Going into this learning project, I did not know just how much I would come to enjoy crocheting. I had a feeling that I would enjoy it, but I certainly did not think that it would become one of my staple hobbies in such a short time. I always need something to fidget with, and crocheting has been filling that gap for me when I watch videos and movies, am in class, or when I am bored and have nothing else to do. Plus, I get something cool, fun, and/or practical/useful when I am done.
Throughout the course, I have been able to go from a basic beginner to someone who can follow random patterns and adapt them with at least some success. I have outlined my journey below:
Week 1
Introduction Post: What Is Crocheting?
- I identified some of the crocheted things that I had been gifted or have bought myself over the years.
- I identified my goals for the semester, and outlined the steps I would take to achieve them.
- Includes links to the primary resources that I used throughout the semester.
Week 2-4
Learning the Basic Stitches: Chain and Double Crochet, Treble and Half-Treble, and the Double Treble
- In these weeks, I was learning the stitches that I would need for any and all crochet projects I would ever attempt. I wanted my foundation skills to be strong.
- I created several videos and included several photos in each post to document my progress.
Additionally, I learned:
- The difference between UK and US Terms.
- How to count stitches and rows.
- What different ply and weight numbers were, and the differences between the UK, US, and AUS Terms are.
- The weight of yarn I could use for my projects.
- How to create Reel videos on Instagram (which I would then use to create and edit all of my subsequent videos).
Weeks 5 & 6
Learning Plushie Specific Skills: Plushie Fundamentals 101 & Plushie Fundamentals 102
- I learned how to do the magic ring/loop, slip stitch, front and back loops only, stitch increases, stitch decreases, and invisible stitch increases and decreases.
- I learned how and when to use stitch markers.
Creations
- I created the crochet rose during the “101” week.
Week 7
I created my first plushie! A Duck!
- I learned how to read a written pattern! (very important)
- I learned how to close up a plushie. (also pretty important)
Week 8
My second plushie: The Side-Eye Dino!
- I found out that embroidering was easier before the plushie had been stuffed.
- I learned that I need to double-check what terms (UK or US) the pattern is using!
- I learned how to re-connect yarn to a hole in order to create an appendage (like a tail) using a standing double-crochet stitch.
Week 9
I created mini versions of Deadpool and Wolverine!
- I learned how/found my own way to switch yarn colours on any crochet project.
- I learned that tension is very important when it comes to creating identical things that are the same size.
- I learned how to work with felt and got comfortable with working with it.
- I got slightly more comfortable with re-jigging a pattern to fit my needs/available resources.
Week 10
Plenty of Christmas Creations!
I created, or was beginning to create, a frog, another dino, a mini murder, a cat sweater, and a dishcloth.
- I created my very own pattern for a top hat! (Yes, it was small, but I am still proud of it.)
- I adjusted a Chihuahua pattern on the fly to meet the sizing requirements for my cat. (Big progress there!)
- I figured out how to crochet on the side of a piece that does not have defined stitches to go off of.
My Thoughts About Learning Online
For me, learning online is my strong suit and something that I honestly prefer doing. Yes, I do learn a lot from the classes that I have, face-to-face or Zoom, but I love to learn on my own time and at my own pace. Online spaces allow me to do that. I can also go down the rabbit holes that I want to go down rather than be forced to explore some rabbit holes at the surface level (if you know what I mean). For instance, the completely asynchronous classes that I have taken are ones that I have enjoyed the most. It is a curated group of resources and highlights about what I have to learn, and I have the freedom to dive in whenever I am ready to. Although, I will always miss the discussion parts of most face-to-face classes as they can reveal perspectives to me that I never would have thought of.
For my learning project specifically, I am grateful that I live in an age where I can find videos that physically show me exactly what I have to do for a technique. When it comes to skills like crocheting (or my old hobbies of dancing and skating), I learn better when I am physically shown a skill instead of having it described to me. My mother was jealous of me throughout this learning process, because she learns in a similar way and never had the technology that would have given her the same opportunities to learn crocheting. Without the video and picture resources I used, I would not have been able to get to the skill level where I could read the steps for a technique or pattern and understand exactly what I had to do.
I also recognize that online learning is not for everyone. If my method of learning does not work for you, I am sure that there are a bunch of people and groups out there that would be willing to help you and pass down their knowledge.
Final Thoughts
At the beginning of the semester, I truly did not believe that I would progress, or feel confident, enough to be able to create plushies. I remember the skill of crocheting plushies being deemed by many different sources as including some of the most difficult crochet techniques. I was definitely intimidated. However, I learned and absorbed crocheting knowledge faster than I could have dreamed to.
Despite all of my success, I am still not the biggest fan of doing the embroidery parts of the plushies as I do not feel that I am the best at it just yet. Realistically, I just need to get better by practicing, find alternatives, like felt, that can produce a similar product, or start creating pieces that do not involve embroidery. I mean… I found patterns for, and am planning to create, a cardigan and a couple of blankets, because they look cool and I want to see if I can pull off pieces that are really big. Maybe I will one day I will even be able to create my own patterns, but that’s still going to take some time.
I am grateful that this class gave me an opportunity, or rather forced me, to put aside some time for myself to cultivate a skill that I had been interested in learning for a very long time (and a skill that can get me out of having to stress out about actually buying people presents when I don’t know what they want). Thank you for this class, and thank you for this project!
