The article tells what materials and tools are needed and how to choose them correctly to crochet a three-dimensional flower. Simple and accessible patterns and descriptions of knitting are provided for beginners and experienced craftswomen.
Necessary tools and materials
The main working tool when knitting items with a crochet hook is a hook of different sizes. But, in addition to it, there are additional, convenient in work, devices that make the life of the knitter easier.
Additional Crochet Tools
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- A centimeter or measuring tape. A centimeter is important in the work of those craftswomen who need precision. Often, European or American patterns indicate different sizes, so a measuring tape with double markings is convenient when working. When using such a tool, there is no need to convert one unit of length to another yourself.
- Scissors. When finishing knitting, woolen threads are easy to break, and cotton, linen or nylon threads are best cut. Small sharp scissors are often in demand when working.
- Magnifying glass or magnifying glass. Even if the knitter has excellent eyesight, it can be extremely difficult to make out some patterns printed very small. A magnifying glass or magnifying glass is indispensable in such cases.
- Marking rings. Marking rings or markers help you keep track of your stitches when you are doing spiral knitting, counting rows, or knitting a large number of stitches in one row.
- Loop-removable pin. Loop-removing pins are most often used by knitting enthusiasts. However, due to their large size, this tool is very convenient for fastening the fabric when knitting large and long items.
- Rings for tying. Some items require knitting of an exclusively round shape. In this case, plastic rings will come to the rescue. They will help make the work even and neat.
- Needles. Knitted elements of the product can be connected with a hook, or you can use a needle. It is convenient to use tapestry needles with blunt tips or special plastic ones.
- Storage container. It's convenient when all the necessary tools are in one place. The hooks are laid out by size, the yarn doesn't get dirty, the patterns don't fray and nothing gets lost.
Choosing a hook for the job
The result of the work largely depends on the size of the hook, the material of manufacture, the quality of processing. Conventionally, hooks are divided by several parameters.
1. Thickness or numberIn the domestic system of measurements, the numbering of hooks coincides with the diameter of the head.
The choice of the size of the working tool depends on several factors:
- the thickness of the yarn chosen for work;
- type of yarn (wool, cotton, synthetic);
- type of product;
- own knitting style.
The hook and yarn are approximately suitable for each other if the thickness of the thread is equal to the thinnest part of the hook barb. By selecting the tool, you can get different options for knitting the same fabric.
2. Type of execution. Different hooks are intended for different knitting techniques: single and double-ended, short and long. Long hooks or special cables are used for Tunisian crochet, short ones – for regular and fillet crochet. Double-ended hooks, which have a head of a different size on each side of the rod, are convenient when knitting items with different thread thicknesses.
3. Material of manufactureThe material used to make modern hooks is very diverse.
Frequently used:
- aluminum;
- steel;
- tree;
- plastic;
- bamboo;
- bone.
Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages:
- Made of plastic, wood, bone. Hooks made of wood, bone, bamboo and plastic have similar characteristics. They are most often used to work on items made of voluminous, thick and soft yarn. Such hooks are light and pleasant to the touch. Tools made of natural materials are environmentally friendly, but quite expensive. The disadvantages of wooden, bone and plastic hooks are their fragility and wear on hard yarn. Also, hooks made of wood and bamboo can have burrs on the rod and barb, which are extremely difficult to polish at home. With such defects, the yarn will constantly cling. Plastic hooks can bend and break if the product is large.
- Aluminum. Aluminum hooks are lightweight and cheap, but they can also bend when working with large items. Over time, the protective coating wears off, and aluminum stains threads and hands.
- Steel. Steel hooks are highly recommended. They are often made with a wooden or plastic handle, making them comfortable to hold. Steel hooks are light, durable, and slide well.
When choosing a hook for work, you need to focus on the yarn from which you plan to knit the product. To obtain a medium-density fabric, select a hook with a head diameter approximately 2 times larger than the diameter of the yarn. When using a thick hook and thin yarn, you get an openwork fabric, when knitting with a thin hook from voluminous threads - a dense fabric. If the yarn slips off the hook head during work, you need to choose a different tool.
Selecting yarn
Winter items, blankets, shawls, sweaters are knitted from woolen threads, cotton and linen yarn is suitable for summer items. The packaging provides recommendations on the size of the knitting needles or hook and what kind of knitting the threads can be used for. The yarn used for hand knitting is chosen to be smooth, uniform in thickness, strong, and not to twist spontaneously. A thread of uneven thickness will distort the pattern of the fabric, and a strongly twisted one can lead to a skew of the product.
It is better to wash yarn made of natural fibers in warm water with neutral detergents before work, then rinse thoroughly and dry in an unfolded form. After such treatment, the finished product will not shrink. Washing will also help straighten threads that have already been used and deformed. Clean yarn should be wound into balls and stored in a closed bag or box to avoid contamination and tangling of threads.
Schemes with description of works for beginners
A voluminous crochet flower is a simple technique that is recommended for those craftswomen who do not have much knitting experience to start with. A detailed diagram and description of knitting are given in the article below.
Volumetric crochet flower for hat decoration
A voluminous crochet flower (the diagram and description of knitting will help you make the decoration the first time) will decorate a women's knitted hat.
This cute accessory looks original and advantageous, and it suits both girls and young women:
- Wrap yarn around finger to create initial slip ring. Slip from finger and knit 1st loop. Work 2 ch to lift.
- Knit 15 ch into the ring. Tighten the initial ring by pulling the free end of the thread, secure and cut it. Finish the 1st row with sst, knitting it into the 3rd lifting loop.
- The 2nd row consists of air arches. Make 1 ch lift, 1 sc, * 3 ch, 1 sc knit through 1 loop in the row*. Repeat the rapport 6 times. Knit 3 ch, secure the chain with 1 sst in the first sc of the previous row.
- To create petals, you need to knit from each arch 1 sc, 1 pst, 3 dc1n, 1 pst, 1 sc. The finished petals should have a semicircular shape.
- Finish the row by knitting 1 sst from the previous row. The first 8 petals are ready.
- Knit the 2nd row of air arches. To do this, dial 5 ch and secure the chain in the sc of the 1st row.
- Make 8 arches and secure the last chain with a sst.
- To create the 2nd row of petals, from each arch knit 1 sc, 1 sl st, 2 dc1n, 3 dc2n, 2 dc1n, 1 sl st, 1 sc. Attach the thread with sl st.
- Finish the row with sst. The petals should be semicircular and larger in size than the petals of the 1st row.
- For the arches of the 3rd row, dial 6 ch. Join to the work with a sc in the column of the previous row.
- Knit the petals of the 3rd row in each arch according to the following pattern: 1 sc, pst, 2 dc1n, 5 dc2n, 2 dc1n, pst, sc.
- Finish knitting with sst. Cut the thread, pull it to the back of the product, fasten, hide the end.
- Sew on the central part of the flower:
- beads;
- a beautiful button;
- sequins;
- beads.
A voluminous crochet flower, the pattern and description of which are written in detail and accessible in the master class, has been completed.
Symbols on the knitting pattern:
| Designations on the diagram | Transcript |
| vp | air loop |
| sst | connecting post |
| sts1n, sts2n | double crochet, double crochet |
| stbn | single crochet |
| pst | half-column |
A voluminous knitted flower will decorate a hat, a sweater, a coat. It is better to use small flowers to decorate small things. They look great on children's things, hair bands and headbands, eyeglass cases and cases.
Volumetric crochet flower for headband decoration
A voluminous crochet flower (the diagram and description of crocheting are given below) for decorating a headband, hair bands and other small things is best made from thin yarn with a small hook.
For this type of work, multi-colored linen, cotton or mixed threads are perfect:
- Cast on 5 ch. Close into a ring using sst.
- Knit 10 sc into the ring.
- Move into the next loop using sl st. *Knit 3 ch, 3 dc2n, 3 ch, sl st into one loop.*
- Knit a loop sst. In the next loop, repeat the rapport. From 10 sst knitted in the 1st row, you should get 5 petals.
- Tear off the thread and carefully secure it on the back side. Tie the number of flowers needed for decoration.
A voluminous crochet flower, the pattern and description of which are given earlier, will decorate not only a hair band, but also a children's dress, blouse, hat.
Secrets for Beginners
Simple rules, techniques and tips will help you avoid mistakes and difficulties. Using them in your work, you can learn how to quickly and accurately knit beautiful and voluminous things.
Proper equipment of the workplace
When working with small parts made of thin threads, your eyesight is greatly strained, and your back and shoulders get tired. To make the knitting process as comfortable as possible, it is necessary to provide sufficient lighting for the workplace and additional support for the back of the craftswoman. All the working tools used should be in close proximity so that you do not have to reach for them.
It is better to place the yarn wound into a ball in a box or special device so that it does not get dirty and is not accessible to children and pets. This will help to maintain relative cleanliness in the workplace, since small fibers of yarn will not fly all over the room.
Selecting and preparing yarn for work
A beginner craftswoman should not choose thin yarn for learning the basics of knitting and for her first projects. It is better if these are medium-thickness soft twisted threads. For knitting outerwear, you should choose a uniform yarn with the same texture along the entire length. Knitting from mohair or other yarn with a long pile is difficult, so it is not recommended for beginner craftswomen.
The recommended proportion of synthetic fibers in the yarn is no more than 50%. When purchasing skeins of thread, be sure to pay attention to the markings on the label. A small difference in color can completely spoil the appearance of the finished product. You should buy yarn with a small reserve so that if necessary you do not have to look for the right skein in stores.
Where to start
For your first crocheted item, it is better to choose simple and easy patterns.
This could be:
- stole;
- top;
- pillowcase;
- small flowers;
- hats.
A simple and common pattern that alternates double crochets and chain stitches is suitable for them:
- Stole, scarf or cape. Simple shaped items are knitted without adding loops. To prevent the edges of the finished item from curling, they are additionally tied.
- Top or children's sundress. It is not difficult to make such a thing: just knit 2 parts and sew them together.
- Hats. The items are knitted in a circle without adding loops, but with decreases in the upper part.
Having mastered a simple pattern, you can move on to more complex knitting techniques. Before starting work, it is necessary to knit a sample with the yarn, the pattern and the hook that will be used to make the product. The knitted sample must be wet and dried. This will allow you to correctly calculate the required number of loops and make sure that the selected hook and yarn are suitable for each other.
If the first row of air loops is too tight, then you need to choose a larger hook, and if it is loose, then a smaller one.
Beginners should start learning with new yarn that has not been used yet. Mistakes made should be corrected immediately, since even minor deviations from the pattern can lead to a change in the appearance and shape of the product. The balls of yarn left over from the work can later be used to make small things, such as tassels, pompoms, as well as when knitting a granny or Afghan square.
Selection of tools
The main tool for crocheting, that is, the hook itself, is selected according to several parameters:
- yarn manufacturer's recommendations;
- recommendations from the author of the knitting pattern;
- availability on sale or the presence of a hook in the hands of the craftswoman;
- personal knitting style;
- ease of use.
Each skein or bobbin of yarn has a marking that provides recommendations on the most suitable hook and knitting needle numbers for these threads. It also indicates whether the yarn is intended for hand or machine knitting. These recommendations must be taken into account. Usually, each pattern indicates what yarn and what tool the item is knitted with. It should be taken into account that changing the threads or hook can change the pattern significantly.
When working on some things, you have to use several hooks of different sizes. For example, a large and voluminous flower. The knitting pattern for such things usually implies making parts with different hooks. Therefore, it is necessary for the craftswoman to have several sets of tools of different sizes in her arsenal. When knitting according to the same pattern, different craftswomen may have finished items of different density and size.
This feature must be taken into account when working. To make the knitting process enjoyable, the tools must fit comfortably in the hand, not rub, not scratch the skin, not catch the threads. A long hook can be shortened for ease of work, and a short one can be extended using a braid or a straw for cocktails. You can give the desired shape to the sharp head of a bone or metal hook with sandpaper.
It is also used to polish a wooden hook for better sliding, and then treat the tool with wax-based polish. For any knitter, experienced or not, who has chosen to knit a simple stole or a voluminous crochet flower, a knitting pattern and description, a convenient tool and high-quality yarn are important. In this case, things will turn out original, beautiful and neat, and the knitting process will be a pleasure.
Video on how to make a 3D crochet flower
Instructions on how to crochet a volumetric flower: