After a few test runs, I was able to make the slip knot without watching the video. THe picture shows the sequence of my attempts from top to bottom. I started in with an attempt at crocheting the beads but I was struggling with the tension on the yarn so I tried a simple chain stitch without the beads to get the hang of it. This was much easier but a bit sloppy. My second try was much more uniform. After that success I went back to the beads. After watching the video again I realized I was adding the beads wrong. I was trying to pull the yarn through the beads when I should have been crocheting around the bead. Threading the beads on the working part of the yarn allowed me to do this properly. | Practice order |
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Week two was more learning than progress. I started with a trip to Michael's to collect supplies for my test bracelet. I found that the materials for my test bracelet were not inexpensive. The volume of pony beads was more than I would ever use and the 5 mm size needle was not what I would use for the Jingle Bell necklace. I made a command decision to modify some of my purchases in the hopes of making a cost effective choice. My first change while in the store was to purchase a smaller crochet hook. I chose a sizes more appropriate for the jewelry string vs heavier yarn. I also made a change in the beads. Since I did not need a huge bucket of pony beads I chose a small string of jewelry beads that myself or my daughter might actually wear. While in Michael's I looked around for the beads that I would need for the Jingle Bell necklace. While there was a huge selection of beads, I was unable to find the beads that are used in the necklace. It turns out that the beads grandma uses are actually taken from strands of Christmas tree beaded garland. There seems to be one year round Christmas store in San Diego but in perusing their website I did not find what I need. I found a website for a store in New York. Their prices are pretty hefty; $8 to $14 dollars for a strand. Also, I would prefer to see the beads before I purchase them. I will be doing more investigation into how I can get a hold of the seasonal beads at a reasonable price. It seems my attempt to save money by not purchasing the 5 mm crochet hook was not so wise. Additionally, the beads I chose brought the entire project to a halt. The diameter of the opening in the center of the beads was too small for the yarn to get through and the crochet hooks that I purchased were too small to hook the yarn. I am going back to the drawing board, and the store, for next week. I did successfully make a slip knot to start the crochet process. This was much harder than I expected. I found that written instructions were not adequate. I needed to watch a video for a visual representation. So, the week did have some forward progress. So this week was about researching how to crochet. I was very overwhelmed by the volume of information. You can crochet so many different things from clothing items to jewelry. I found patterns for scarves, headbands, cell phone cases and even coffee cozies. These I will keep in mind for after I learn how to make the Jingle Bell Necklace. I began by narrowing my search to jewelry but that still provided to be an overabundance of information so I further narrowed it to just necklaces with beads. This was a manageable amount of information to sort through. The choices I make will be specific to the Jingle Bell Necklace I want to reproduce so for now I will focus on learning the basics of crocheting and then look further into the materials I need for that specific necklace.
I found a website for beginners to crocheting. It looks like the best place to start is to use yarn and pony beads to get the hang of crocheting so my plan for next week is to collect these supplies and make a basic bracelet. I will need a skein of yarn, pony beads, a tapestry needle and a size 5 mm crochet hook. |
AuthorThis is my 20% project page. I look forward to honing a new skill and sharing my journey with everyone. Archives
May 2016
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