May 7, 2013

Crocheting or Knitting Outside of Your Comfort Zone


If you knit or crochet, you probably have your favorite patterns that you turn to frequently, or like to make certain items, regardless of pattern.  I love to crochet baby blankets and sometimes start with one pattern, then adapt it some to make it my own.  Dishcloths are another favorite, and I've come up with a few simple crochet and knit patterns of my own.

I've made some lovely baby blankets and afghans, and friends love my dishcloths, but I'm in a rut and want to step out of my creative comfort zone.  I love to play with color and each blanket or afghan looks different, but I want to expand my horizons.  I want to learn to do amigurumi (that will be a tough task, for sure), and I also want to make hats, particularly baby hats.

The issue for me with hats is determining correct sizing.  I know there are charts and tutorials all over the internet, but I can't get past the sizing hurdle.  What if I make a hat and list it for sale as fitting X, when it's much too large or small and really would fit Z?  I have no little ones here to model anything.  My only grandchild is several states away, so she's not much help in the short term.

I've heard of people blowing up balloons to represent different sizes, but, while round, a balloon is still not the same shape as a child or baby's head.  I know, I know, I'm being anal about it, and I need to get over it and just DO it.

(click photo to enlarge)

Catie Alice needs a sunhat, don't you think?

Is there something that you'd love to learn how to make, but there's something holding you back?  Here's the challenge ... pick one thing that you've never done and do it.

I'm going to do a baby sunhat to send to my granddaughter.  I have plenty of cotton yarn here, and there are a bazillion free patterns out there, so no excuses.  Anyone with me?

~ Marie Anne

3 comments:

  1. I recently decided to teach myself amigurumi, which looked so intimidating until I actually read the directions. It is virtually all single crochet and the shaping is easy. Looks impressive as hell and is not really harder than making a dishcloth! Excellent point that every now and then we really do have to challenge ourselves or we get bored.

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  2. One of these days, I'm gonna learn to crochet beyond the first row...

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  3. Knitting sweaters always intimidated me until I just went ahead and did it. I had to unravel the thing about a dozen times but gosh-darn-it! I did it and I still love it! And then I made others for my mother and friends. You just gotta do it fearlessly! Good luck!

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