What's in a name?

Discovering new crochet stitches and techniques in books, online and in blogs can be both inspiring and intimidating. The names of stitches and techniques can vary and be confusing. This can mean nothing to you or stand for time spent learning something new rather than starting a new crochet project! Sometimes it’s the abbreviations that can put you off or reams of text describing new stitches you need to make to complete the pattern.

It can be even more intimidating if the new techniques and specialist stitches use particular equipment such as with broom stick crochet. Or crochet hooks that look more like knitting needles for Tunisian crochet! The decision is, is it worth investing in new equipment? Will you be able to make good use of it?

I urge you not to be intimidated by having to learn something new and so stick with your tried and tested crochet designs and styles. Incorporating new stitches and techniques in a crochet project makes the project more interesting to work, results in a high class finish and you create a stand out project.

The chances are you’ve already used some of the stitches and techniques in more intricate patterns or have the skills you need and you do not realise it. For example my peacock leaf crochet scarf uses Tunisian crochet (not named in the pattern) but you do not need any specialist equipment to make this crochet scarf. The Tunisian crochet in this design is simple enough for a newbie to crochet to make.

More often than not the pattern you are looking at is much simpler than it at first appears. To give yourself confidence in tackling something new it’s worth using a simple design or pattern that you are familiar with and adding a few specialist stitches. As always keep a check on your tension. You can for example easily change a pattern that uses groups of trebles(double crochets) for cross trebles (cross double crochets). This will use the same number of stitches and looks very pretty. 

If your design uses a mesh pattern add a picot to the chains between stitches. For example if your pattern asks for 3 chain to make the spaces then make 4 chain with a dc picot into 3rd chain from the hook with another chain to complete the mesh gap. It will look so much more attractive than a plain mesh.

If your design uses groups of trebles (double crochet), crochet around the stem of the stitch on the row below, this makes a denser finished project, but uses the same number of stitches and creates a completely different look.