Fall in love with crochet (again) with these 5 tips
Fall in love with crochet (all over again) with these 5 handy and quick tips.
Let’s face it. I’m obsessed with crochet. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t pick up my hook and work a few stitches. Crochet goes with me in a project bag pretty much everywhere I go. If you’re like me (raise your hand, you know you are), why would you need tips to fall in love crochet? You’re already gaga for crochet!
Well, I’m here to have some real talk with you. There WILL come a time when you need to fall in love with crochet all over again. Why? Because, well…life happens! And, you won’t be able to avoid it.
When I was raising my 3 kids and maintaining a professional career, I didn’t have much time for anything except those two things. I would get to the end of the day and collapse on the couch or go straight to bed. The cycle began again the next day and crochet was just a distant memory.
Thankfully it was temporary. My kids have grown up, they’ve had their own kids and I once again have crochet by my side.
“Life without crochet is boring.”
– Unknown
Whatever the reason or circumstance, you will come upon a time when you have to put your crochet aside. Or, you simply don’t have any desire to touch it. When that happens, you may find it difficult to get started back up.
I hope that’s not the case. But, if it is, I’ve got your back! Read on for 5 of my top tips to help you fall in love with crochet all over again!
The 5 tips to help you fall in love with crochet (again)
Tip #1 – Look at lots of pretty crochet.
You know you’ve suffered from it – the dreaded FOMO (fear of missing out). You see all the Instagram and Facebook posts and drool over ALL the things.
You know the feeling – the more you look, the more you want. It happens to all of us.
The last thing you may want to do is look at crochet. Just give it a try and see what happens. There’s every possibility you may fall in love with crochet just a WEE bit.
This could be the very spark you need to get your crojo back. The side benefit is, you now have a bunch of ideas about what to make first!
Tip #2 – Choose a small project with simple stitches and construction.
You feel like you’ve got your crojo back. That’s great! Now, where do you start?
To fall in love with crochet again, you need to start small. It doesn’t really matter what the project is; it simply needs to be fun and probably pretty quick, enough to dip your toe back in the water.
I guarantee you won’t fall in love with crochet again if you dive right into a fitted garment with lots of complicated stitches and shaping. Let’s not even discuss the word….”blocking”!
“The joy of crochet is its simplicity: there is only ever one stitch in work & just a few variations of the basic stitches to muster, but the possibilities of using & combining those stitches together are endless.”
– Erika Knight
As with any activity, when you’re trying to start it up again, you should begin with something that’s easily accessible. Once you have that accomplished and you’re feeling pretty good, move on to something that takes more concentration.
This is the perfect time to make coasters to protect your favorite tabletop or washcloths to dress up your beauty routine. They’re useful, fun and quick. Give one a try…
Tip #3 – Make something for yourself.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with treating yourself to something special. In fact, research tells us that we most definitely need to do just that. We can’t adequately take care of others if we don’t start with ourselves.
I fall in love with crochet every time I make a new cowl or scarf to wear with my favorite outfit. I have a pretty big collection of them because I love creating something just for me.
Think outside the box a little. If you aren’t into wearable accessories, why not whip up a new project bag or market tote? You’ll feel pretty special the next time you step out at the farmer’s market with a beautiful crocheted bag on your shoulder. Just imagine the longing looks you’ll get from those envious folks who want what you have. That ought to help you fall in love with crochet again!
Tip #4 – Choose a yarn that feels fabulous and a color that’s a joy to look at.
I am a total sucker for beautiful yarn. It’s the biggest reason why I have a room filled with it. I look at a skein or hank of yarn and see nothing but possibilities.
One of the principles of mindful crochet is to choose a yarn that feels good in your hands and has a color you love to look at. When you do, you get lost in the mindful movement of the yarn and hook in your hands. How can you NOT fall in love with crochet when you have gorgeous yarn to work with?!
You don’t have to spend a lot of money on your yarn to find something that’s perfect. The choices are endless at all price points. If you have a local yarn shop nearby or something in your stash, you can be on your way today. Don’t rule out indie designers for a truly decadent yarn.
Here are a few of my favorite yarns when I need to fall in love with crochet:
- Sirdar “Jewelspun”
- Lion Brand “Pound of Love”
- Indie dyed yarn, esp. super wash merino wool in DK or worsted weight (Shirsty Cat, Miss Babs, Neighborhood Fiber Co)
Tip #5 – Remember why you fell in love with it the first time.
When I was a teenager, my grandma taught me to crochet. I don’t recall whether I asked her to teach me or she knew I needed it. Whatever the reason, it started a lifelong love affair with a craft that keeps me healthy and sane every day. Here’s the first scarf I ever made…
Who taught you? Was it someone special like my grandma or did you take a class somewhere?
What motivated you to start crocheting? For most eager crocheters, it’s the prospect of being able to create a handmade item you can’t find anywhere else. (Remember Tip #3 – it’s all about the pretty things!)
Think back to your crochet origin story. Or, think of the project that meant so much you couldn’t put it down. I guarantee you’ll fall in love with crochet when you take a walk down memory lane.
“On a bad day, there is always crochet!”
– Kob@ttey
Let’s wrap it up!
Let’s get back to that real talk. There WILL come a time when you simply don’t want to crochet. That’s OK! Because you can always return to it. And, with these tips, you won’t have any trouble.
What you want to avoid is getting stuck when you’re ready to dive back in . Crochet is a beautiful craft. You deserve to have it in your life for so many reasons.
Find a way to fall in love with crochet (again and again and again…).
