What to do with your old t-shirts.

The workshop I did with Phil in Barcelona got me enthusiastic about learning how to crochet. After a month I had forgotten about everything I learned that evening, so I decided to organize a workshop here in Rotterdam to get some more practice. It was a small but cosy group of us. I initially thought we would figure how to do it ourselves, there are plenty of videos and blogs about it on internet. But Katja happens to be a crochet super-pro who taught us all very patiently and kindly. Thank you so much, Katja! 

Her crocheting experiments deserve a separate post on this blog. I was very impressed. 

First you need to cut up your old t-shirt in a spiral, to get a long, thin piece of fabric. The seams are a bit annoying, but you'll have to be into a scruffy look while crocheting old t-shirts. Critina cut thinner strips than
me, which makes the structure of the stitches more visible and dainty, but you advance a bit slower than with thicker pieces of fabric. 

Katja teaching us how to start off. (You get a peek of her crochet experiments on the left). 

This is how the string / fabric should be looped around your hand when starting. 

Carmen's first stitches!

Katja could crochet blindfolded. She made this in about 2 minutes. 

Giggle-giggle.

Cristina's crocheting coming along nicely (until it started going wild).

Carmen used a different kind of fabric that threaded a bit. I thought it looked nice, it had a little red halo of threads!

Figuring out what we can use our crocheting for. 

Crispis' crocheting gone wild and wavy!

My unfinished little basket made with Simon's old t-shirts. Thank you, Simon!

Cristina decided to undo her wild little crocheted piece and give it a second go when she got
home and... voila! A lovely little basket to keep little treasures!

Here are some very clear crochet instructions for beginners. Numbered in Comic Sans. Thanks, Phil!