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Tipnut : It caters to the needs of beginners by giving both videos and instructions on each stitches. It is one of the best tutorials available on Internet. It even gives directions on how to understand instructions provided with patterns. Just found it and haven't had a chance to check it out. Let me know what you think.
Learn How To Crochet – Helpful Resource Guide : TipNut.com
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Originally Posted by
crtvcrlyn44
I did go on youtube last night & that did help!!! It just makes me feel really bad that a lot of the patterns are hard for me to read. A great big thanks to all of you for helping me so very much.
Why feel bad?!? None of us were born being to read them LOL! I wish! :-D I haven't had much success either but I keep pluggin' away. That or I just wing it....like, no one is going to grade me or anything ;-) Hopefully tomorrow I'll post some photos (if I can figure out how to do that) of my completed and WIP (No one told me but I think that's a crochet abbreviation for Work In Progress).
PS: If no one provides a helpful answer to you online in a forum (unlikely) but if it happens you can send a private message to me. I don't know much but I'm hell-on-wheels when it comes to researching answers. I guess that's why my replies aren't really quick. I tend to ramble on.... LOL!
Lynn E
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I agree with Anaisa - just take it one step at a time. Looking at a whole pattern can sometimes just scare me to death but I can handle one step at a time. And if it's a complicated step, write it down so you can understand it better. Good luck and enjoy!
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I suggest that you learn the abbrevations for the stitches or show the pattern you are working on so we can help you understand what you are trying to do,I will help you if you want just let me know and show the pattern instructions.
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Hi crtvcrlyn44, Welcome!!
I too have trouble reading patterns. Sooo I started buying Learn to crochet books and mags. CROCHETING FOR DUMMIES, 2nd Edition. Has helped me more than ANY other learning to crochet book, mag. or video I have found. They do a WONDERFUL section on reading crocheting patterns!!!! U can order the Book on Amazon, like new for under 10 dollars or just order it new! Hope this helps! So Happy To have U with Us!!
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Girl, I am with you on this!! The crochet shorthand can be really confusing!! I bought some books also to help me through the language changes because I really want to learn how to crochet!!
The folks on here are very helpful and are happy to help out too! Please don't feel bad about yourself, how could you know? it's not like we talk to one another in crochet shorthand, LOL Now that would be funny, I'll have to come up with something, LOLOL
Sorry, I am not laughing at you!! I struggle too, just check out my threads on the crochet challenge we are doing this month. I am crochet-learning challenged, LOL
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Featherfarm; great minds think alike....lol
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I have a friend who wanted to learn to crochet and this is what she did. It might work for you. She went to a nursing home in her area and ask if anyone would teach her how to crochet. Several ladies took her up on it. She learned and they enjoyed teaching. I am having trouble with a baby sweater pattern and an older lady is taking a look at it for me to see what I am doing wrong. Might take a look around. Hope this helps.
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I agree with the other ladies. When I was beginning, I never watched videos. But I definitely had to read each step and do the stitch step by step. Sometimes, I'd go nuts trying to figure out where I was supposed to put the hook and I'd have to leave it and come back later. I just did my first CAL (crochet along) recently to learn a new way to crochet (Tunisian). I was amazed how much easier it was watching it, than reading it. Plus, everyone helps each other. There are some here being done for beginners.
In addition. When you choose patterns, look for one with Symbol instructions also. It is so much easier to follow, because you know exactly where you're putting your hook. (I still like to check the written pattern to be sure I'm not missing something). Now these symbols are different and in addition to the abbreviations that have been mentioned. I'd be happy to give you names of designers that use symbols if you want them.
Also, look for patterns that have a schematic so you know the measurements. And especially ones that describe how you're going to go about making something. I hate doing a pattern, and I have no idea if I'm working from the top down, etc. So a paragraph explaining what you're doing in general before you start is good. And don't worry if they tell you to read the pattern over before you start and you don't get it all. When I started it was all greek to me. It's better now, but I still like to break it down in steps.
One other thing I often did, write the step all out, or highlight the important steps. You have to remember, they need to put each step down, but after the first row or two, it's usually a repeat pattern. Say I kept running out of chains. I'd draw the # of circles (chains) , than mark them off to see if what I think they're saying will work out or not. If not, than I'm not reading it correctly.
Just the other day, I was doing a new stitch, and in the key for that pattern it called for the large shell to consist of: (4 tr, {ch 1, 4 tr} twice) I had to keep frogging (means ripping it out) it, as I was reading it wrong. Had I written it out, it would have been easier to follow til I got used to it. It meant:
4 triple crochets, chain 1, 4 triple crochets, chain 1, 4 triple crochet all in same stitch. "Twice" referred only to the ch 1, 4tr, NOT the whole thing which is what I kept doing cause I wasn't paying attention to the brackets.
Sorry, hope I didn't scare you off, as that one is a little more complicated than ones you will run into in beginner patterns. (Make sure you check the key for how difficult a pattern is). Stick to beginners for now, and in no time you'll get it.
I don't know why I didn't learn from videos. I guess I just didn't realize they were there! If you don't understand any of my explainations, just ask.
Last edited by Joyannerose; 11-03-2012 at 11:36 AM.
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Originally Posted by
1airforcemom
I have a friend who wanted to learn to crochet and this is what she did. It might work for you. She went to a nursing home in her area and ask if anyone would teach her how to crochet. Several ladies took her up on it. She learned and they enjoyed teaching. I am having trouble with a baby sweater pattern and an older lady is taking a look at it for me to see what I am doing wrong. Might take a look around. Hope this helps.
That is an excellent idea. Wished I'd thought of that. I went to this homey Knitting store (went to school with the owner) to see if she could help me with a christening sweater when I started. She only did knitting. If I was lucky, someone that also crocheted would try to help, but that was rare.
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