People might say “real men don’t crochet,” but here is at least one guy who disagrees. My philosophy is “real men do whatever the hell they want and don’t care what people think.” How manly is it to spend your time worrying about what other people think?
Anyway, my wife and I were passing through the craft section at the store the other day and I started playing with the crochet hooks. I had one when I was a teenager and learned how to make a single chain. I made a few bracelets and a really thin belt, then lost interest because I didn’t know what else to do.
There’s something compelling about taking a ball of yarn and a single tool and actually making something out of it. I love to create, and such a cheap, instantly gratifying way of doing it is really appealing.
So I bought a size K (6.5 mm) hook and a skein of yarn for a couple of bucks and got started. My wife taught me a few basics, and I made a nice, lumpy rectangle about the size of my palm. After some more research I’ve got the single stitch and double stitch down OK, and seem to be able to finish a row and start another without completely screwing up. I started a scarf, and it’s now nearly a foot long.
Links:
More complete tutorial by Lion Brand Yarn (available as PDF)
Craft Yarn Council of America site with info on crotchet versus knitting
Men Who Knit & The Dogs Who Love Them at Amazon
Knitting with Balls at Amazon
Go dude!