Hello

[Rachel Jones]

Hi there,

First of all, thanks to Elaine and Christine for leaving your comments on my page. I am still finding my way around this forum so thought I would leave a reply here.

I am a 38yr old mum of a 1yr old living in the North West of England. I was an account manager for 10 yrs up until last year, when I left to have my daughter and am now a stay-at-home mum. 

I recently taught myself to crochet and was surprised at how easy it was to do granny squares.  This website was recently mentioned in a crochet magazine, so I thought I would take a look and now I'm itching to start contributing!   I have only looked at this website briefly as my daughter takes up a lot of my time, (especially now she is becoming a little toddler!), but once she's had a bath and gone to bed I can have a proper look!

Am really looking forward to helping with this and getting these squares done, and also getting to know you ladies (and gents?)

Rachel x

[Kalai McDonald]

Hi Rachel, welcome aboard. So lovely to have you. If you keep your eyes open you will spot the odd gent here and there!

[Rachel Jones]

Hi Kalai
Thankyou! Am really enjoying the experience so far and it's such a friendly website / forum x

[Mandy Covington]

Welcome Rachel, I'm new on here too. After dipping in and out when I've got time, I'm starting to feel my way around the site. There's some great stuff on here.

[Rachel Jones]

Hi Mandy,

Yes, everytime I sit down to start my first square, I keep spotting something interesting to read on here, and then that article points me to something else to read, and then before I know it I've missed my crochet window (because daughter has woken from nap, or it's her lunch/ snack time etc!)

[Christine Johnson]

Oh dear - not sure I like the bit about 'I recently taught myself to crochet and was surprised at how easy it was to do granny squares.' I have been trying to learn for months and although there has been progress I haven't made a really successful granny yet. You'll no doubt be hearing from Jeni (UK Group and Stitch for Scotland) who is also a self-taught granny square wiz. We'll look forward to seeing photos of your work. Hope you enjoy the site.
(And yes, we do have one or two gents.)

[Rachel Jones]

LOL! I think the ones I make are only very basic ones ie = 6 rounds of treble stitches. I don't know anyone else that crochets, so have nothing to compare them with.

Am I right in thinking you don't want "holey" squares. Mine have holes in them as part of the pattern, but whilst pretty, probably not that practical for keeping the children warm? I'll have a look at the crochet pattern section anyway x

[Enid Mary Shaw]

Rachel, the granny squares with spaces are fine. They are the squares I am making now. If you look on my home page, and click 'photos' in left side bar, there are pics of ones I sent.
xx

[P. Jeanne Haessler]

The less gaps the better for winter is mainly the thinking but realize that traditional granny squares made into a blanket for the little ones is often worn in the photos doubled so they would get warmth from them. Might I add that I do better, Christine, with making squares of crocheted rows back and forth rather than granny squares. I too tend to lose my place in them, going around and around, and I often put in too many or too few stitches in a round, ending up in a dome or runkles/ripples. What about trying a square made of rows back and forth of single crochet, which makes a lovely dense square? Also if one is worried about gaps, you can add in a thin furry yarn with your dk or worsted or sport yarn and it fills them in nicely I find. :) You gals make some lovely squares, seriously.

[Christine Johnson]

Until I saw this reply Jeanne I hadn't noticed your previous comment. As I said before you are very kind, and I think it is extremely unlikely that you wouldn't stand out in any crowd with your personality. I agree with you about the granny squares - I did find it much easier to go backwards and forwards. I still have problems knowing where I should be sticking the hook in crochet and it seems to cause a sort of counting block in me - flowers for example always end up with a petal more than I started with. Granny stripes do at least have a nice big gap that even I recognise as the place to go but I still find crochet hard work and needing a lot of concentration.
I'm just amazed every time I come across someone like Rachel saying it was easy - not my experience. But yes, there are some seriously talented ladies (and men) on this site

[P. Jeanne Haessler]

Christine I am willing to bet you can do things that would leave us standing there gaping, there's always compensations hon. For example, to contrast you with me---you might be able to bake bread that wouldn't qualify as a building brick, or a pie that couldn't be used as a frisbee, or know how to do more on a computer than turn it on and off and do emails and games. You might be able to hike up mountains, knit, play an instrument, do logic puzzles, talk really well with people on the phone without getting "blank mind"...and I'm barely scratching the surface here of things I was not gifted with. I sincerely think that 5 minutes with a KASer who can crochet would have you going "Oh now I get it." I mean I've read some directions on how to crochet and I couldn't get them either. Repeat after me "I'm not dumb, I'm not dumb. I'm just gifted in other areas!"
Hugs, Jeanne :)