Magic wands, chains, and creating things

Hello everyone, and welcome to Magic wands, chains, and creating things. I created this hangout for anyone interested in crocheting. Advanced or just starting but also for people to come and talk. I know when I was teaching myself how to crochet I wish I had people to talk to for tips and trick or even just to talk about the topic or others while working. So here I am making a place for others who might be like me and wish to look for people to talk to while working on a project or looking for tips and tricks as they work.

So again welcome and enjoy your stay.

Crochet is a process of creating textiles by using a crochet hook to interlock loops of yarn, thread, or strands of other materials. The name is derived from the French term crochet, meaning 'small hook'. Hooks can be made from a variety of materials, such as metal, wood, bamboo, or plastic. The key difference between crochet and knitting, beyond the implements used for their production, is that each stitch in crochet is completed before the next one is begun, while knitting keeps many stitches open at a time. Some variant forms of crochet, such as Tunisian crochet and broomstick lace, do keep multiple crochet stitches open at a time.

Fashions in crochet changed with the end of the Victorian era in the 1890s. Crocheted laces in the new Edwardian era, peaking between 1910 and 1920, became even more elaborate in texture and complicated stitching.


Filet crochet by an internee at Manzanar War Relocation Center, 1943. Photograph by Ansel Adams
The strong Victorian colours disappeared, though, and new publications called for white or pale threads, except for fancy purses, which were often crocheted of brightly colored silk and elaborately beaded. After World War I, far fewer crochet patterns were published, and most of them were simplified versions of the early 20th-century patterns. After World War II, from the late 1940s until the early 1960s, there was a resurgence in interest in home crafts, particularly in the United States, with many new and imaginative crochet designs published for colorful doilies, potholders, and other home items, along with updates of earlier publications. These patterns called for thicker threads and yarns than in earlier patterns and included wonderful variegated colors. The craft remained primarily a homemaker's art until the late 1960s and early 1970s, when the new generation picked up on crochet and popularized granny squares, a motif worked in the round and incorporating bright colors.


Detail on gold thread crochet in a mid-20th century short jacket designed by Sybil Connolly
Although crochet underwent a subsequent decline in popularity, the early 21st century has seen a revival of interest in handcrafts and DIY, as well as great strides in improvement of the quality and varieties of yarn. There are many more new pattern books with modern patterns being printed, and most yarn stores now offer crochet lessons in addition to the traditional knitting lessons. There are many books you can purchase from local book stores to teach yourself how to crochet whether it be as a beginner or intermediate. There are also many books for children and teenagers who are hoping to take up the hobby. Filet crochet, Tunisian crochet, tapestry crochet, broomstick lace, hairpin lace, cro-hooking, and Irish crochet are all variants of the basic crochet method.


Bags and hacky sack tapestry crocheted in Guatemala.
Crochet has experienced a revival on the catwalk as well. Christopher Kane's Fall 2011 Ready-to-Wear collection[20] makes intensive use of the granny square, one of the most basic of crochet motifs. In addition, crochet has been utilized many times by designers on the popular reality show Project Runway. Websites such as Etsy and Ravelry have made it easier for individual hobbyists to sell and distribute their patterns or projects across the internet.

Laneya Wiles released a music video titled "Straight Hookin'" which makes a play on the word "hookers," which has a double meaning for both "one who crochets" and "a prostitute."

For years I never understood yarn size due to it never really made a difference. Until I made a project that was supposed to be a lot smaller then it was. That is when I started to pay attention to the yarn size for patterns vs just doing what was pretty.

I can’t run away from the beast
RIP the scab and set it free
It’s the killer in me

books
shops
free
hosts?

There is blood on the path I walk
And each step I take is haunting me
Embraced by the darkness, I'm losing the light
Encircled by demons, I fight

I can’t run away from the beast
RIP the scab and set it free
It’s the killer in me

free
hosts?

There is blood on the path I walk
And each step I take is haunting me
Embraced by the darkness, I'm losing the light
Encircled by demons, I fight

I can’t run away from the beast
RIP the scab and set it free
It’s the killer in me

hosts?

There is blood on the path I walk
And each step I take is haunting me
Embraced by the darkness, I'm losing the light
Encircled by demons, I fight

I can’t run away from the beast
RIP the scab and set it free
It’s the killer in me

hosts?

There is blood on the path I walk
And each step I take is haunting me
Embraced by the darkness, I'm losing the light
Encircled by demons, I fight

Oh hiiii I crochet poorly and I don't have much yarn left xD