Crochet is a process of creating fabric by interlocking loops of yarn, threads, or strands of other materials using a crochet hook. Crochet is slightly different from that of knitting. Crochet completes stitches and then proceeds to the next one while knitting have many stitches open at a time. The surface grows in a circle, spiral or in a to and fro manner. Geometrical and floral motifs are mostly preferred.
There are some simple steps to get started on crochet. They are –
• Gathering the needed materials:
To crochet - a crochet hook, yarn, scissors and large-eye needle are needed.
• Holding the crochet hook:
The crochet hook has to be held in the dominant hand. A slipknot has to be created and placed over the end of the hook.
• Creating stitches:
The slipknot loop is placed on hook from a single thread and is inter-looped by means of a hook in such a way that a new stitch is made by drawing thread through the previous stitch, and repeating this process to create a chain of suitable length. The chain is either turned and worked in rows or joined to the beginning of the row with a slipstitch and worked in rounds. Pulling one or more loops through each loop of the chain makes stitches. At any one time at the end of a stitch, there is only one loop left on the hook. The threads used for crochet are cotton, white, pale and bright colors. Thicker the yarn larger the diameter of the crochet hooks. Thicker yarns generally require fewer stitches and therefore less time to work upon a given design. It gives a bold look comparative to thinner yarns. Thinner yarns are used for delicate pattern works and consume more time to complete a pattern work. The size of the hook is chosen according to the pattern work. The hooks are of steel these days. Steel crochet hooks range in size from 0.4 to 3.5 millimeters. These hooks are used for fine crochet work such as doilies. At any one time at the end of a stitch, there is only one loop left on the hook. There are most noted stitches that are crocheted as well.
Flow Chart: