10 Gift Ideas For Crochet Lovers
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Lesley_Dietschy]Lesley Dietschy

Being a crochet lover for both a hobby and a business, I have tried many crochet gadgets, books, patterns, and anything else associated with crochet.

My friends and family occasionally ask me what I want for Christmas or my birthday and I try to think of a new crochet gadget or a new crochet book that I would love to have. For the people that do not crochet, they have no idea what type of gift to buy for the person who loves to crochet. So, I put together a brief list of some of my favorite things related to crochet.

10 Rules to Follow When Choosing Your First Crochet Pattern
By Helen Reimer

Learning how to crochet takes a lot of patience and practice and can be frustrating at first. Many people give up simply because they didn't know where to start. Either they start off with the wrong kind of pattern, yarn, or hook size, not realizing the importance of choosing the right supplies.

It's very important that everyone starts off with the right crochet patterns and supplies; otherwise they'll just give up. But with the right help and tools anyone can master crocheting. This includes boys and girls, and men and women. Yes men can crochet too!

Here are some helpful and handy tips and tricks that will make crocheting easier and keep you more organized.

1. When the afghan you're crocheting becomes too long and heavy, place quilting rings around the end you've already finished. It will make it easy to just flip it over when crocheting the next row.

2. When someone asks you to make something for them, write it in a notebook. Write their name, when they will need it by, and the item they want crocheted. Also write down where the pattern can be found. When you finish the crocheted item, take a picture of it and keep it in a photo album so when someone asks what you crochet, you can show them.

Many people, when hearing the word crochet, instantly conjure the image of an elderly woman sitting in a chair, crochet hook held firmly in arthritic fingers as she concocts another table doily. Many older women do seem to have an innate ability to crochet, simply because it was a tradition handed down from generation to generation. And while most families do not pass along the art of crochet much anymore, there is still merit in this peaceful, beautiful activity.

Learning how to crochet can be a wonderful experience that rewards you with a lifelong skill and outlet for relaxation. Being focused on crochet means that there’s little room to be focused on much of anything else; in turn, all the clutter and noise from a chaotic and busy day is suddenly relegated to the back burner. It can be an amazing journey of mastering a new skill. Part of mastering crochet is the mastering of crochet instructions that will lead you through a particular project. While they may seem confusing at first, crochet instructions are like anything having to do with crochet – or anything else for that matter; the more you practice, the better you’ll be.

Anyone who is beginning to learn how to crochet, or even those who have been crocheting for a number of years, can benefit from some crocheting tips every now and then. There are some common crocheting queries that require tips which everyone needs at some point. For example, how to add beads can be a mystery unless you get a few tips from someone who is knowledgeable about crocheting. There can be a number of different ways of achieving your goals, so crocheting tips can differ. There can be several ways to add beads to crochet work and include threading the beads onto the yarn itself so that they can be pulled up whenever they are needed. Another way is to slip the bead onto the crochet hook when it is needed.

There are many reasons why people love to crochet.

For one, crocheting is therapeutic. Because of its calming, rhythmic movements, many studies have shown positive results for people suffering from chronic depression, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and schizophrenia. Crocheting is also for common ordinary people who simply enjoy the feeling of accomplishing something with their after-work, idle time. Crocheting relieves stress and muscle tensions after a hard day at the office as crocheting easily takes your mind off from work and draws you deeper into a solitary hobby where you can collect your thoughts as you let your fingers and the crochet hook do their work.

Zanesville, OH – March 1, 2008 – “Take me out to the ballgame…to stitch?
For the past 2 years, STITCH N’ PITCH events have been popping up all over the USA
and Canada. Fans in the thousands are going to baseball games to knit, crochet,
embroider, cross-stitch and needlepoint, and sit together with friends, family and
colleagues to celebrate two timeless traditions - baseball and needlearts. Offbeat
and unique – crowds of needleartists not wanting to drop a stitch as much as the
outfielder not wanting to drop the ball! This year 26 Major League Baseball Teams
(88% of the total 30!) are hosting Stitch N’ Pitch events that may include teaching
expos, special giveaways and surprises. Local needlearts and baseball fans, guilds

Manhattan, New York - August 17, 2007 – Have you ever wondered why people who craft yarn into garments always seem to be smiling and happy? It turns out that the repetitive actions needed for knitting and crochet can bring the mind and body to a state called a "relaxation response" that is quite similar to what people experience with techniques such as repetitive prayer, yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, and other relaxation disciplines. Research at the Harvard Medical School Mind/Body Institute has found that when an individual is knitting her heart rate can drop 11 beats a minute and her blood pressure drops as well. These results can have significant health benefits for people who knit and crochet.

Little is known of crotchet's early history. It seems likely that the earliest crochet was made using fingers, rather than the hooks used today. There are theories that crochet could have existed as early as 1500 BC, as part of nun’s work, which included needlepoint lace and bobbin lace.

There are three main theories for the origin of crochet. Some believe that it originated in Arabia and spread eastward to Tibet and then westward to Spain, finally following the Arab trade routes to other Mediterranean countries. Alternatively, it’s thought to have originated in South America, where a primitive tribe used crochet adornments in puberty rites. Another alternative stems from the fact that in China, early examples were known of dolls worked in crochet.