Me crocheting; when I crochet using dark-colored yarns, I often use a light-up crochet hook like the one you see pictured. It helps me see my stitches better.

Crochet was the craft that first sparked my interest in textile design.

When I first learned to crochet, it wasn’t because I specifically set out to do so. No, it was because my Aunt Nancy enjoyed crocheting, and she decided to teach me how to crochet too. It was her idea, but I went along with it, and I am glad I did!

In the 1980s, I used to go to the library in search of interesting crochet books. Unfortunately, the library’s selection was limited, and most of the library’s available crochet books did not appeal to me. I am sure that, in hindsight, all those books would now appeal to me. But at the time, I wanted new books, and the available selection consisted mostly of books from the 1970s. I appreciate the 1970s aesthetic more now than I did at the time.

Anyway, the knitting books and crochet books were shelved together, and the library’s selection of knitting books was more up-to-date and appealing than the selection of crochet books. So, I kept taking home knitting books. As a result of that, I taught myself how to knit.

Later, when I decided to make textile design my career, I learned how to machine knit. I later went on to design circular knits - mostly t-shirt weight fabrics - for public consumption through big-box retailers. I also designed prints (many of which were printed on top of my circular knits) and then later wovens.

But it all started with crochet…

It’s interesting that I’ve come full circle as a textile designer. I’ve designed just about every type of fabric there is to design, and I love them all. But crochet was my first love, and I couldn’t be more excited to be focusing my full-time efforts on crocheting, writing about crocheting, and designing free crochet patterns.

Free Crochet Stuff for You

• Free crochet newsletter
• Free instructions for crochet stitches
• Free patterns for crocheted flowers
• Free crochet scarf patterns
• Free crochet baby patterns
• Free crochet hat patterns
• Crochet blanket patterns
• Free patterns for crocheted purses
• Latest posts from my crochet blog at About.com

Free Knitting Resources

• Free knitter’s graph paper
• Color knitting web site
• How to design flawless punchcard repeats for machine knitting

Free Textile and Fashion Industry Resources

• Textile industry vocabulary
• How to learn fashion design without paying for a design school degree

It’s amazing what you can find for free on the Internet. Case in point: check out all these free afghan patterns. The list includes patterns for just about any kind of afghan you can think of. I’ve contributed several of the free patterns on this list. I’m hoping to get some more crocheted afghans completed ASAP.

Pictured above: For several months, I’ve been working on designing new afghan squares that will eventually become an afghan. This is my latest WIP photo. I’ve uploaded free patterns for most of these afghan squares, although I still have to create the free charts for several of them. You are invited to subscribe to my free crochet newsletter if you would like to be notified when the rest of them are available.

See Also: How to crochet a blanket

I just got a whole bunch of new crochet books, and I am working on reviewing them for the About Crochet web site. My most recent book review is for a book called Fair Isle to Crochet by Karen Ratto Whooley, published by Leisure Arts. I was really impressed by this book.

My favorite project from the book is a Southwestern-style afghan crocheted in appealing colors. I occasionally design Southwestern patterns for upholstery fabric, and know it is a challenge to do Southwestern designs well.

If you’re interested in crocheting colorful afghans, that book is a good one to check out. Want more details? Click on over to my detailed book review to see more info.

Judging from the amount of books she writes, I can only imagine that Darla Sims must be one busy lady. I can’t believe what a prolific author she is. Her book called Triple Play Pattern Stitches is one of my current favorite crochet stitch dictionaries; now I’m busy delving into two of her latest books. I haven’t had a chance to review them yet — too busy trying out the various stitches she designed — but I hope to post new book reviews soon.

More Inspiring Crochet Books

• Crochet So Fine by Kristin Omdahl
• The Beaded Edge book by Midori Nishida and CRK Design

Happy Valentine’s Day! I’ve been busy crocheting hearts in pretty Valentine-friendly colors — red, pinks and white. A few of them are pictured here. Free crochet patterns for these designs are posted at crochet.about.com.

• Heart at Top of Picture: Here’s a two-color crocheted heart square worked from a charted design.Click here for a larger heart picture plus more info.





• Heart Shapes Pictured at Middle Left and Lower Right: Click here to see the free crochet pattern for these hearts, or click here to see ideas for embellishing your heart shapes.





• Lower Left Heart: Click here to get the pattern, and click here to get the chart you need for crocheting this design. You might also be interested to see more heart colorways.





• Ribbon Trim: This ribbon trim is very easy to crochet and it makes the perfect coordinate to any of these heart designs. Click here to get the trim pattern.





• Many more crochet heart patterns are available at crochet.about.com. Enjoy!

I am not a football fan. Not even a little bit. Here are my tips for ways to enjoy the Super Bowl Sunday, even if you hate football:

And, for those of you who do like football, check out these football patterns. My favorite: the team spirit hat, which isn’t a football-specific design; you can crochet the hat in any team’s colors (or for that matter, any two colors at all.)

This baby afghan was the best project I crocheted in 2010. I made it for my husband’s cousin’s new baby girl. So excited to have a little one to crochet for! I did post the free crochet pattern for others to use, so if you’d like to make a similar afghan, please be my guest. If you do, I hope you’ll improve on the color combination I chose. Click here to see a few more color ideas.

I also made a few ugly projects, which I’m a bit embarrassed to post. Most of the stuff I crocheted in 2010 was easy no-brainer stuff — potholders, dishcloths, easy scarves, afghan squares, and stuff like that.

More of My Recent Crafty Accomplishments

Lists

I love making lists — to do lists, lists of free crochet patterns, project lists, shopping lists…Most of my lists are not internet-publication-worthy, but occasionally a few of them are. For example:

• Checkerboard patterns — As a textile designer, I’m a bit obsessed with repeating patterns. I adore checkerboards. Yes, checkerboards. Please don’t yawn; there are zillions of interesting things you can do with checkerboard designs. If you doubt this, just click here and take a look.





• Free crochet patterns for mix and match afghan squares — Several months ago I started crocheting a series of afghan squares. Eventually they’ll grow into an afghan. I’ve been publishing the patterns online at About.com. This is a list of all the coordinating squares I’ve posted so far. I keep updating it as I add more.





• Recycled crafts and green crafts — This list features a whole bunch of ideas for recycling ordinary junk into lovely treasures. Would you like to make handmade paper out of old junk mail? How about turning broken dishes into gorgeous mosaics? There are plenty of other ideas too. A couple of these ideas are posted in this blog in earlier posts, but a bunch of them are published on other web sites.

Crochet Resources:

• Crochet blogs and blogging about crochet
• Crochet books
• Crochet hooks
• Crochet stitches
• Crochet tutorials
• Crochet videos
• Learn how to crochet

Craft Resources:

• Make a snowman greeting card
• Holiday card with star motif
• How to get your money’s worth from any alphabet stamp set
• How to reclaim fabrics for use in your quilts or fiber art projects

Over at crochet.about.com, I asked crocheters the following question: Do you use knots in your crochet work? The poll was prompted by a reader named Jessica, who knots her crochet work, and can’t understand why knotting is often seen as a no-no. The poll responses have been fascinating!

Another current conversation: What’s the best size for a crocheted scarf?

We’re also talking about the crochet foundation row, left-handed crochet, and crocheting for charity. If you crochet, or would like to learn how to crochet, I hope you’ll join in the chatter.

More Interesting Crochet and Craft Links

• Free crochet patterns at free-crochet-patterns.us
• About.com’s A to Z index of free crochet patterns
• Vintage crochet

I created this layout awhile back but didn’t want to share it at the time because some of the scrapbooking supplies I used were brand new and hadn’t yet been revealed. Now that these supplies are readily available for purchasing, I thought I’d share it…

Supply List:

Clear Scraps XL Shapes

Transparency: Hambly

Ribbon: Scrap Within Reach

Chipboard Letters: Scrap Within Reach

Patterned Papers: Scrap Within Reach, Cherry Arte

I’m feeling so inspired right now! I just took a look through Tammy Powley’s fab list of fiber necklace projects. She has created some amazing designs in a variety of different techniqes; you’ll find beadwork projects and macrame projects, plus some of her pieces incorporate crocheting.

Which reminds me, I never shared my latest bead crochet necklace with y’all.

For a long time, I have been wanting to learn how to make dichroic glass pendants. Several years ago I bought a bunch of them from Dichrohaven, and I’ve been using them for various projects ever since. (Anybody remember my Hanauma Bay scrapbooking layout? I used one of the smaller pendants as an embellishment on it.)

Anyway, Tammy posted a fantastic tutorial for how to make dichroic glass pendants. Thanks, Tammy, for satisfying my curiosity about how that is done; now I have a better understanding of why those pendants are so darned expensive (but worth every penny, IMO.) Maybe I’ll even make my own glass pendant someday.

How to Make the Necklace Pictured Above

• If you’d like to make your own necklace like the one shown in the photo, check out my bead crochet necklace tutorial. The tutorial features photos that show every step of the process.
• Or, click here to get the free crochet necklace pattern.

More Jewelry Making Ideas:

• Free crochet patterns for jewelry
• Free instructions for jewelry making projects
• Tammy Powley’s jewelry making blog at About.com

Update: These positions are no longer available.

About.com is seeking contributing writers for a number of different craft topics; several of the available topics might be of interest to the creative people who frequent this blog:

• Crochet
• Digital scrapbooking
• Machine quilting
• There are plenty of other topics too, but these are the craft topics I know of that are currently open.

The crochet topic is especially near and dear to my heart, as the person selected will be working with me to create free crochet patterns for the About Crochet web site.

If any of these are topics where you have significant experience, and you’d like to share your knowledge and passion with others, please check out the links posted below for more information.

• Overview — contributing writers
• Compensation — This is a paid opportunity!
• Apply to be a contributing writer — Click the “crochet” (or other) subtopic description for more specific info.

Thanks so much for your interest! Best wishes to all applicants. Please know that I sincerely appreciate each application!