I am a complete beginner and I can tell that this is anything but a beginner pattern. Obviously this shouldn’t be the first project I attempt. However, could some of you maybe give me an idea of how ridiculous it would be to try this as one of my first 5 or so projects for example? How much experience would I need to work myself up to this? It looks so complicated.
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Can I suggest an alternate as you work up to this? The Klaziena Shawl is a free, beautiful pattern that looks far more complex than it actually is: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/klaziena-shawl
There are really only three stitches to worry about (chain, single crochet, double crochet), the pattern is extremely clear, and it has both written instructions and a chart. This could give you great practice reading charts as well as with general shawl construction. (I’ve made it four or five times now!)
Omg. Just 3 stitches? Are you serious? That one is so pretty too! And for free? This is ridiculous! Thanks for sharing. Will definitely try it out!
Just three stitches! Well, technically, four, but the last one is just a very simple variation on double crochet (going around the post instead of on top of the stitch).
I’ve done it in a couple of different yarn weights & blends and it’s a very forgiving pattern as long as your hook is suitable to the yarn. I recommend a single-colour yarn or one with a very long gradient to show off the stitching; shorter gradients will look a bit mottled.
Here’s the first one I did, in a 2-weight 100% cotton:
And a rectangular version in progress which is 100% merino and probably about a 4-weight:
Absolutely gorgeous. Thanks for sharing!
I really think that starting a project you’re not ready for will result in a finished piece that you hate to look at. Not to mention the headache of not knowing what’s going on. That’s not what I would want for a beginner to go through during a huge project.
Unfortunately, as a beginner, you really should start either with something more plain or something smaller, like a washcloth. I would recommend a washcloth with some complicated stitches so that you can practice and also get an idea of how motifs stitch up.
You could move on to lace work or a more complicated shawl from there if you’re feeling adventurous. I know it’s not great news, but after you get some more experience with fancier stuff you’ll be ready for the pattern you linked and it will come out so much better.
This should be (at least) project 15 instead of project 5.
Posts, bobbles, cables, twisted stitches, and lace. This pattern has listed these attributes. So I would start by learning them each individually and practicing them separately. Those are all kind of finicky things on their own. Combined with each other, definitely makes this an advanced pattern. It’s beautiful, and a wonderful goal, but be gentle with yourself and don’t rush into it or it could permanently affect your enjoyment of crochet.
Oooh, thank you. It’s also my first time on ravelry and I hadn’t noticed that it’s tagged with the stitch types. Makes a lot of sense to work through those first one after the other. Picking a challenging project I can get really excited about as my first project is usually something I have a surprising amount of success with with crafting, but I suspect this one is just too far out of reach for now. I’ll find some lower hanging fruit to get excited about to get me closer to knowing all the stitches required. Thanks again.
I love making samples, so working up 8 x 8” / 20 x 20 cm samples of a lot of different stitches is fun for me.
There’s an old Bernat pattern that I have for an Afghan made of squares of very many different classic crochet stitches. It’s a great practice and skill building project.
If you choose a good palette of solid colour yarn, it works out nicely. If that kind of throw isn’t the kind of thing you like in your home, they’re always a gift or charity option.
Ooooh, now that’s a great idea. This works especially well because I spin my own wool yarn on a drop spindle. That means I often make rather small amounts of yarn at a time. Those should be just about enough for 1-2 of those squares. If I vary the thickness of the yarn for the different squares seaming is going to be a bit awkward, but I’ll get over it. Thanks!
Just be sure to wash and block before connecting the blocks.
Thanks! I wouldn’t have thought of that. I’d have joined first and washed later. Makes sense that they’ll behave differently when washed though.
