Crocheting with the Force

So, let’s start this off by mentioning I’m a seasoned art teacher who’s extremely crafty and can basically figure out anything with good instructions and supplies. However, one thing I’ve never learned (and not for lack of trying) is crocheting and knitting. I’ve bought books, I’ve watched videos, and have created nothing but a tangled mess of string and pointy, steel weapons for my cats to bat around the house. When the opportunity to review Star Wars Crochet came up, I was all hero-with-a-cape-standing-in-the-breeze! I shall take on this challenge, learn to crochet, and create adorable, pint-size Star Wars characters while doing it!

Well, I was off to a poor poor start....

Word of advice, I re-rolled all the yarn just a few minutes into attempting this because the yarn looks so pretty in the box, but was like a Venus Flytrap slowly trying to eat your arm after a few tries. There may be a trick to keeping your string organized, but I’m a complete noob and clearly don’t know the secret. Once I was able to untangle myself, I tried to follow the first few steps. And failed. Terribly. Over and over and over. The directions go from 0 to 60 in three steps. It starts simple enough with a simple loop thread, catch with needle, pull through, and, as a beginner, I thought I might be able to follow. However, the instructions immediately start using initials and terminology in the patterns and lost me pretty quick. 

But I was still determined! After quite a few knotted stitches, I turned to YouTube. I watched a 3 minute video of somebody on YouTube making crochet sushi for about half an hour over and over doing the basic stitch - the standard single crochet. Then I took the string and just started trying to do what she did. An hour or so in, I had basically nothing, but I had figured out how a single crochet stitch worked. Now to just figure out all the other terms and counting! Apparently, the patterns are all created by picking up and dropping stitches to have the right number of rounds and stitches. Who would have thought?

I am proud to say though, after a few hours of practice, I was able to create at least a little something. I gave up for the night and came back the next day. I quickly learned why you need a stitch marker though. I attached a paperclip to my first stitch of the round, went around the appropriate number of stitches and was magically on my way to creating a character! I haven’t quite finished my Yoda yet, but I am definitely capable at this point.

My technique could use some work, my stitches are sloppy, and it takes me forever to get just a handful done, but I’m getting there and it’s thanks to my proverbial carrot, STAR WARS CROCHET! I want to create cute Star Wars characters and I love SW. I imagine it would work the same for any type of crocheting kit they sell. Thunder Bay Press makes a handful of these types of kits, from Peanuts to Disney to Wizard of Oz. 

Find one you truly love and motivate yourself to learn. If you are an experienced crocheter, the patterns are adorable. Included with the kit is yarn and supplies to make Yoda and a Stormtrooper, but you can go beyond this with the provided patterns from the droids, Leia, Luke, Han, Chewie, Vader, Boba Fett, Jabba and Wicket. Go out there and start crocheting, geeks! If I can learn after two decades of trying to figure it out, anybody can! May the Force and yarn be with you.