn over is yo).  These stitches include the popcorn stitch, the bobble stitch, the puff stitch etc…etc…

My favorite of these type of stitches is the star stitch.   A lot of ‘star stitch’ patterns have you break off at the end of each row…which leaves a lot of ends to weave in upon completion.  The instructions I use and am including below use a turn and a row of hdc instead.

This tutorial is for both right and left handed people. For left handed pictures, roll your mouse over the image and it will change for you. read more »

A Guest Post by Dannee Wood.

Wow, you’ve just finished your latest or even your first crochet project and you’re anxious to start something else…but what? If you’re like most crafters you might have an ever-growing list of “to-do” projects or projects saved to your Ravelry account. Maybe you have a binder or two full of projects, organized by categories/colors/yarn weights, etc. Perhaps you have them downloaded to your computer or a thumb drive. Or maybe you only work on one project at a time not concerned about the next project…not! Sometimes, you may want a simple or small project after tackling a large or complex project. How do you go about choosing your next project? It may seem over-whelming to select a new project; there are a lot of good resources out there. read more »