what I love about crochet with Alycia from Habitual Homebody

I love crochet, it is actually what first got me into blogging and one of my favorite bloggers who crochets is Alycia of Habitual Homebody. I am so excited to have her share her love of crochet in this weeks "What I love about..." Be sure to find out more about Alycia by checking out her blog, find her on twitter, and share patterns with her on ravelry.

What is your earliest memory of crochet?

I wish I could say I learned as a kid and have been crocheting my entire life, but the few times my Mom tried to teach me I got frustrated easily and gave up. It wasn't until just 2 years ago that I decided to really focus and teach myself with the help of YouTube video tutorials. The pause and rewind buttons were key!

What is the one thing you love the most about crochet?

There's so many things I love about crochet I can't pick just one! I love creating something out of nothing. I love the different types of yarn and all the pretty colors. I love the hunt of finding the perfect project and planning it out. I love making a handmade gift for someone. I love making specific things for my home. I love the way crochet looks. I love how crochet has been around for hundreds of years but people are still doing it and making amazingly cool and stylish things.

What is one thing you love least about crochet?

Weaving in ends is the worst! I weave in as I go by crocheting over the yarn ends, but there's still that end piece you have to weave in. I also really dislike joining granny squares. I still haven't found a method that makes joining not so tedious for me, and I've tried them all.

When did you know you had fallen in love with crochet?

Once I finally realized that I could do it! I had such a difficult time learning that at times it felt hopeless (yes, I may have even cried at one point) but I was determined and once I got the hang of it, I was so excited! I still have lots to learn, but it was that early starting point of learning how to hold the yarn, how to count stitches, how to read a pattern, how to get your tension just right that was the hardest, so when I finally figured it out I felt like I conquered it. It opened a whole new world of creativity and expression for me.

What keeps you going back to crochet?

I can't stop now, I'm having too much fun! I find crocheting to be soothing with its repetitive and familiar movements (once you get past that initial row of counting, of course). I also love having the ability to make things exactly the way I want them without having to spend a fortune on something similar from the store...like hats, blankets, bags, toys, etc.

What advice do you have for a novice?

Watch video tutorials, play with different hook brands to find one that you like, experiment with different yarn fibers, and don't be afraid to mess up. That's how you'll learn. Crochet mistakes, though a pain in the butt, are easy to fix with frogging! Most importantly, don't give up. Keep practicing!

Find out more about Alycia by click any of these links: