Comments on: Help me crochet without getting a headache

Question: Help me crochet without getting a headache

dogmom — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 10:36:09 -0800

Crochet filter: I can read and follow symbol patterns, but not so much with the written instructions. I need advice or, better yet, symbol-centric websites and books.

I learned to crochet using the Crochet Stitch Bible, which uses international symbol charts as well as written instructions for each stitch. Now, when I try to follow written instructions, I end up with a headache: "1 ss, 3 ch, 4dctog..." It's too much for my sad little brain. I need a visual. So, I ask you, crocheting Hivers, what books/websites do you recommend that have crocheting charts so that I can increase my repertoire? Barring that, do you have any advice for me on reading instructions without getting a headache?

By: heatherann

heatherann — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 13:06:16 -0800

Non-English patterns are usually charted.

These Japanese cats have a charted pattern and English commentary here.

It helps to search in other languages. For example, "patrones gratis crochet" (Spanish) leads us to this blog full of charted patterns.

By: web-goddess

web-goddess — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 15:12:54 -0800

I was going to suggest Japanese pattern books as well. Your profile doesn't say where you're located, but the woman who teaches my shop's crochet classes here in Sydney gets a lot of her pattern books from Kunokuniya. (She can't read a word of Japanese; she just follows the international symbols.) The added bonus is that the Japanese crochet scene is light-years ahead of anything we have locally, so you can actually find stuff that's cute and fashionable.

By: BoscosMom

BoscosMom — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 01:56:59 -0800

Not a chart, but this site has some good short little videos of varous stitches that may help.
http://www.nexstitch.com/Tutorials.html