LEFT HOLDING THOSE HOOKS

My friend Ronnie has crocheted several hook holders. So has DJ. So has, I think, everyone else in the St. Louis Crochet Club. I keep my hooks in a variety of holders – the one I carry around is a zipped leather purse, just the right size to hold a bunch of ‘regulation’ size hooks, scissors, markers, a ruler, etc. The overflow, if one can call my mess of hooks that, are contained in a variety of flower pots, Crystal Lite cylinders, and ceramic mugs missing their handles. In other words, not very well contained at all.

So, I decided I’d find me a pattern to crochet the definitive hook holder. I can create my own pattern, but might be easier to use that of someone else – someone who has already made the mistakes and correct them. LOL. Here’s what I found online – mostly free.

h hook-holder-1-0509

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/crochet_hook_holder_2

Now, I think even I can make this one without a pattern. The project looks straightforward enough. BTW, the blog this came from is pretty interesting. Go there and browse around, especially if you enjoy other crafts too. Note: this site loads slowly on my DSL.

This one is cute:

http://www.crochetspot.com/free-crochet-pattern-crochet-hook-case/

This next one is really pretty. It won’t hold ALL my hooks, but I might make it anyway. Scroll down just past half way for the picture and pattern. Lots of other eyecandy on this blog too.

http://athena.libraries.claremont.edu/~jez/jezmynne/archives/crochet/index.html

Isn’t this one a beauty? Don’t know if I have spare wall area for it. My craft room is jammed FULL of ’stuff’. This one is for steel hooks. There’s a similar pattern for aluminum hooks too.

NOTE – not a free pattern.

http://www.crochetmemories.com/patterns/crafterscorner.php

Felted! I love felted crochet fabric. It’s so lovely and has a nice ‘hand’. Maybe I’ll make one like this. No need for a pattern. In fact, one of the fun things about felting is never knowing exactly what size the finished project will be!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/79141756@N00/484779436/

Maybe there are just too many choices. Anyone else have a link to a great hook holder pattern, free or otherwise??

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time.

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring.

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn.

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row.

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves.

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body.

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy.

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

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