Who Taught You to Crochet?

I've been having a conversation on another topic with Teresa about a sweater she's working on and she mentioned in one of her posts that her avatar is her grandmother Louise, and that's the person who taught her to crochet. So that got me thinking about my great-aunt Laura who taught me to crochet when I was 4 years old. I will never forget sitting next to her on our scratchy gold sofa and making these mile-long chains with a very large hook and some old skanky red wool. I was so proud of these "ties" and so was Aunt Laura (once I got my tension right!). After that came single crochet and some really long "scarves" and "placemats" that my mother actually used once or twice, (God love her!). This was the beginning of a life-long love of anything fiber related for me. I learned to sew on my mother's treadle machine, which I now have in my studio, and while I can't remember when I learned to knit, it seems like I've been doing it my whole life. I've also done every form of embroidery out there, but I keep coming back to crochet. My daughter asked me why I like it so much and I can't really answer except to say that it satisfies something in me. Whether it's the rhythm of the stitches or their regularity or the simple fact that you see results so much faster than with other forms of needlework, I can't say. But I've been at this for 42 years now and don't see myself stopping anytime soon.

Anyone else? Who taught you to crochet?

I learned from my mom when I was around 8. Only the basics stuck. I played with it for a few years making slippers mostly. Through my teen years I wandered away from it occasionally picking it up here and there to play, without really making anything substantial... A few years ago I started working at Classic Elite Yarns and really started working more with yarn; knit and crochet. I don't see myself setting it asside any time soon. I've learned so much more, and with each project there is something new to be learned.

~Kristen~

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My mom taught me when I was 8? 9? 10? I remember making a top and skirt for a doll - the top was a sc oval with chain loops at each end to hook around her shoulders. The skirt was a tube of filet mesh with a drawstring to hold it on her, very revealing! I had to reteach myself when I was in my 20's and started all sorts of thread crochet projects, I love lace, and even finished some of them. My mother was horrified at the idea of doileys, lol. I'm thrilled at the patterns available these days in wool! They are so much nicer than what was available just a few years ago.

I am self taught. I decided to give it a try after finding some great patterns in a Leisure Arts magazine about 16 years ago.

I got $5 for my 6th birthday. $5 was a gold mine to me, it was my golden birthday. Went to the toy store and bought a "teach yourself to crochet" kit. The rest is history. Though it did take me a long time to get stitches into the chain, the pictures of that were perplexing.

Hardcore? Hardcore is for babies. I'm HOOKCORE!

Hi there! A co-worker friend of mine taught me how to crochet 6 yrs ago. My grandmother tried to teach me as a child, but I guess I (or she) didn't have the patience for it.

I've been crocheting all sorts of things (hats, doilies, scarves, blankets, etc). I haven't tried clothing yet...the very thought frightens me!

Since then, I'm teaching myself how to knit (WHAT am I thinking!?) I enjoy crocheting much better!

My mother and both my grandmothers taught me when I was very young. But it never "clicked" I remember trying to make a stuffed toy and the head looked like a train. lol.

I pretty much gave up then. But last year I joined a craft forum (craftster.org/forum) and saw all the awesome crocheted toys. Well I had to learn.

That was last December. It's been stuck ever since. I confess I can knit and purl and will be teaching myself more knitting. But the crochet just flows. It's faster and way easier now that I get it. :) But I still love the click of two metal needles weaving their way through a totally cozy yarn. :)

One Day I will knit a giant blanket just so I can say I did it. :)

But crochet it the one thing I feel really good at and like it's a skill and talent. Does God give the gift of crochet I wonder?

 My older sister taught me to crochet on a Super Bowl Sunday a few years ago. I was bored and unemployed at the time and had just quit smoking so I needed a new habit. Who knew this would be more addictive?!

-Jennifer Reeve

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I was taught the granny square by a friend when I was 16. We both worked on the school newspaper. My grandmother crocheted, but only in thread.

Another self-taught crocheter here - from a booklet I picked up at Michael's which promised to be able to teach me.

It worked!

A month afterwards I taught myself to knit from a kit aimed at kiddies. That was almost two years ago now.

My only regret is that I'd not learnt these skills years ago before my eldest was born.

I learned when I was 9 from my mother. She actually tried to teach me knit first but it frustrated me that I couldn't stop in the middle of a row. I didn't really get into crochet until six grade but that was only scarves. Then I discovered the online world of crochet and fiber-enthusiasts in 9th grade and I couldn't be more thankful for all the people online who contributed to the growth of my craft :)

I kinda explained this in my profile, but I'm glad I found this thread (lol, get it?). My grandmother taught me when I was about 10. I didn't really get into it until my late 20's. I wound up in a wheelchair and have really gotten into crafting, mostly needle art, but crochet is close to my heart because of my grandmother. I didn't realize then, how well she taught me, but when I found a crochet hook and yarn in a box I had, I went to it. I couldn't believe I remembered how to do it! I love it!!!!! She taught me how to knit too, but I can't remember for the life of me how to do it!!! I love crochet though, because it has like a rhythm to it that soothes the soul!!!!

My then-boyfriend's mom attempted to teach me when I was about 16. I was able to get the chain and sc, or so I thought. Never really gave it much thought though and never made anything. A few months ago, I decided I wanted to pick up the hobby again and be able to make stuff for my new little baby. Bought a book with some basic instructions and patterns (Happy Hooker) and had to basically re-teach myself.

So, long story short, a little bit self-taught and little bit ex-boyfriend's mom.

My mom when I was sick with mono in junior high and bored with TV but too wiped to do much - she taught me to chain, single, and double crochet. The rest is self-taught from books and web.

When I was in my 40's and our daughter was in her 20's, we asked my wonderful mother-in-law to teach us how to crochet. We were in our family room, with "Memaw" flitting from one of us to the other, making suggestions and corrections. What made the whole thing even more challenging is that I'm left-handed, so Memaw had to reverse her thinking on the fly. The results were hilarious--two grownup women struggling with chains, hooks, tension, etc., was a laugh-a-minute. The whole episode is one of my favorite memories of this unforgettable woman.

Funny thing--the reason I'm here today is to get help finishing an afghan Memaw started before she died. I'd love to give it to our granddaughter for Christmas, since she's moving into her first apartment in January. I took pictures of it, and it looks easy, but I'm basically a knitter, without enough experience to pick up someone else's work and analyze the pattern. It's off-topic for this thread, so I'll post my question somewhere else, but all of this has me remembering Memaw, vividly, today.

Suz

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