Whether you use them as dishcloths or as washcloths, knitted squares are a useful and popular project for knitters of all skill levels. Who doesn’t… Read More »Easy Colorblock Knitted Washcloths (or Dishcloths)
A standing crochet stitch allows you to join a new yarn or a new color invisibly. The technique is easy as pie, even for beginners. Once you see it, you’ll never go back to “join with slip stitch, chain” again!
Read on for more information and how to work standing single crochet, standing double crochet, and standing half double crochet. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the video tutorials.
A standing crochet stitch is just a term for any stitch that has started “in the air” rather than from a previous stitch. You simply begin with a slip knot on the hook, then make the stitch called for in the pattern.
You can use standing stitches anytime you would otherwise join the yarn with a slip stitch, then do a turning chain or build-up chain to reach the level of the current (or new) row of stitches.
While the technique itself has been around for a long time, a lot of crocheters don’t know about it. In patterns, the instructions would be “Join (yarn) with sc in first st,”, or “Join (yarn) with dc in first st.” They were just telling you to do this standing stitch technique.
When I was writing Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs, my research didn’t turn up a a generally accepted term for the technique, so I called them standing stitches because they stand on their own without relying on a turning or build-up chain to connect them to the piece in progress.
I think that, by labeling the technique and having it become commonly used, we can help spread the information to crocheters everywhere.
To work a standing single crochet, begin with a slip knot on the hook, then work a single crochet into the stitch or space indicated in the pattern, as follows:
Standing single crochet Steps 1 & 2
Step 1: Begin with a slip knot on the hook.
Step 2: Insert hook into first stitch.
Standing single crochet Step 3
Step 3: Yarn over and pull up a loop.Read More »Join a New Yarn with Standing Crochet Stitches
The Molly Hat is a joyous combination of pattern and color. Watch cheerful zig-zags appear when you pair bold variegated yarn with a ripple stitch knitting pattern.… Read More »Knitting Pattern: Molly Hat
How old should a child be before they can learn to knit with knitting needles? Is six too young? What do you do when your… Read More »Teach a Young Child to Knit
Sharpen your pencil and your wits and give this crochet crossword puzzle a go!
You’ll find clues about crochet techniques, plus people and events in the crochet universe.
Click on the image above or scroll down for a printable copy.
If you’ve been following the blog tour for Design Your Own Crochet Projects, you’ve already heard from others about how Sara Delaney has made crochet design accessible. How she walks you through the process of using gauge swatches and plug-in templates, How she makes it easy to create your own crocheted accessories. How she provides a small stitch dictionary (cheering here!) to get you started.
Those things are all great and important, but did you hear about the Online Crochet Project Calculator? Read the book to learn about the design process, and move on over to the calculator, and let it do the math for you. You must check this out!
If you have been designing by the seat of your pants (i.e., try this, rip it out, try something else, rip it out, try another thing, now it’s kind of OK), Design Your Own Crochet Projects is the book you need. It has templates for socks, scarves, cowls, hats, mittens and gloves.
I was lucky enough to see an early draft of the book, and was honored to be invited to write a back-cover blurb! I’m excited to see a good crochet design resource hit the market. I’m just sorry I didn’t think of writing it! Sara got to it first, and I’m happy for her.
Edie Eckman, Sara Delaney and Judith Durant
In October, I spent a couple of days at the Merritt Bookstore booth at the New York State Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck. And guess who was standing next to me all weekend? Designer/Author Sara Delaney! We didn’t have a lot of time to chat, but we did find a few minutes in a semi-quiet corner, where she could explain what makes Design Your Own Crochet Projects awesome. Watch the video for Sara’s low-down on stepping into crochet design.
Want to win a copy for yourself? Leave a comment below telling which part of crochet design you find the most challenging. One comment per person. A winner will be selected at random from the comments on November 20, 2017. U.S. and Canada residents only.
For other crochet design resources, check out this page.
