The Crochet Chain

I have also posted this on my blog Knitting Notions and Purls of Wisdom because I think this is an important part of our kntiting and crocheting lives.

I know we all do it at some point.  We get tempted to skip this step of a project and we give in to that urge, only to find at the end that we have a ridiculous large (or small and stiff) finished item.  Or you could wind up with an item that is very uneven and disproportionate.  It is so heartbreaking that you spend all that time doing your project to have it come out this way.  You just have to cry!

What is the best way to avoid this scenario?  Always crochet a swatch....and I mean always.  I know we can easily talk ourselves out of doing this but it really is an important step in a successful project.  Afterall, it would be ashame to have to unravel your gorgeous sweater or jumper that you just spent so much time making.  Who wants to have to do that?  (Speaking from experience...it can bring tears to your eyes when you are pulling it all apart and having to start over)


I have always wondered why we avoid swatching?  I tend to knit and crochet with a loose tension on my swatches which has surprised me...I always expect to have it come out tighter because I am so anxious to get the swatch completed that you would think that my "tension" would results in a tighter swatch "tension."  Or maybe because I am going so fast to get it over with that I do not pull my yarn tight enough?  Regardless, I find my tension sometimes does change slightly between the swatch and the actually project I am working on.  So I have learned that it is best to do a large swatch first to ensure that I get a true representation of my actual project.  

I guess we just have to remind ourselves that everyone knits and crochets differently and our own tension can actually change as well.  I know that during stressful times I seem to wind up with a tighter tension.  Therefore, since our tension can change a swatch is important to make before all our projects (even when we really want to skip making it).


I think the best method here is to think of your swatch as your test run with the yarn or pattern.  You can get used to the way the yarn handles and find out if there are any issues with it.  For example, maybe it is the first time you are using a ribbon yarn? So you do a swatch and get used to how the stitches work and how the drape of the fabric comes out.  Maybe you are working with a mohair yarn and your last 10 projects were all a smooth cashmere or merino? So you complete a swatch to get used to the "furriness" and how it works with your needle or hook.  Or maybe you are trying a new cable or lace pattern with a yarn you have used for ages?  Again, making a swatch will get you used to how the yarn handles this new stitch pattern and if there are any issues you need to watch out for. Lastly, with colour, maybe you are wanting to combine two colours together but you are not sure if they will come out looking fabulous together?  So sit back and complete your swatch to see if you like how they look. 


Making a swatch only takes about a half an hour to do on average so it is not much time when you consider how much time it will take for your actual project.  It is much better (and easier) to work out any "kinks" with your project in the beginning instead of at the end when it is too late.  Swatching is your best tool to ensure a great finished result because it will get you comfortable with that new yarn or pattern before you start the "real deal."  It will help you achieve more accurate and precise measurements in your project.

Swatches basically are the first step in working out if you need to make any adjustments with your pattern in order to have it fit perfectly.  Your swatch does not have to perfectly fit the pattern...obviously it should be close to the recommended gauge...but it can also help you make a custom fit.  I am sometimes in between sizes so I use my swatch as a basis for how I can make slight alterations to the pattern to make the end result fit better.  You could consider making swatches as the first step towards learning how to design your own patterns.    

One last thing about a swatch is that it may help you realise you absolutely hate the yarn you are working with.  At least it saved you so much time and pain from trying to do a project with a yarn you just cannot stand.  So I guess the moral of this story is that we really need to make swatches our friend and not our enemy.  (This way we do not get frustrated and wind up unravelling all that hard work!)

Did you know there are quite a few celebrities and world leaders that crochet? 

Just to name a few celebrities...Madonna, Meryl Streep, Debra Messing and Bette Midler.  The famous Golden Girl Estelle Getty also crochets...which she did regularly on the show!  Also, the former NFL Gridiron Defensive Lineman Rosie Grier was an avid crocheter and even published a book about crocheting all for men!  (That is so cool!)

As for world leaders...England's Queen Victoria also crocheted and wore her projects out in public.  Another famous crocheter was the US President James Buchanan.

Does anyone know of any others?  (I am sure there are sooooooooo many!)
 

I had originally posted this in my "Knitting Notions" blog...but for those of you who just follow my crochet blog I thought I would add this here as well.....it is very interesting stuff!

Experts say that knitting and crocheting help to keep us healthy by lowering our stress levels as well as keeping us balanced.  I think most of us will already agree that this is true...but science now has actual "evidence" to show that knitting and crocheting has a positive effect on the body.

Today we are overwhelmingly exposed to graphics and audio signals which flood our senses constantly.  Knitting and crocheting gives us a "time out" from this overload, therefore giving our body some much needed relaxation.


Science has shown that people who allow themselves to take part in activities that they really enjoy are less likely to get sick, anxious or depressed.  The happiness we experience from taking the time out to knit or crochet actually halts the release of cortisol which is a stress hormone that has been shown to weaken the immune system.  Therefore, our crafting helps us reduce stress and boost our immune system. This effect decreases our chances of catching that awful flu or cold going around town!


The repetitive motions of knitting and crocheting activate the same areas of the brain that meditation and yoga do.  This activation lowers blood pressure as well as our heart rate and can reduce overall pain levels.  The clicking and clacking of the needles, or the looping of the hook, induce a calming mantra on the body just like meditation does.  In fact, knitting and crocheting have been beneficial in reducing asthma, panic attacks as well as helping to manage ADHD in children.  

So with this evidence in mind, we should be encouraging everyone to pick up their knitting needles and crochet hooks for a little while everyday!  I guess it is like the saying "An apple a day"...but instead we should saying "knitting and crocheting every day will help keep the doctor away!"

Did you know that crochet has been able to replicate complex mathematics? 

The concept of hyperbolic geometry has been very difficult to demonstrate in two-dimensions, but it was discovered recently that crochet can illustrate this with ease. 

What a fabulous and incredible achievement!

Unlike knitting, the origin of crochet is shrouded in mystery.  There is little evidence found which dates earlier than the 1800s to help work out this mystery.

Even though there is a lack of evidence, many historians agree that crochet must have been an early art form because of its simplicity.  Basic crocheted items could have easily been created with the use of fingers instead of an actual hook.

There are three possible locations where crochet may have originated:

1. It began as an art in Arabia and spread to Europe and Asia via the trade routes
2. It is based on a technique used by primitive tribes of South America
3. Chinese needlework called tambouring (which is similar to modern crochet but is done on a frame)

Wherever crochet began, it eventually made its way to France where it was used in delicate lace making.  The word crochet actually originates from the Middle French word "croche" which means hook.

During the Irish Famine in the 19th century, it was said that a group of nuns taught some children how to crochet so that they could sell the items for charity.  It was also around this time that instructions for many of the beautiful lace crochet patterns were produced.  This made it much easier to teach others how to craft their own crocheted pieces and the art form began to take off in popularity.

Over the 20th century crochet was very popular after World War II and also during the 1960s and 70s when granny square motifs were part of modern fashion.  Crochet has also become more and more popular in the last ten years with the new resurgence in needlework crafts and also with high fashion bringing back retro crochet clothing.