what stitch is best

[auntbubbels]

i am in the middle of doing a baby blanket using a double crochet stitch. i want to start another one and am ready to do a different stitch. i am not ready to read a patern yet. i will get there, but I just want to crochet a simple blanket with a different simple stitch.

 

Can you please offer some ideas? thanks

[jacqui]

The best suggestion i can come up with is get a book showing different stitches and choose one you like. Teach yourself that stitch while making a blanket at the same time thats what i did originally.

[buggaboosmommy]

My suggestion is to visit www.stitchguide.com for all kinds of crochet stitches! They even have videos to show you how to do them. As well as www.crochetpatterncentral.com my favorite free crochet pattern site for tons of baby afghans and other baby items!

Donna

[chsarrow]

I think the suggestions given are all good ones. May I ask what you are doing now? Is it dc after dc or something else?

 

If you don't want to spend money on a book go to the links or when buying yarn...get the free hand outs furnished by the yarn companies.

 

As far as not being ready to read a pattern yet...until you think you are ready it might be hard to do anything besides what you are doing now. Reading the pattern is not real hard on an easy design. And remember....You have LOTS of nice people here that are willing to help you. They have helped me for sure!

[auntbubbels]

i thought i replied but dont see my message

 

i am doing dc after dc. i want to try something a little bit more interesting. I went to the internet and found some patters for baby blankets. for a beginner, they look confusing, but i will give it a shot next week. i am looking forward to it.

 

thanks for responding and offering advice

[dixieredhead]

since your working with dc's. how about a shell stitch. basically, you chain as long as you want it, then skip4, and dc ,ch2, 2 dc in 4th ch from hook. *sk 1 stitch then (2 dc, ch2, 2dc)* repeat from * to * till end of row. ** ch 1, turn, sl st into ch 2 sp, ch3, dc,ch2, 2 dc**....and repeat from ** to ** in each shell. until you reach the length you want. I like shell stitches. looks nice and really easy. hope i explained that clear enough. good luck!

[Sabra]

The easiest things I can think of that wouldn't be just DC after DC--

 

Chain an even number of stitches, then add an extra. Sc in second chain from hook, then dc in the next stitch, and just do that (sc, then dc) down. There's an actual name for this stitch, but I can't think of it offhand.

 

Or, even easier, do a row (or 2, or 3) of sc, then another (or 2, or 3 ) of HDC or DC.

 

Star stitch: chain a multiple of 3 plus 1. Sc in 2nd stitch from hook & in each additional chain (optional; it's a base row). On the next row, in the first stitch, work 1sc and 2dc. Skip two stitches, and do that same stitch combo in the 3rd st after that. Go down like that to the end, & after skipping 2sts work just 1 sc in the last stitch. After that, it's easy to remember to work the stitch combo in the single crochets. It's not as holey as it sounds like it should be.

[Chrome Kitty]

While I was making Mrs. Who's Fluffy Pink Shrug, I kept thinking how cute the stitch pattern used for the body would look as a baby blanket. Here's her description of it (hope it's ok to put here):

 

I used the "sweater stitch" for the body of mine, which is much lighter weight than normal sc.

Chain any even number of chains.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across. Ch 1, turn. (you must have an odd number of scs at this point)

Row 2: Sc in FLO of first stitch, * sc in BLO of next stitch, sc in FLO of next stitch* across. Ch 1, turn.

Rows 3 - ?: Repeat row 2. (You will notice that you're always putting a sc in the opposite loop from the one below, which makes a bit of a seed stitch pattern.)

(This pattern repeat can be worked over any odd number, plus ONE for the starting chain.)

And then maybe do a shell border or even just a sc around the edges. And don't be too intimidated about following a pattern. I think you'll find it's quite easy once you get started on it.

 

 

 

 

[shelly]

I knew the single and double stitch only for a long while. I made my first baby blanket with a single stitch pattern for a shower on very short notice. (To me) It looked so horrible that I decided to make the lady another. I found the shell stitch to be really easy and pretty! Hope this helps and good luck!

P.S. Shell stitch is combos of three, five or even seven double chains in a chain. There are tutorials online that just show the stitch, so that you don't have to read a whole pattern. If I can figure out how to put a link to a tutorial here, I will.

[mercy7]

this site will help you with learning to read patterns etc there are 2 other links to help you with learning. the last site has different stitches including the shell stitch happy crocheting.

 

http://members.aol.com/Sbaycgoa/tech.htm

http://www.stitchguide.com/pages/yarn_faq.html#Anchor-Wha-30746

http://www.stitchguide.com/stitches/crochet/index.html

[waistfull]

wow that is a lot of information for us newbies. Thanks so much!!

[cruelladvill]

About.com also has a crochet section with pics of the various stitches. When I was learning, I would print them and refer to them while working. Since then, I have given them to a lot of people who are "re-learning" or learning for the first time.

Rhonda