Cute & Easy Crochet E-Book

Nicki Trench

• Herausgeber: CICO Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Beschreibung

Expert crafter Nicki Trench brings you 35 easy-to-follow crochet patterns that will teach you how to crochet. A crochet teacher and author with over 20 years' experience, Nicki has designed a series of patterns that will guide you through those initial stitches to producing beautiful projects incorporating a wide range of crochet techniques. Crochet Know-how explains all the stitches with clear step-by-step artworks and instructions. Next, discover three chapters packed with patterns to improve your skills. First is Starting Out, where you will find a simple springtime throw and a pretty hat for a toddler - you'll be amazed how easy and quick the projects are to create. Once you've mastered these, move on to something more challenging in the Practice Makes Perfect chapter. There are cute gifts for babies and young children, including baby blocks, bibs and blankets, or treat yourself to a pair of gloves in soft double knit yarn or the chunky seashells scarf to keep you warm on chilly mornings. Finally, Confident Crocheting has more advanced patterns, from a family of adorable Russian dolls to the cherub dress with decorative picot stitching. Nicki Trench is one of the leading figures in the revival and promotion of home crafts. She is the founder of Laughing Hens, the UK's leading online yarn store, and Rooster Yarns. Some of her books include Cute & Easy Crocheted Baby Clothes, A Passion for Quilting and Super Scary Crochet. Visit her website at www.nickitrench.com and blog at nickitrench.blogspot.com.

Leseprobe

cute & easy

crochet

cute & easy

crochet

Learn to crochet with these 35 adorable projects

Nicki Trench

Published in 2011 by CICO Books

an imprint of Ryland Peters & Small Ltd

20–21 Jockey’s Fields, London WC1R 4BW

www.cicobooks.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Text copyright © Nicki Trench 2011

Design and photography copyright © CICO Books 2011

The author’s moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

eISBN 978 1 908862 27 3

ISBN 978 1 907563 06 5

Printed in China

Editor: Marie Clayton

Designer: Christine Wood

Photographer: Penny Wincer

Stylist: Alison Davidson. Additional styling by

Rose Hammick.

Contents

Introduction

Crochet know-how

Starting out

Springtime throw

Knickerbockerglory bunting

Hook holder

Floral purse

Round stripy cushion cover

Beanie hat

Patchwork bag

Rose shopper

Fabric seat covers

Jam pot covers

Wash cloths

Egg cosies

Mug warmers

Cafetière cosy

Peaked toddler hat

Practice makes perfect

Stripy wave cushion

Baby blanket

Chunky seashell scarf

Floral curtain tie-backs

Felted beaded bracelet

Fingerless gloves

Swishy scarf

Baby bouncers

Chunky luscious cushion

Baby bibs

Baby slippers

Confident crocheting

Camellia blanket

Roses and posies tea cosy

Russian dolls – babushkas

Cherub dress

Mrs Mittens purse

Summer evening shawl

Pavlova

Felted cherry brooch

Monty and Priscilla Bear

Suppliers

Index

Acknowledgements

Introduction

I’m delighted by the latest enthusiasm for crochet and Cute & Easy Crochet aims to inspire and meet with current trends to entice and feed all levels with great patterns and designs.

Modern colours and yarns have transformed crochet and shaken off any negative reputation. The granny square has emerged with glorious colours and luxurious crochet pieces have swamped the high streets with pretty scarves, cool dresses and elegant wraps.

Crochet has now established itself as a popular contemporary craft with people flocking to classes to learn this traditional skill that has somehow missed a generation, while the previous generations took it for granted as a handed-down knowledge.

In Cute & Easy Crochet, we’ve divided the projects into chapters that cover the various skill groups: Starting Out for the Beginner, Practice Makes Perfect for Improvers and Confident Crocheting for Enthusiasts. We’ve used up-to-date wools and simple designs that will inspire you whatever your level; there is something in Cute & Easy Crochet for all. Beginners will love the easy projects in Starting Out that need only the basic skills and stitches; see the gorgeous Rose Shopper (page 40), the Round Stripy Cushion Cover (page 32) or try the stunning Springtime Throw made of lots of little easy squares (page 24).

Once you’ve gathered confidence, the Practice Makes Perfect projects start to introduce edgings and a little more intricate pattern reading, while still keeping things simple. See the Chunky Seashell Scarf (page 68) or the cosiest gloves you’ve ever seen (page 74).

The Confident Crochet section is for those enthusiasts who are very comfortable reading patterns and have mastered and practiced the basic techniques. You won’t be able to resist the Babushkas (page 96), the Summer Evening Shawl (page 112) or the blanket made with my favourite squares: Camellia Blanket (page 88).

If you’re making for a baby, we have some lovely designs and easy projects: Baby Blanket (page 66), Baby Slippers (page 84) and the delightful teddies, Monty and Priscilla (page 120). If you’d like to make an original gift, try the brilliant Baby Bibs (page 82).

Cute & Easy Crochet has an excellent Crochet Know-how section with clear illustrations that will show you exactly how to master the techniques used in the patterns. Don’t be put off by crochet abbreviations – they are really easy to master and explained in each pattern.

As soon as I was commissioned to write this book, I immediately rushed to my local haberdashery and bought ribbons and trimmings to use as my colour palette guide. I hope the light blues, yellows, pinks, greens and lilacs will evoke the atmosphere of spring and summer, even if you’re crocheting in the middle of winter in front of the fire.

Crochet know-how

Techniques

In this section, we explain how to master the simple crochet techniques that you need to make the projects in this book.

Making a slip knot

The simplest way is to make a circle with the yarn, so that the loop is facing downwards.

1 In one hand hold the circle at the top, where the yarn crosses, and let the tail drop down so that it falls in the centre of the loop. With your free hand or the tip of a crochet hook, pull the tail through the loop and pull the knot, so that it tightens loosely.

2 Put the hook into the circle and pull the knot gently so that it forms a loose loop on the hook.

Holding the hook

Pick up your hook as though you were picking up a pen or pencil. Keeping the hook held loosely between your fingers and thumb, turn your hand that so the palm is facing up and the hook is balanced in your hand and resting in the space between your index finger and your thumb.

Holding yarn

Pick up the yarn with your little finger in the opposite hand to your hook, with your palm facing upwards. Turn your hand to face downwards, with the yarn on top of your index finger and under the other two fingers and wrapped right around the little finger. Keeping your index finger only at a slight curve, hold your work just under the slip knot with the other hand.

Yarn around hook

To create a stitch, you’ll need to catch the yarn with the hook and pull it through the loop. Holding your yarn and hook correctly, catch the yarn from behind with the hook pointed upwards. As you gently pull the yarn through the loop on the hook, turn the hook so that it faces downwards and slide the yarn through the loop. The loop on the hook should be kept loose enough so that the hook slides through easily.

Chain

1 Using the hook, wrap the yarn around the hook and pull it through the loop on the hook, creating a new loop on the hook. Continue in this way to create a chain of the required length.

2 Keep moving your middle finger and thumb close to the hook, to hold the work in place with the opposite hand that you hold your hook with.

Chain ring/circle

If you are crocheting a round shape, one way of starting off is by crocheting a number of chains following the instructions in your pattern, and then joining them into a circle.

Some of the circles in this book have been made by creating a spiral, whereby you make two chains and insert your hook into the second chain from the hook (the first chain you made). Following the instructions in the pattern will then ensure the spiral has the correct amount of stitches. It’s essential to use a stitch marker when using this method, so that you know where to start and finish your round.

1 To join the chain into a circle, insert the crochet hook into the first chain that you made (not into the slip knot), yarn around hook, then pull the yarn through the chain and through the loop on your hook at the same time, thereby creating a slip stitch and forming a circle.

2 You will now have a circle ready according to your pattern.

Chain space

1 A chain space (ch sp) is the space that has been made under a chain in the previous round or row and falls in between other stitches.

2 Stitches into a chain space are made directly into the hole created under the chain and not into the chain stitches themselves.

Marking rounds

Place a stitch marker at the beginning of each round; a piece of yarn in a contrasting colour is useful for this. Loop the stitch marker into the first stitch; when you have made a round and reached the point where the stitch marker is, work this stitch, take out the stitch marker from the previous round and put it back into the first stitch of the new round.

Slip stitch

A slip stitch doesn’t create any height and is often used as the last stitch to create a smooth and even round or row.

1 To make a slip stitch: put the hook through the work, yarn around hook.

2 Pull the yarn through both the work and through the loop on the hook at the same time.

Double crochet

1 Insert the hook into your work, yarn around hook and pull the yarn through the work. You will then have two loops on the hook.

2 Yarn around hook again and pull through the two loops on the hook. You will then have one loop on the hook.

Half treble

1 Before inserting the hook into the work, wrap the yarn around the hook and put the hook through the work with the yarn wrapped around.

2 Yarn around hook again and pull through the first loop on the hook (you now have three loops on the hook).

3 Yarn around hook and pull the yarn through all three loops. You’ll be left with one loop on the hook.

Treble

1 Before inserting the hook into the work, wrap the yarn around the hook and put the hook through the work with the yarn wrapped around.

2 Yarn around hook again and pull through the first loop on the hook (you now have three loops on the hook). Yarn around hook again, pull the yarn through two loops (you now have two loops on the hook).

3 Pull the yarn through two loops again. You will be left with one loop on the hook.

Double treble

Yarn around hook twice, insert hook into the stitch, yarn around hook, pull a loop through (four loops on hook), yarn around hook, pull the yarn through two stitches (three loops on hook), yarn around hook, pull a loop through the next two stitches (two loops on hook), yarn around hook, pull a loop through the last two stitches.

Triple treble

Yarn around hook three times, insert hook into the stitch, yarn around hook, pull a loop through (five loops on hook), yarn around hook, pull the yarn through two stitches (four loops on hook), yarn around hook, pull a loop through the next two stitches (three loops on hook), yarn around hook, pull a loop through the next two stitches (two loops on hook), yarn around hook, pull a loop through the last two stitches.

Making rows

When making straight rows, you need to make a turning chain at the end to create the height you need for the stitch you’re working with. To do this, you just make the right number of chains for the stitch you are working in as follows:

Joining new yarn