Crochet Anyone??
 

I love to crochet and was looking for something special to make for my Dtr Nicky's birthday a few years ago,
she was born on July 17, 1976, so I though I'd go with the bicenntenial theme.
I wound up making her an American Flag afghan and she loves it.
I'm posting a link to some nice things you can make for the Fourth of July.
The flag I made is in that picture on the magazine.:D

http://www.planetshoup.com/easy/holiday/fourth.shtml

The flag looks beautiful Kat. Bet your daughter loved it. I used to crochet a little but nothing that elaborate.

I've never learned to crochet. My mom knows how, but I don't think she knows how to make anything real elaborate. Just something simple. I know she hasn't done any crocheting in years.

She was going to teach me at one time, but now it wouldn't matter, I just don't have time for anything else...LOL

I can teach you at our get together, it's very relaxing. I make all kinds of fun things for the holidays. Santa, snowmen, trees, pumpkin, bunnies, I put a pin and decorate with eyes.
Really cute stuff.

Kat, I like to crochet. Just simple small things like pot holders. I like projects you can finish quickly and get quick gratification for completing the task, and accomplishing something. When I travel alone it's a good time to do a little crochet. My daughters tease me that I'll turn into one of those old ladies who carrier her yarn everywhere. Don't think there's a chance of that. I would like to try making a baby blanket or something a little bigger than a pot holder.

Your flag is beautiful!!!! I've never seen one crocheted before. Lots of color changes!!!! That was one very special project!!!

My husband's grandmother taught me a how to crochet basic stitches. Then later I went to the library and taught myself how to crochet enough to start a blanket. I still haven't finished it quite yet. I have been working on that thing for 4 years I know. LOL I just have to be in the mood to work on it. It is big enough now that I could end it, but I have a few extra rolls of yarn that I don't want to go to waste. LOL

Kat ... I bet you daughter loved her afghan.

Do you crochet or knit an afghan or can you do both?

I love the look of crocheted items. My friends Mom used to crohet beautiful bed covers... I have simply never had the the patience to sit and work on anything like that.
I have a cousin who does some of it and have bought a few items from her that I've really liked.

That is beautiful! I crocheted a baby blanket for my oldest son, but haven't tried since then. he is fifteen and I don't even remember how to do it.

You can do both Janet, I just prefer crocheting.

Great site.... I love to crochet, I just finished a baby afghan for my niece's baby.
I made 4 for my grandson before he was born. I have also done alot a afghans for wedding gifts. i love doing it especially in the winter when you can't get outside. I also like to knit but it takes to long. It's very relaxing.
:thumbup:

I'm one of those "old ladies" who carries yarn almost everywhere I go! I love to crochet with yarn and thread. I've made several beautiful table cloths, but the daughters usually claim them before they're even finished. I try to make at least one kid sized afghan/blanket each month to donate to the Childrens Hospital at Christmas time. I keep a crochet bag in my car for doctor's waiting rooms and road trips with hubby.

Maybe someday I ought to learn how to crochet, it does sound nice, I just don't know when I would find time. I couldn't in the car...I'm the one who usually drives...LOL

I'm not sure what I do - it's with 1 needle. I basically make a square that gets bigger and bigger, until I declare that it is officially a blanket.

Yep, you're crocheting!

I can crochet a little bit but I haven't ever made anything. I found cross-stitching and, absolutely fell in love with it! I don't do much of it any more though but I do have several beautiful pictures on the walls that I've made. I made a gorgeous family tree!

A needle or a crochet hook? If it has a hook on the end it's a crochet hook, and that means you crochet.:bravo:

Opps, Diane is back :cheer:

It's a hook - looks like I can crochet and didn't even know it (although all I can do is square blankets).

I used to love to cross-stitch. The supplies have gotten so high and my time is so short. maybe someday.

That is so cool! I have a pattern for an Army crochet blanket and I hope I will get to it soon! My son was born June 30, 1976. We were hoping for July 4 but he was already 10 days late so I was glad to get him out. I'm not an expert at crocheting but I keep trying. I made a scarf a few years ago and wear it in the winter.

My girlfriend makes blankets that way. I'll have to get her to teach me.

I've made some afgans, but I can not follow a pattern. I used to cross stitch, that's my first love. My hands are too arthritic now, but I used to always be working on something. I loved to quilt, too.

I always loved cross stitch too, but my fingers start hurting too. I also like doing the plastic canvas but same thing...

I have problems with my hands as well. A friend once told me that I have some type of nerve damage, but that has never been diagnosed. How hard is quilting?

I'd love to quilt... but between my arthritis in my hands and lack of patience I don't see it happening. My grandma quilted till she was in her 90's and made baby quilts and wedding quilts for every one of her 40+ grandchildren and 50+ great grandchildren.

What is it with our hands??? Do you suppose it's the computer doing this? Are we wearing them out typing??? My hands bother me, too. When I try to do much crocheting or any other hand work, my fingers start to go numb. It's probably the carpal tunnel that I need to get fixed, but I also have some arthritus. There are lots of older ladies busy quilting and such. Why are we having so many hand problems???

I don't know Marilyn...something has to be up. It's even hard for me to stir something up in the kitchen, my hands start aching and fingers too. I try not to hold on to what ever I'm using too tight, but it doesn't seem to matter.

I was just lying down, (not really feeling the greatest) and my hands were going numb then too. I'm really tired of not feeling good..physically and emotionally. It's always something it seems.

Arthritis runs in both my mom and dads families. One of my uncles had those huge arthritis knots on his hands . It was SO bad. I have a knot that forms and goes away again over and over on my right thumb, so kinda know what I'm in for. :( I think typing helps me to keep my hands limber as I do it whether it hurts or not... which is the key with arthritis. Once you stop using the arthritic joints they just lock up... not willing to let that happen.

I also injured my hands several times when I was young, so old joint injuries are often prone to arthritis. I've broken fingers, dislocated a thumb, etc while breaking horses.

So anyway that's what I blame this on. lol

I have arthritis in my hands too. I have one kind that forms knots on the last joints of my fingers. It really doesn't hurt too much unless pressure is applied. My Mom and her sisters have this so I know what my hands are going to look like in a few years. Then I have some arthritis in my knuckles. Sometimes it swells up a little and when the weather changes (usually 2-3 times a year) my knuckles ache. I hate it when that happens. It's like a bad headache in my hands!

I was going through the pains this morning Diana, rain moving in, but the pain was in my knees. I really should start taking the meds the Dr. prescribed, but so far the ibuprofen is working most of the time.

I have Osteo Arthrisis and am in remission with Rheumatoid Arthritis. I went through chemo with the RA, injections (Enbrel), Vioxx, Celebrex, Arthrotec, Niproxin, and probably a couple more for about 5 years. Right now, I take one Aleve in the morning and sometimes a second one on bad days. Aleve helps my knees, ankles, and hands, but doesn't seem to do much for my upper back and hips. Then, I have to take Prilosec OTC for the acid stomach the Aleve gives me. And, lots of Iron because I stay anemic.

All-in-all, I feel great right now. I think typing and crochet helps my hands, but the sitting is heck on my back, hips and legs.

hmmm.. this seems like the thread for me to ask....
My hands tingle almost constantly., my arm (the left one) will go completely numb and I loose all control and feeling in it. It doesn't happen very often, but I have dropped plates, cups, almost dropped a candle in glass at walmart (luckily it slammed onto the self and didn't break). A friend told me it was nerve damage and I have had back pain ever since my epidural 12 years ago. I have had trouble with my ankles going out since I was 12ish and it moved to my knees around 17ish. No doctor will check it because i'm only 30. Any ideas?

I have scoliosis which eventually causes the vertebrae to push on the nerves. I get that tingling and weakness sometimes.

I started going to a chiropractor because my neck really hurt a couple of years ago. She keeps it under control, and taught me some things to do. The tingling and weakness are rare now.

I think you might want to check it out to make sure it's nothing serious. I love my chiropractor. You can do that, physical therapy, live with it, whatever you want as long as it's not a serious thing.

I know for a fact that if it wasn't for my chiropractor I would not be walking today. Tingling and numbness are signs of nerve pressure, and that is exactly what chiropractors fix.

I've found a miracle for my low back and hips. You know those big blow up exercise balls? I lay on my back and put my ankles up on the ball. Then I gently roll the ball side to side, so that my hip comes up off the floor and goes back down. I can not tell you how this simple exercise has helped me. I do it 10 minutes 3 times a day. When I first started I could barely get up off the floor when I was done. It has improved my circulation, reduced my pain.....wow! I'd recommend it to anyone who has hip and back trouble.

Traci, I have some of the same symptoms you describe, and I thought it was my neck. I have scoliosis, too, and have had neck problems for many years. My arms will tingle and hurt up to my shoulders. Turns out, from a nerve study that was done, it is all caused by carpal tunnel pressure in both hands, and a little tennis elbow in my right arm. They said there is no nerve damage, yet, and that I need the surgery to relieve the pressure, and that should solve it. I have put off doing anything until after Melissa's wedding. Then I will get another opinion and review options. The chiropractors I saw could not help this and had suggested that it could be carpal tunnel, but I did not believe it until the nerve study. Hope this helps.

My mom has crocheted for years, and she made me an American flag afghan which I love! I started crocheting a few years ago, and I've made each of my kids and grandchildren an afghan. I had to stop because I was having so much trouble with my thumb popping and cracking and aching. It's fine now, so maybe I will take it up again! Winter is a good time to crochet, and I find it so relaxing!

I would love to have an American flag afghan, but I've never learned to knit or crochet. Not sure I would have the patience for it...lol. I bet your afghan is beautiful.