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Knitting and Crochet: From First Stitches to Selling Your Work in South Africa

Hybrid Learning Solutions · e-book

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About this book

A practical, South African guide to knitting and crochet by hand, from the very first stitches to finished beanies, scarves, blankets, jerseys and toys, and to selling what you make. Twelve chapters follow a beginner in Tembisa who crochets beanies on the taxi to work and sells them, a lifelong knitter in George knitting jerseys for a church project and teaching her grandson, and a maker in Athlone who crochets baby blankets and toys to order for her market stall, with advice from a retired knitting co-operative leader in Pietermaritzburg: knitting and crochet compared and a comfortable place to work; yarn fibres, weights, ball bands, needles and hooks; casting on, knit, purl, garter, stocking stitch and rib, and casting off; chains, single, half double and double crochet and the magic ring; reading patterns, abbreviations and charts, with UK and US crochet terms side by side; tension, swatches, sizing and ease; increasing, decreasing and working in the round; first projects from a dishcloth and scarf to a beanie, granny squares and a blanket; stripes, colourwork, cables and texture; weaving in ends, blocking, seams, bands, buttonholes and care; fixing dropped stitches and other mistakes, lifelines, and looking after your hands and wrists; and costing, pricing, orders, safe toys for babies and a project plan. Every sum is worked, from the price per metre of a ball and how many balls a pattern needs to the stitches for a beanie from your own tension, spacing increases evenly, the yarn for a striped scarf, the cost price of a beanie with your time included, and a market day's real hourly earnings. Pattern copyright, toy safety, consumer law and tax are taught in general terms. 26 diagrams and photographs, worked examples, practice exercises with answers, and a project file: a maker's profile and starter kit, yarn record, knitting and crochet sample cards, pattern notes, tension record, shaping plan, project log, colour plan, finishing checklist, fix-it checklist, costing sheet and project plan, a glossary, where to get help, and 144 Exam prep questions. A Skills Series title. No yarn, needle, hook, shop or brand names are named or recommended. Lecturers: a free Facilitator Guide (session plans for a 25-hour course or shorter knitting, crochet and taster courses, safety with sharp tools, irons and hands, teaching notes and every answer) is available to colleges registered with HybridE. To register your college, contact Thandeka on 073 431 6763.

What is inside

1. Chapter 1: Getting Started
2. Chapter 2: Yarn and Tools
3. Chapter 3: Your First Knitting Stitches
4. Chapter 4: Your First Crochet Stitches
5. Chapter 5: Reading Patterns and Charts
6. Chapter 6: Tension and Sizing
7. Chapter 7: Shaping and Working in the Round
8. Chapter 8: First Projects
9. Chapter 9: Colour and Texture
10. Chapter 10: Finishing and Caring for Your Work
11. Chapter 11: Fixing Mistakes and Looking After Your Hands
12. Chapter 12: Selling Your Work and Your Project Plan
13. Appendix