Is this too ambitious for a first thread project?

[Stacey]

I've never used thread before, but I really, really want to make this, enough to get over my fear of thread crochet:

www.crochetmagazine.com/f..._shawl.pdf

(It's a PDF file, about 150k - it's a really pretty beaded fishnet shawl.)

 

It doesn't *look* that hard (though any pattern that starts out "ch 501" makes me a little nervous!), but is it probably biting off more than I can chew for my first thread project?

 

Stacey

[Julie]

I think it would be fine to tackle, but I'd do a few smaller things first. Even if nothing more than practice squares, just to get used to using thread. I made several 2x2 inch squares of various stitches, just to make sure I was comfortable with it before I made my first bookmark. So many things are different than stitching with yarn, even down to which area of the hook you hold the thread on. With yarn, you're much further up the shaft of the hook, toward your thumb. With thread, the closer to the hook the better. You'll love it though, I'm sure of it! )

[RachelG]

If you would know how to make it if it was in yarn, you should be fine in thread. Just please don't get frustrated if your tension isn't right--it's not going to be perfect immediately. I started out crocheting in yarn but almost immediately switched to thread and it's been thread for me ever since!

 

Rachel

www.crochetpatterncentral.com

[Stacey]

Thanks for the input! I'll go ahead and do some practice work first to get used to the feel of it and get my tension worked out - those are great ideas and I hadn't even thought of it. It is definitely something I'd be able to handle in yarn, except that I've never done anything involving beads - but that part doesn't look too hard, just pulling the bead up when the instructions say to.

 

I'd better get cracking with my practice stuff, though if I want to have this done by Christmas - I want to make it for my stepdaughter and want to make sure I have it done (and done right!) by then... Then of course I want one for me but that comes later...

 

I wonder if my tension will be different in thread... With yarn I always have to go up 2 hook sizes because I crochet tight - my tension is even and things come out right, just need a much bigger hook.

 

Thanks again!

Stacey

[threeolivemartini]

i do both.. and have done this pattern.. it was a nice and fairly fast working project.. i think you will be happy with it when you are finished

[aliassak]

I've done work in both as well. I prefer the softer yarns to thread, but thread is interesting in its own right.

 

A tip I use when having to start something with an extreme amount of chains is to break it down into smaller numbers and then hash mark them off on scrap paper each time I reach my smaller number. I just did a shawl in filet that started out with 200+ chains, and for that I broke it down into 20s. Every time I hit a count of 20, I wrote down a hash mark. That way I knew once I had ten marks on my paper, I had done 200 chains, but didn't loose count along the way. Makes thing much easier, especially when my DD decides to interrupt me in the middle of counting!

 

Hope that helps!