Hello fellow crocheters!

[CHARCREATES]

Hello fellow crocheters! So glad to be here with all of you. My name is Charleen (that's not misspelled) from Palmyra, NJ, right across the river from Philly where I was born and raised. My great aunt Helen taught me how to crochet when I was six and I haven't put my hook down since. I crochet all the time and I really mean all the time. Hubby (Keith) comes downstairs in the AM and finds me still up (insomnia is so much fun!) and asks what I'm doing. "Hookin'!", I tell him. He just laughs and shakes his head.

You can find some of my posts on the thread about handmade gifts where Teri and I have been posting back and forth a bit.

During my working days I was a factory rep for a machine tool company based out of New England and I covered 5 states. I traveled a lot and loved every minute of it. Well, let me revise that. I traveled so much that one night I came home and my dog growled at me. Now that's traveling! But I was single at the time and since I never had any kids there was no one at home wondering when dinner would be on the table. Suited me just fine. The neighbor fed the dog.

So now I'm retired but still need to keep my head and hands busy. Crocheting seems to too that, satisfies my creative urge and keeps me from just vegetating. And the recipients of my creativity seem happy with my efforts. I was on a baby clothes kick for a while and filled 2 large bins but the nieces and nephews don't seem to having enough babies so I switched to ladies tops and soon filled 1 large bin. They all found homes at Xmas. Scarves, hats and wristers (fingerless gloves) are also favorites. All of my family, friends, neighbors and even the occasional acquaintance have at least one of my scarves. I don't crochet for money so I don't sell my items. I crochet for pleasure, both my own pleasure and especially the pleasure it brings to the recipients. Also, selling my items would be a bit difficult because I now have 4 cats so everything I make is infused (infursed?) with cat fur. LOL!

[Pixieglitter]

Hello Charleen, and welcome from Alabama. I'm really looking forward to getting to know you. My mom taught me how to crochet when I was 7... I'm 51 now so I've been hooking for a long time lol. I've started filling up my own bin with baby items, especially baby afghans, for my future grandchildren. I don't have any, yet, but I haven't given up hope!

Shelley

[Jean Marie]

Welcome Char!

[CHARCREATES]

Hello Charleen, and welcome from Alabama. I'm really looking forward to getting to know you. My mom taught me how to crochet when I was 7... I'm 51 now so I've been hooking for a long time lol. I've started filling up my own bin with baby items, especially baby afghans, for my future grandchildren. I don't have any, yet, but I haven't given up hope!

Shelley

Thanks Shelley! I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone on this site. You're another crocheter who started really early. Did you start with potholders like I did?

Since I never had any kids of my own (by choice) I'll never be a grandmom but being a favorite aunt is just as good.

When my hubby's nephew had their baby I made what I now call a baby starter set which includes a baby blanket, 2 sweaters, 2 hats and 2 pairs of booties. Since my health really isn't on my side I decided to make a set for all the nieces and nephews for when they eventually have their babies. Each set is stored in it's own little bin ready to be delivered when the new arrivals make their appearances. Sometimes I'll make a baby blanket and send it off to the Linus Project, always a good cause.

[Pixieglitter]

Yes I did start out making potholders lol. My first project was an oven mit for my dad. Mom had to make the thumb and sew it together for me. My dad still has that oven mit hanging from his BBQ grill. He's never used it. He didn't want to mess it up.

Shelley

[CHARCREATES]

Welcome Char!

I've been snooping on the site for awhile and I see lots of your posts. How long have you been crocheting? Do you also knit? Quilt? Sew? I tried knitting once but it went too slow for my need for instant gratification. Same with quilting. I took a quilting course a few years ago and I love the results but it just takes a bit too long to get there. I used to sew quite a bit. In my younger days I used to make all my own clothes. Now my sewing is pretty much home dec, curtains, pillows, etc. I also do a bit of woodworking but just small projects like key holder cabinets, tie racks, etc. Guess that answers the question on how I got my screen name, charcreates. Also, hubby runs marathons and his screen name is keithruns. He's 56 and just did his first ironman. I think he's nuts! I limit myself to marathon crochet sessions. LOL!

[kl1000]

Hello Charleen! It s nice to meet you! I am Larisa doily maker. I have 5 birds. What s color of your cats?

[Barbara G.]

Hello and welcome to the crochet forums! We are glad you are here as a member!

Please make yourself at home and let us know if you need anything!

[Jean Marie]

Hi Char,
My grandma taught me how to crochet when I was probable a teenager or in my early 20's. I'm 52. A few years ago they had a knitting class at our church where people could knit and if you wanted to learn how they would teach you. ' Binding Off ' was easy for me. I used to bring my knitting over to church just to ask a question about it (other than during class. This might've been when they didn't have class anymore). I did quite a bit of knitting for a while and every now and then will pick up the knitting needles. I don't like circular knitting needles which is probably why I didn't like the knook.(a crochet hook on one side and a knitting needle on the other side with a cord through one end so your stitches don't come off. I like the idea that your stitches won't come off but the cord seems to get in the way. I like crocheting better than knitting because crocheting is more relaxing.

No, I don't quilt. I don't sew unless I'm mending or making something (like sewing 2 sides together to make a bib or diaper bag) which I don't normally do. I have knitted a diaper bag before. It was knit every row and then purl one row and knit every row for the other side. Then I folded it somehow so there was 2 sections, put a lining in it and made a handle(that was knitted or crocheted). I've knit purses and rabbits and a duck and snoopy and I need to finish the penguin(s) and I'd like to make those penguin booties that someone posted online. I've also tried knitting a sweater but it didn't turn out too good.

I've done a lot of other crafts. Plastic canvas, iris folding, embroidery and embroidery cards, baskets made out of a grocery bag or lunch bag, painting, a doll out of yarn, a wreath made w/a coat hanger and sandwich bags, the round and straight looms, origami, memory folds, etc. I thought I did tea bag folding at one time. I've tried my hand at writing songs and have gotten some copyrighted. I've written poems. I've also written some stories. I used to do creative memories. I also use a clear glue to put paper pictures around a glass candle holder- don't know what it's called.

Now, I'm crocheting a baby blanket for my niece. She's due in March/April. The blanket is supposed to be 45 inches wide. I have 26 inches so I have a little ways to go.

Is your husband on crochet talk? What? Did he make an iron man?

Jean Marie ps. Sorry this is a little long.

[CHARCREATES]

Hi Char,
My grandma taught me how to crochet when I was probable a teenager or in my early 20's. I'm 52. A few years ago they had a knitting class at our church where people could knit and if you wanted to learn how they would teach you. ' Binding Off ' was easy for me. I used to bring my knitting over to church just to ask a question about it (other than during class. This might've been when they didn't have class anymore). I did quite a bit of knitting for a while and every now and then will pick up the knitting needles. I don't like circular knitting needles which is probably why I didn't like the knook.(a crochet hook on one side and a knitting needle on the other side with a cord through one end so your stitches don't come off. I like the idea that your stitches won't come off but the cord seems to get in the way. I like crocheting better than knitting because crocheting is more relaxing.

No, I don't quilt. I don't sew unless I'm mending or making something (like sewing 2 sides together to make a bib or diaper bag) which I don't normally do. I have knitted a diaper bag before. It was knit every row and then purl one row and knit every row for the other side. Then I folded it somehow so there was 2 sections, put a lining in it and made a handle(that was knitted or crocheted). I've knit purses and rabbits and a duck and snoopy and I need to finish the penguin(s) and I'd like to make those penguin booties that someone posted online. I've also tried knitting a sweater but it didn't turn out too good.

I've done a lot of other crafts. Plastic canvas, iris folding, embroidery and embroidery cards, baskets made out of a grocery bag or lunch bag, painting, a doll out of yarn, a wreath made w/a coat hanger and sandwich bags, the round and straight looms, origami, memory folds, etc. I thought I did tea bag folding at one time. I've tried my hand at writing songs and have gotten some copyrighted. I've written poems. I've also written some stories. I used to do creative memories. I also use a clear glue to put paper pictures around a glass candle holder- don't know what it's called.

Now, I'm crocheting a baby blanket for my niece. She's due in March/April. The blanket is supposed to be 45 inches wide. I have 26 inches so I have a little ways to go.

Is your husband on crochet talk? What? Did he make an iron man?

Jean Marie ps. Sorry this is a little long.

Hi Jean Marie, Good gosh, you've tried everything. I really like it when someone tries something they've never done before. There are times when I surprise myself when I succeed in spite of my having no experience. And my failures? I turn them into learning experiences. Once in a while what I learn is that I shouldn't have tried that and don't do it again. LOL! But mostly I'm pleased with my results.

No, my husband isn't on crochet talk. He wouldn't have the patience. The closest he comes to crocheting is not complaining when I buy more yarn. An ironman is a race for, what I call, the physically obsessed. He runs every day and does a marathon about once a month. A marathon is a 26.2 mile foot race. Can you imagine running as fast as you can, non stop, for 4 or 5 hours? An ironman starts with a 2.4 mile swim, immediately followed by a 26.2 mile marathon, immediately followed by a 112 mile bike race. Like I said, I think he's nuts! He's 56 now and although he's in excellent health, I do worry. I'm 64 (I know, I'm such a cougar.) and it makes me all out of breath just thinking about it. Heck, I get all out of breath just thinking about running to the corner - and we live on a corner.

Anyway, it's good to be here with you and rest of the creative types.