*grumbles* GR, Tapestry Crochet! BAH!

[AidanM]

I'm SUPER FRUSTRATED right now! I thought that Tapestry Crochet would be an easy way to incorporate more intricate colour work into my crochet, but instead it's just making me want to scream!

 

There are two methods for doing tapestry crochet as I understand it, using sc and reverse sc so that you never turn the work or switching hands at the end of each row.

 

Well, I tried the reverse-sc method, only to end up with a tiny little triangle instead of a nice rectangle!

 

When I tried to switch hands, teaching myself to crochet lefthanded, I could NEVER get the yarn to stay on the @#$(*&) hook!

 

I really want to start doing more colourwork, because right now I'm dreadfully bored with crocheting and haven't seriously picked up a hook in weeks - I MISS creating things, but I just can't make plain things like I used to anymore!

[Melissa]

Well, I'm no expert on tapestry crochet (may I suggest tapestrycrochet.com as a resource? Just a quick thought, though, it seems to me that if you're crocheting in the round [as for a hat?] you wouldn't need to turn your work or switch hands.) but perhaps I can help with what I see as your real problem... the lack of inspiration.

 

Sometimes it's easy to just - not be inspired. To sit around and wait for the urge to make something fabulous or a great idea. If you like to make hats, then go websurfing and look at hats! Not just crocheted hats, but knitted, and commercially available in stores. If you usually make skullies or beanies, try making something different, like a cabbie hat or a deerstalker cap - heck, give a pirate hat a go. You could also try designing for someone else - you might have different ideas and approaches when making something for a baby or your sister than you would for yourself. Another way is to start sketching shapes, colors and patterns.

 

I hope this helps you out of your funk, because I know that when I get my 'next' great idea, it always lights a fire under me.

[natalie058]

If you're trying to get a square or rectangle, there is *another* way to do it besides the two you mentioned... Just keep cutting your yarn at the end of each row and join it again at the beginning. This way you're never turning but you don't have to deal with whack techniques.

 

But, if you're working in the round, you shouldn't have that issue. Maybe check out the Horse Bag that was in CrochetMe awhile back and see how theirs is done?

 

HTH!

 

ETA: It might be worth a shot to email Carol Ventura and ask for any tips she can give. She's the authority from tapestry crochet from what I can tell, and her email link is on the page Melissa linked to...

[Stacey]

Just keep cutting your yarn at the end of each row and join it again at the beginning.

Ooh! Thank you for suggesting that! I've seen some really cute tapestry patterns but am really not keen on anything that requires a ton of reverse sc (and I'm even less keen on trying to teach myself to crochet right-handed ) Now I can try it out