Be Inspired

Inspiration for patterns often comes from arranging threads and samples together to get a feel for a new design and the colors I intend to use

How to Crochet

Slip Knot

Make a circle with the tail end of the yarn, crossing the tail end over the ball end. Let the tail end drop down behind the loop, then use the crochet hook to catch the tail end and pull it through the circle. Holding the tail end and the ball end in your left hand, pull the hook in the opposite direction to create the first loop on the hook. There will be a tight knot under it.

Foundation Chain

After you have made the slip knot on your hook, the next step is to create the foundation chain for the crochet fabric. The project instructions will tell you how many chain stitches to make to start. The abbreviation for chain is ‘ch’.

Step 1

With the slip knot on the hook, grip the tail end of the yarn between thumb and forefinger of your left hand. Holding the working yarn taut in your left hand, pass the tip of the hook in front of the yarn, then under and around it. Catch the yarn in the lip of the hook.

Step 2

Draw the yarn through the loop on the hook. This completes the first chain and leaves one loop on the hook.

Step 3

To make the next chain, pull a new loop through the loop on the hook. Make the number of chains required, keeping the stitches slightly loose so you can work into them easily on your first row.

Slip Stitch Crochet

After making a foundation chain of the required number of chains. Insert the tip of the hook through the second chain from the hook, then catch the yarn with the hook (called ‘wrap the yarn around the hook’) and draw it through both the chain and the loop on the hook. This completes the first slip stitch and leaves one loop on the hook. Work the next slip stitch into the next chain in the same way. Continue as required.

How to Knit

Step 1

With the cast-on stitches on the needle in your left hand, insert the right-hand needle from left to right and from front to back through the first cast-on stitch.

Step 2

Take the yarn from the ball on your forefinger (the working yarn) around the point of the right-hand needle.

Step 3

Draw the right-hand needle and yarn through the stitch, thus forming a new stitch on the right-hand needle, and at the same time slip the original stitch off the left-hand needle. Repeat these steps until all the stitches from the left-hand needle have been worked. One knit row has now been completed.