Crochet Projects

I started crocheting maybe two years ago. I started doing it because I wanted something to do with my hands while watching netflix. It is a way to keep me from looking at my phone while watching. Though I still look at the project more than the television. I can still pay more attention to the what I'm watching than I can when I am scrolling through social media or playing games on my phone.

My first projects were very bad. I would make a simple single crochet blanket but the blanket would shrink with each row. I will say I still think I'm a novice, but I feel better about giving my projects to people instead of to the dog shelter.

Project 1 - Amigurumi Bees from Red Heart

For this spring, I was going to give my niece and cousin's baby crochet bees for Easter. But with the coronavirus, I probably won't see them for Easter. I will hold on to the Bees for now. I picked this Amigurumi because it looked simple compared to the other designs. It was just a ball, which I have done before and wings which I haven't done before. I think the bees turned out well.

The kit says it makes two bees, but I was able to make four. I have some yarn leftover. The yarn is thin so I needed to get a 2.5 mm hook. The yarn also tangles pretty easily, but it didn't knot bad enough that I couldn't get it out. I also had to get eyes.

I also bought the mermaid kit. We are planning a trip to San Diego at the end of May. So I was going to give a mermaid to my niece and my cousins baby. I haven't started those projects yet. I have another to complete first.

Project 2 - Baby Blanket

I started a baby blanket on Tuesday because I found out that my other cousin is pregnant. I based it on the blanket in the link. It didn't like all the colors so I am just using blue, yellow and green. I will do the colors blue, yellow, green, yellow, and finally blue. She wants to do the gender reveal on Memorial day while we are all in San Diego. I want to have the blanket ready to give to her then.

I have not done a V-stitch before but I have done the double crochet. It is also a lot faster to do a row than the blanket I made for my niece, which was single crochet. So far the project isn't getting smaller as I go. The only issue is that when I change colors I have been using a magic knot and so sometimes the color doesn't change until after the three chains at the end. I think that is ok, because there will be a trim around the blanket, and I do not think that will be noticeable.

If it doesn't work out at the end I will give to my roommate and try again.

So, if you need a hobby to pick up while quarantined or to keep your attention off your phone, consider crochet. It's a good way to help combat a short attention span, relaxing, and you can have some nice projects at the end. As you are getting started you can donate early projects to animal shelters. Dogs and cats don't care if their blankets are a trapezoid shape. At least near me the shelters are always in need of blankets and towels.