Crochet

I found out to my great enthusiasm that there's a lot of different crochet techniques I have never even heard of. :-D At Annie's Attic there's a crochet poll: "Of the crochet techniques you have already mastered, which is your favorite?" The alternatives given are these:

Aran Crochet
Broomstick Lace
Celtic Crochet
Crochenit
Crochet ‘N’ Weave
Crochet on the Double
Cro-Tat
Easy Tunisian
Filet Crochet
Hairpin Lace
Irish Crochet
Join-As-You-Go
Magic Square
Tunisian

Now, I know what broomstick lace, hairpin lace, filet crochet, Irish crochet and Tunisian or Afghan crochet is, and I suppose "join as you go" crochet is what the name says... but what is "crochet 'n' weave"?

So I started finding out what is Aran crochet. Sounds pretty straight forward, a crochet version of Aran knitting, and that is what it also is.
But I found this list: "Crochet with Dee; Types and Techniques"

106 different types and techniques THIS FAR...

Oh my... Can you see my eyes are shining? So much to learn!!!

I bumbed into a term "camel crochet". Sounds interesting... what's that then?
Obviously someone has trademarked a stitch or technique... I'm 100% sure of that they haven't invented the stitch, as people have been crocheting for hundreds of years, and they pretty much have experimented with everything already - they had a lot of time during the Victorian times, and women were exactly as industrious, initiative, creative and imaginative as they are today. Also, at that time they weren't "allowed" to do much more than pour all that power into fiber crafts. So - I'm going to ignore "camel stitch" or "camel crochet" from now on.

Annie's Attic's free pattern for today was Celtic crochet bookmark. Very pretty thing. And I love the idea of crocheting the Celtic knotwork :-) I love Celtic knotwork :-)
Here's Yarn Crazy Girl's first attempt at this technique :-)

Then there's "easy" tunisian crochet, which seems to be tunisian crochet with really big needle. Now it seems to be a business idea of Christmas family, and that I can respect and support, because they aren't being secretive and stingy about it. Who ever could have come up with the same idea - no-one else did. So all honor to Carolyn Christmas :-)
Reminds me of Purl's "Knit & Plenty". Simple business idea but no-one else did it before she did. So go there and support her business. She's worth it.
(Edited 2010 - both companies seem to have been shut down, for some reason. I don't know what has happened. But google with "knit & plenty" and you'll probably find what I'm talking about. I suppose Ravelry made her business unnecessary, even though I think she had a very good idea and people were loving it.)

Crochenit seems to be sort of Tunisian crochet, but it's done with double-hooked needle, and that gives it a whole new dimension. Also, it uses freely all kinds of stitches to create different patterns and fabriques. It's basically the same as "Cro-on-the-Double".

Annie's Attic has very nice instructions and how-to's by which to learn and practice most of the different crochet techniques.

Crochet-n-weave is also not strange - you create a net and then you insert crocheted "weave". I saw a very pretty bathroom mat made with this method. I'm a weaver and know a lot of different... er... I don't know what they are called. Bindings, perhaps. This reminds me a little of the paper strip weaving I loved when I was a kid.

Then there's another "let's blend two different fiber craft techniques" crochet called cro-tat ro crochet tatting. Making tatting patterns with crochet hook and techniques.

Magic Squares: Basically, double potholder, like this one: 4th of July Potholder (Just change the blue to green, and voilà, you have a pretty Christmas Potholder...)

Yeah... People keep renaming old things, and disappointing me. 106? Nah... not even half of that. But - well... one shouldn't be expecting too much. I did find out about techniques I didn't know about. I haven't done Celtic crochet before, and it will be fun to learn. Also interlacing filet crochet sounds great. Every new thing to learn is a gift and precious, and should be appreciated. But it's like hearing that I won in a lottery to find out that I won 10 dollars. *sigh*

Never mind... I'll get over it ;-)