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Talk to me about thread crochet.


~Cinderella~

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I have followed Ashleys Blog for ages now, and I have tried (oh so hard) to just get the basic chain looking okay :lol

 

But I severely suck at thread! I just can't get it!

The thread seems to be so stiff, and I just can't work with it :lol

 

I would love some advice at getting started...

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Were you really great at crocheting with yarn when you first started? It probably took some practice, right? It did for me!!

 

If you will keep at it, and practice, you'll get it, I promise. You say the thread you're using is stiff.......why not try a different brand of thread? I suggest Baroque by DMC. It's still available at WalMart (at least at mine it is....). Also, don't start off with size 20 or 30, try size 5 or 10.

 

Another tip would be to keep coming here for help and advice. The ladies that work with thread here are very talented, and are always willing to help!!!

 

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!

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I have to agree, Try a different brand of thread. There is one brand I just hate to work with. It it stiff and hard to get even stitches with. A good thread makes a big difference.

 

Other than that relax. You don't need to pull your stitches tight. You need to find a comfortable tension that you can work consistantly. Then your work will look better.

Just crochet like you do with yarn and you will do fine. There is really no difference using thread other than yarn except the size. So don't look for something to be different. I always say just think of it as skinny yarn.

 

Don't fixate on one section. Just crochet and see what happens. You will find with time and practice it will all come together.

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I started an "easy, first doily" 6 times before I got it right!! Now my tables are full of what everyone tells me are beautiful or amazing doilies. Don't give up. It just takes some practice. Good Luck, let us know how you're doing.

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You will also find some helpful advice at: http://crochet101.forumotion.com/index.htm?sid=c3c46675375c1666896048d5897f1807

 

I'm finishing my second thread project and I feel I'm improving. So as everyone has said, practice makes perfect. I've only used #10 thread (nothing thinner). Holding the hook was a problem for me because I have arthritis. But I baked on a clay handle and now I can work more comfortably with thread.

 

Try a simple pattern, a small pattern, so you can see your improvement as you make several using different hooks and different threads.

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When I teach people threads, I tell them to start off using your Doily pattern but use any 4 ply yarn:yarn and your favorite crochet :hookhook. Just do the inside of any doily pattern and do about 5-7 rows depending of your pattern of what you like to see of that as a coaster with the yarn you are using. now you have a small coaster.

 

now switch down to baby yarn 2 or 3 ply, and use same pattern and use a smaller hook go 2 or 3 sizes down. yes, same pattern, yes do 5-7 rows of the same thing you had already done. now you have another smaller coaster but the same look just smaller.

 

Now you are ready for size 3 threads. some stores still sell it if you cannot find it go to Herrschners or E-bay. go down to a size b or c crochet hok and using the same pattern and the same 5-7 rows make your coaster.

 

Try to get some size 5 thread, some stores still sell it other than that E-bay and Herrschners, and go down to size 00 crochet hook or 0 hook. using the same pattern, make your coaster.

 

now your ready for size 10 thread and go down to size 4 crochet hook, some people will use a 0 for size 10 thread. Most people will use a size 6,7,8,9, it all depends on the person tention and what they are looking for in a stitch, some doilys people want a tight look, others a more lose look. I have use a size 11 crochet hook on size 10 thread, and size 00 on 10 threads. anyways with you same pattern make your coaster using size 10 threads.

 

pretty much after that you can do it, remember the smaller the threads get the smaller crochet hook you will need. The smallest crochet hook I have is a 23 or 24. I haven't use it in a while. The smallest thread I have crochet with is size 80 thread and its hard. I don't mind crocheting with sewing thread tho.

 

 

have fun and let us know:yes how you are doing~~~~

 

 

I've crocheted using yarns, threads,,cording, leather strips, plastic bags, twine, macrame cord, plastic cording, potholder loops and fabric. I love to crochet with fabric!

sunnywolfgar

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Thankyou all so much for the advice!!

 

I'm an Aussie, so no Walmart here :D

But I will drop inti my LYS and check out what she has (I've not long moved to a new area).

 

Terry what you have written makes perfect sense! I will work my way down, and see how I go!

 

Thankyou all so much for your advice!

 

I'll be back!....

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One thing not to forget, do not be afraid to change hooks. I'm a very very tight hooker and after my first 2 rows I always have to move up a size to keep my gauge. When I first started threadwork I turned off TV's and radios because of the distraction. I concentrated very hard. I had such tight stitches you could bounce a coin off them. LOL Not the way to do it. Do try to relax, flick your hands now and then too and soon it will be very natural and you'll have lovely threadwork to show off for years to come.

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I am also very new to working with thread, I still have trouble working with anything smaller than a #20, and I'm still not all that good with the #20! I really still prefer to work with a #10, I feel like there's more there to hold onto at this early point.

 

Something that I have found to be helpful to me in these early stages of my foray into thread crochet is to not pay too much attention to the required hook size, I've been using a 2.25 hook because it's a bit easier for me to see the stitches with a 2.25 than it is with a #7 hook, and the #7 seems to be the most popular hook size for the doily patterns I've been working on. The piece comes out a bit larger than it would if I was using a #7, but I figure it's more important in the beginning for me to get used to working with the thread and tiny hooks than it is to be exact in my measurements. That will come with time, I hope.

 

I have also found that the thread makes all the difference in the world. Even though it comes in pretty colors and is readily available at most hobby stores, I don't like the SouthMaid threads. To me they are coarse and difficult to work with. The DMC threads are my favorites so far, but I don't mind working with Aunt Lydia's if a color I like can only be found in Aunt Lydia's. At this point, however, I can see myself becoming a "thread snob", because a good thread is absolutely essential to having the more intricate doilies come out looking like they should. I am about to place my first order for Valdani threads. I've ordered two Patricia Kristoffersen pattern books, and as soon as they arrive and I choose the doilies I want to start with, I will get whatever it requires in Valdani threads. These are the threads that The Shrone uses to make her PK doilies, and the colors they come in are just nothing short of awesome. Also, considering the intricacy of the PK doilies, an excellent thread is necessary so that the doily comes out with nice "clean" lines instead of having some stitches be one size and others be another because the stiffness of the thread makes it difficult to work with. I'm really excited about these pattern books and can't WAIT for them to get here!

 

Elle

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Practice, Practice and more Practice. I am new to thread also. I tried many different times and ended getting frustrated and giving up, eventually I just told myself I am going to finish a project no matter how it looks. That was maybe a month ago and I have been crocheting with thread since. My first project I used the biggest steel hook I had and found a simple, small round doily, nothing to complicated, just chains and double crochets. Good luck, I can't wait to see your future thread projects!

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