My Journey to Crochet

Embarking on a Crochet Journey:
From Frustration to Mastery

Introduction

Crochet isn’t just a craft; it’s a journey of creativity and skill-building. My name is Kia, and in this blog, I’ll take you through my latest crochet projects, the challenges I’ve encountered, and the valuable skills and stitches I’ve mastered along the way.

The Journey Begins: A Story of Inspiration

My mother had shoulder surgery while I was in high school. You may ask me, "How is this relevant to crochet Kia?" As part of her recovery, she picked up the very addicting hobby of crochet. She watched tutorials on YouTube, replaying 10-second clips for hours, trying to create her first projects. Now, as the weird introvert of the school, my mom was my best friend, and I just wanted to learn what she was trying to do. I grabbed some yarn, a hook, and an absolute beginner crochet video to make an insanely long chain. I couldn't figure out how to make the second row, let alone make a project. This happened about 10 years ago. I gave up crocheting because I didn't have the patience to learn.

A Decade Later: Rediscovering Crochet

Fast forward to December 2023, I watched my mom crochet a blanket quickly and precisely. I thought to myself, "10 years ago, she spent hours on YouTube trying to figure this out; now she is a pro." She learned how to crochet with her arm in a sling for 8 weeks; seeing her crochet like this was baffling. I asked her if I could borrow a hook and some yarn that day. I brought it home and pulled up the exact absolute beginner guide on YouTube that she spent so much time on.

I learned a few basic stitches, the Single Crochet, Double, and Triple Crochet; I spent hours just perfecting these 3 stitches and created what I call Candle Koozies. During this time, I started to host lives on TikTok. I would set up my desk with a candle burning, music playing, and chat while I learned to crochet in front of an audience. I became a crocheter and a TikTokker at the same time.

The Big Leap: My Temperature Blanket

Shortly after learning the basic stitches, I decided to go big or go home. An absolutely massive temperature blanket was all I could think of. Eight and a half feet in length, I thought to myself, "This will help me gain the experience I need to become proficient in crochet, like Mom." I started researching the best stitch, style, material, and anything that could help me achieve this feat. I started making this blanket with every intent of finishing it. I would've done things differently if I had known what I know now.

(Temperature blanket with 18 rows)

Lessons Learned: Patience and Persistence

Blankets as a beginner is the wrong project choice. It's mundane because you know 3 stitches! I was using what's called a Double Crochet V-Stitch. It's incredibly simple with a double crochet, chain one, and double crochet in the chain space of the previous row (see picture). Each oval would be considered 1 chain; the Double Crochet is presented by the tall "T" with a little slash through it. Truth be told, I crocheted through the end of February and haven't touched it since. This blanket is worked as 1 day = 1 row. So, out of 365 rows, I did 59. 

Embracing the Community: Finding Support and Inspiration

During the rest of this year, I have made baby blankets, hats, bags, amigurumi, slippers, socks, 18+ items, and almost anything I could think of, and they're all a better beginner project than a blanket.

The moral of this story is don't give up. I gave up 10 years ago and missed out on years of practice. Now, I crochet with precision and speed; I have a crochet community with fiber friends all across the United States and in my city. It's such a rewarding hobby to pick up.

Much love

-Kia