Lucy Kate Crochet

  • Home
  • Learn To Crochet
  • Crochet Patterns
  • Blog
  • Contact Me

Learning From My Crochet Mistakes

October 6, 2022 By Lucy

feature

Crochet mistakes are something we all have to deal with. Even those of us who spend more time hook in hand than without. From yarn slip-ups and translation errors to toddlers and television programmes, there are a lot of reasons you might have a bad crochet day. Today I share my top 3 crochet mistakes, and what you can do to avoid them.

Contents

  • Why crochet mistakes happen?
  • Lack of experience reading or translating patterns
  • Distractions and concentration
  • Not having the right crochet equipment
  • Learning from your mistakes (and mine!)

Even Experts Make Crochet Mistakes

This evening was a highly frustrating example. I spent an hour working on a crochet toy’s head, following one of my own patterns. I am usually pretty good at multi-tasking. Especially when that multi-tasking consists of watching tv and hooking yarn.

Not so yesterday evening.

I don’t know if it was the fact I have been unwell the last few days, or the new tv series I was equally hooked on. But it just kept going wrong. By the end of the evening I have had to unravel more than twenty rounds, and literally discarded two attempts entirely through sheer frustration.

Why Crochet Mistakes Happen?

Mistakes happen for a few reasons. But they can generally be put into one of three categories: experience, focus and equipment errors.

header

Lack Of Experience

I can forgive myself numerous crochet mistakes when I don’t know what to do. There are learning curves at every level, and sometimes with new patterns I get it wrong a few times before I work out how to get it right.

You can do all the research on learning to crochet in the world, but you are still going to need to make actual practical mistakes in order to progress. That’s why it’s a good idea to get some experience under your belt before dashing off to crochet your first bikini. I’ve yet to meet anyone deep into crochet who hasn’t failed in some earlier pattern reading or translation.

This obviously wasn’t the case yesterday. I wrote this pattern. I have followed this pattern (that I wrote) on numerous occasions. I really, really should have known what to do. Which means the problem was….

Loosing Focus

When you habitually do something, you start letting your brain and your hands work without your conscious input. Crocheting granny squares, single crocheting rows and adding length is something that most experienced crocheters do without actually realising their brains are engaged.

For me, standard increases and decreases no longer require an intensely furrowed brow and notepad like they used to. But I wasn’t suppose to be doing a simple increase/decrease. I was supposed to be working the stitches with differences in each round, to reflect a contoured head shape.

Essentially, I completely lost focus on what my fingers were doing and strayed irreparably far from the pattern. My brain went back to what it knows and my fingers did as they were told.

Three. Times. In. A. Row.

Personally, I blame The Flash. The ridiculously friendly, fun, baby-faced speedster ruined my yarn.

The Wrong Crochet Equipment

Sometimes your crochet project is doomed from the start. And it’s because you’ve chosen the wrong yarn type, picked up the wrong sized hook or just failed to remember to buy something you need. (I’m looking at you, toy stuffing).

Having the wrong kit can occasionally turn out okay, but usually it means you need to put a pause on your hooking and come back to it when you’re ready.

Learning From Crochet Mistakes

The point of this post isn’t self pity (… okay, it’s a bit of self pity). Or to blame poor super heroes for distracting me yesterday evening. The lesson here isn’t to stop watching tv while you crochet. It’s not to lock yourself away in a blank, lonely room and only hook in silence.

It’s to learn from your mistakes.

When I messed up the first time around, I should have paused the tv temporarily. Or moved onto a project that was at a more simple point. Or put down what I was doing, and let myself enjoy the show. We are all told from the word go that crochet is soothing and relaxing.

This can make messing up and getting cross feel like some kind of forbidden juxtaposition, but it isn’t. Please rest assured that your annoyance, mistakes and frustration are all totally normal.

However long you have been crocheting, mistakes will still happen from time to time. All you can do is try to stay calm, and work out why they happened. Don’t plug on blindly doing the same thing, making the same mistakes again. Don’t be like me yesterday evening.

When I pick up my hook again this evening, I will try and learn from my own crochet mistakes of last night. Moving forward to actually making the thing I was going to produce the night before. Happily and hopefully without any more mistakes!

Happy Crocheting! Lucy Kate x

More Tips For Crocheters

  • How to speed up your hook
  • Why is it hard for some people to learn to crochet?
  • Why is my crochet smaller than it should be?
  • Can you keep crocheting interesting over time?

Comments

  1. Gayla Reinkens says

    September 27, 2016 at 6:24 pm

    I think if anyone has crocheted awhile at all… we’ve been there! I know when to put mine down now finally..This made me smile!

    • Lucy says

      September 27, 2016 at 7:05 pm

      Thanks Gayla, that’s good to hear 🙂

  2. Josie primavera says

    September 28, 2016 at 6:35 pm

    How do I sign up, this sounds like I need help becoming a proficient crocheter

  3. Vanessa Duelfer says

    October 14, 2016 at 3:21 pm

    I really like this blog because I have been there myself several times before….. We all have….
    Your tips are brilliant. I will definitely follows these steps should I make mistakes again ( and I’m sure I will)….
    Thank you.

HI THERE! NICE TO MEET YOU!

I'm Lucy Kate: a writer, crochet lover and blogger. Living happily in a pile of yarn with my husband, kids & numerous pets! My big passions are crafts, animals, fitness & teaching historical fencing. You can contact me in the comments section under my posts, or on the Lucy Kate Crochet Facebook page.

Recent Posts

  • The Best Yarn To Crochet Swimwear With – 15 Recommendations
  • Can You Change A Knitting Pattern To Crochet?
  • Does Using A Bigger Crochet Hook Use Less Yarn?
can you crochet with macrame cord

You might have a stash left over from a previous … [Read More...]

Recent Posts

  • The Best Yarn To Crochet Swimwear With – 15 Recommendations
  • Can You Change A Knitting Pattern To Crochet?
  • Does Using A Bigger Crochet Hook Use Less Yarn?
  • Why Is My Crochet So Messy?
  • Is It Better To Crochet Tight Or Loose?

Recent Comments

  • Marilyn on Temperature Blanket – How To Make A Crochet Temperature Afghan
  • Tami Winbush on Temperature Blanket – How To Make A Crochet Temperature Afghan
  • Morgan on Temperature Blanket – How To Make A Crochet Temperature Afghan
  • Kathryn K Patterson on Temperature Blanket – How To Make A Crochet Temperature Afghan
  • Esther on Temperature Blanket – How To Make A Crochet Temperature Afghan

Archives

  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015

Categories

  • Blog
  • Crochet Equipment
  • Crochet Ideas
  • Crochet Patterns
  • Crochet Tips
  • Free Crochet Tutorials
  • Learn To Crochet
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Lucy Kate Crochet is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Looking For The Perfect Bespoke Crochet Toy? Then you are welcome contact me on lucykate985@gmail.com

Lucy Kate Crochet is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Enter Your Email Here For 

Free Crochet Patterns

& News!


Your Privacy is protected.

x