What’s Next?
By A Guest Writer – 6 CommentsA 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.
Crochet magazines are good source; they are always up-to-date, they offer fresh ideas, great patterns and usually have a how-to section in the back. While sometimes pricey, many libraries carry crochet and knitting magazines. Speaking of libraries, they are a great resource also. Sometimes, if you’re not sure you want to commit to a book, checking it out at the library is a good way to see if it’s worth the investment. The books available are abounding. Sometimes just browsing sparks an idea. Stitch guides are invaluable also. Trying a new stitch or several is a great way to practice and it’s practical for scarves or even a sampler afghan. That shrimp stitch or even the roll stitch is just waiting for you. Still need ideas…try technology?
Technology has given us the opportunity to connect to other crafters all around the world. The internet is full, and I do mean full, of wonderful ideas and suggestions. There are countless blogs, message boards, websites, rss (really simple syndication) feeds, video-sharing websites, social networking sites and phone applications that offer up oodles and oodles of tips, patterns, suggestions and finished objects. Still need inspiration…check out your yarn stash or go shopping.
Have you ever looked to your yarn stash for inspiration? Some people pick the yarn first and then decide what to make with the yarn. Isn’t that how most of us got our stash in the first place? Your local yarn shop is always a source of inspiration. That gorgeous fresh-out-the-box yarn sometime just calls to you, begging to be bought. Sometimes selecting the yarn for your next project is almost as exciting as choosing the project.
However you go about choosing your next project, remember, there’s always the next one and the next one and the next one.
Dannee lives in Baltimore, MD. By day she works for a great library system and by night she crochets and knits, mostly crochet. Dannee likes movies, crossword puzzles, steamed crabs and having fun.
Running out of “next” projects has never been a problem for me! I have a pattern collection almost as massive as my yarn stash. My favorite places to get patterns are online. There are TONS of free online patterns out there – some great – and some horrible and loaded with errors. I tend to stick with reputable sites (like Crochet Spot!) for freebies. I am also a fan of purchasing PDF patterns online. These are usually a bit more professional, and you have the added bonus of being able to contact the designer if you need help with the pattern. Another great resource for patterns is your local Goodwill, Savers, or Salvation Army. I once bought I giant file box full of those old-fashioned pattern booklets for $10. Sure, there were lots of patterns I’d never use, but there were plenty of good ones too. It was also fun paging through them just for inspiration. After I took what I wanted, I brought the rest of them right back to the Goodwill for someone else to discover. And speaking of thrift stores – they are a great place to find crochet hooks! I got a bag full of tiny steel hooks in all different sizes for $1. Love it!
That has also never been a problem for me. I always have something waiting in the wings, whether it be a new project, a WIP or a UFO. I tend to go in spurts – hats, scarves, squares … depending on what I get involved in and what they are needing, and what resources I have on hand. Right now it’s red, white, and blue saltines. I also love to go through the many books I have looking for the right pattern though I don’t necessarily use the pattern in the way it was intended. LOL An afghan might become a scarf or a square, or a shawl and vice versa. I get ideas all over the place and like to try different things when the opportunity arises.
Speaking of thrift stores, that’s where I get a good portion of my yarn. People start projects and never finish and finally donate the yarn. I just finished an afghan for myself and started one for my husband out of thrift store yarns. Gotta love a bargain.
I bought some white yarn in a box at a local thrift store. In the middle was a broomstick needle with a project about 1 foot long, 3 feet wide already started. Was it to be a shawl or a baby blanket… I don’t know. I just know I had NEVER tried the broomstick stitch, so I googled it and guessed at the size of the crochet hook to keep the stitches the right size. It is really fun! I usually do small projects, but this one seems to work up quickly. Wish I knew the story behind who started it. Did they just give up or did they pass away? If unfinished projects could talk…..
Running out of projects, never, I have a granny square rug to sew up, doing ‘kittens in a row’ rug for my son and then a rug for my daughter, coathanger covers, tops for hand towels, a sleeveless jacket would be nice. This site is wonderful for ideas.
I check out the thrift shops to but often they bundle up a mixture of wool, cotton etc and you really don’t get a lot out of it but I keep looking.
I found a great knitting and crochet book at Big W so plenty in there to keep me occupied as well as this site.
Happy crocheting everyone.
Hello I’m always checking out ur website for new projects to work on! That’s how I find my next project haha!!
I’ve a got a question I was wondering whether you could help me out with since u seem to be soooo much better at crocheting than i am!!
How do i make a round hole in the middle of a piece of square? I tried making a chain, join, do a couple of rounds to make a circle piece, then made the corners… but that just made the whole piece turn into a square! =[
Would you please be able to give me some advice? Thanks heaps in advance!!!
PS. love ur site!!! =D