Crochet and repair

Yarns of wool, cotton, silk and artificial fibres are used for knitting. Items made from pure cotton and raw yarns wear out quickly and have little elasticity, so adding synthetic yarn gives a better result. Hand knitting is done with needles or a crochet hook. Crochet begins with a simple loop: the hook tip goes between the crossing and the thread from the ball is pulled out, giving a chain loop. Successive chain loops form a chain, the base and starting row of the fabric. In a slip stitch (chala ustuncha) the hook goes into the second loop of the chain, the working yarn is hooked and pulled through that loop and the loop on the hook. In a single crochet (xomaki halqasiz, past ustuncha) there are two loops on the hook, the working yarn is hooked and pulled through both. At the end of each row an edge loop is made and the work is turned. The loops must be counted every row, or the width of the fabric changes. The hook has a point, so hold it as an adult shows and never point it at eyes or other people.