Super Crocheter

It’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s a dog in a crocheted baby cape!  It may be tacky, but I had to do it before I sent the cape away.  Don’t worry I lint rolled it before packing.

(more on ravelry, kollabora, flickr, and instagram)

It wasn’t the baby pattern I would have picked.  I wanted to make him a Gramps, because it’s adorable, knitted, and only requires a pipe to finish the look.  But this one is what Mom asked for, so I thought I’d give crochet a try.  I used the Newborn Superman Costume by Family Bugs.  In the end,  I’m glad she wanted crochet because Guys! I learned to crochet and made a baby garment in five days.  Is that not crazy?   I guess crochet is to knitting like Italian is to Spanish, knowing one is a back door into the other.

I used a hodgepodge of yarns (Berroco Comfort in blue, some hobby store cotton for the yellow, and Lion Wool in red) because the red I ordered was too much of a burgundy.

By the end of the first day I had the hat done.  Of course it was large enough to fit Dad’s head, but at least I understood the concepts involved.  As with knitting, I had to go down 3 or 4 hook sizes and try again.  I used hook sizes b,c, and f.

The pattern was complete Greek to me, except for chaining.  Luckily, I had a secret weapon: Debbie Stoller’s Happy Hooker book.  Yes, I own a book called Happy Hooker.  Anyway, I bought it forever ago but I had yet to use it, so it was my quick reference for every stitch.  I also looked at a hat pattern in it to better understand knitting a circle for this design.  It was definitely like crafting with CliffsNotes.  My son saw this book and said, “Mama, if the title and bright pastel-y cover with these women on it weren’t enough to make you put this book down, then all you have to do is read the first sentence on the back cover.”  He then proceeded to read about “cozy, chunky, funky” stuff out loud. (Apparently, being punished from all electronic devices leaves lots of time for mother heckling.)

(Everything you need to crochet your own superhero costume: hooks, a book, yarn, and pet hair)

Even with a stitch book, I found myself just improvising to crochet this gift quickly.  It was freeing to know so little that I didn’t know if I was doing it wrong.  I figured out a way to hide color changes better behind the emblems.  It may be the proper way.  It may be the sloppy way.  I don’t know, and it didn’t matter.  That was nice.  And so, after a week, the baby gift is finished.  Be aware that if you ever request a knitted or crocheted gift from me, it may have been pre-worn by an animal.  Sorry, that’s part of the deal.

I see this as the first step into the big world of crochet.  Next up will be Betty… Betty Grable by Rohn Strong, which I won yarn and pattern for in the Holla Knits KAL.  Okay, I realize it would be kind of a huge step, but I will have Debbie Stoller right beside me.  Now, it’s back to spring/summer knitalongs.