How does one get into fiber arts?
Crocheting and knitting are known worldwide. But how do people learn about it and learn to DO it?
In the winter of 2002, I was in college in Wisconsin, spending some time with my boyfriend. As it is quite cold in the winter in the Midwest, we were all bundled up coming back from something, probably mundane, like lunch at the cafeteria. I asked him where he got his scarf. I don't know why. I wasn't really the kind of person who was into fashion or maybe I needed a scarf of my own, I really don't remember. It wasn't even that remarkable. Plain black. I can probably say that his answer changed me life.
He had made it himself. Well, this just opened up a ton of other questions.
How? Crochet.
Where did you learn it? From some of the girls in our group of friends. They had made blanket as a project the year before and taught anyone who was interested how to do it.
Is it hard? No, not really.
Do you think I could do it? Yes, of course!
And this is where my fiber arts story began.
He showed me the first two basic stiches of crochet: the chain (CH) and the single crochet (SC) and I took off. One of the first items I made for myself was--can you guess?-- a scarf. It was from a really cool looking yarn that changed colors--white to light purple to a darker purple.
But
It was uneven. It was uncomfortable. It hid in my closet for a bit.
I played around with mixing and matching yarns. I like this color, but the feel of that one. This one is soft, but seems unfinished without a colorful, fuzzy edge.
One day, my best friend was bemoaning how she didn't have a scarf that she liked that matched her coat. I had a bit of an epiphany. I had that variegated purple scarf. But I had also acquired some very soft, black velvety feeling yarn. I told her I'd make her one.
Using the soft black was one challenge, but so was unraveling the other scarf. I later learned that this is a technique called "frogging" in crochet. I thought it was a little odd that I was "re-using" the yarn, but again, later learned that this is a completely valid thing to do. Take a piece that you aren't happy with and morph it into something that you do like.
This scarf, my first, had now been re-purposed to be thicker, warmer, more comfortable, better made and, most importantly, an item that would be used and appreciated.
My journey contained a lot of trial and error as I didn't have someone to go talk to often and show my work. The boyfriend that had taught me said that I had surpassed his knowledge after I made my second scarf. His mom was the most supportive person in all of this. For Christmas, she had sent me a box with 2 skeins of solids in the rainbow colors and a book, Crocheting in Plain English by Maggie Righetti. I highly recommend this book to any beginning crocheter or even someone who knows how to crochet, but would like some more background on it.
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Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.
About the Creator
Rachel Pieper Decker
Displaced Minnesotan in Southern California.
Gamer, streamer, fiber arts enthusiast, Web3 dabbler, aspiring Notary Public
Connect with me: twitter.com/HyperZenGirl * twitch.tv/HyperZenGirl
Affiliate links: https://linktr.ee/HyperZen
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