Crochet Crushing

I think the internet is trying to tell me something…

And that something is that I should learn how to crochet properly.  I can crochet, I could crochet before I could knit but as soon as steely grip of knitting took over crochet disappeared from my life without me getting much further than the basics.  In my head crochet is stuck in the 70s along with tassels and afgans.  Not that there was anything wrong with the 70s, there nothing I like better than looking at photos of my dad with long hair but there is only so much 70 style I think you can pull off in the modern world without looking kitsch and dated.

I am however the first to admit I might not always be right… and thankfully there are lots of people out there who are much more open minded than me, and more talented to boot, who have brought crochet into the  modern world and are following me around the internet clanging giant pans lids in my ears.

These cute friendship bracelets are by the ever talented girls at Pom Pom magazine who offered up this free pattern on their blog last month.  Apparently it has already been International Day of Friends so unfortunately I’ve missed out on making these for my friends this year but by the time I’ve actually got this crochet malarkey down, next year’s Friends Day will probably be upon us.

I bookmarked this “elegant granny style” blanket in my favourites way way back when I first started knitting, before I could tell by looking at things what was knit and what was crochet.  When I later found out it was crochet I was really disappointed and tried to move on but this beauty popped back up into my life on Pinterest recently and I fell in love all over again.  It’s another freebie, this time from Purlbee, a yarn shop in New York.  They offer up loads of free patterns on their website, I would definitely recommend checking it out.  As much as I really really want this blanket in my life the thought of starting with a chain of 302 stitches makes me feel a tiny bit sick… all I can think about is the battle of the not twisting it.  This might have to go back into “someday when I’ve ran out of knitting” pile.

The last thing that has been following me around are these Mexican day of the dead sugar skulls, by Kristin Canganelli.  You could use them as coasters, make a giant rug one or string them up as bunting.  Where I would put a sting of skull bunting I am not sure, but never say never!

Right, I’m off to practice chaining.  What about you guys?  Do you dabble in crochet?