I have gotten so many requests from my readers for crochet tutorials. I am planning on making some eventually, but I’m not really sure how to go about it. I’m also not certain what kind of things you’d like to learn, so for now I’ve decided to just put together this post for those of you who have never crocheted but would like to learn.
I began learning to crochet about five years ago. My mother taught me how to do a few basic stitches and then started me off on a Granny Square blanket. I worked on that blanket for a while, then I got bored and forgot about it. This time last year, I decided that I was keen to pick up my hook and start learning again. I quickly built up my skill set and I’ve been trying bigger and more adventurous projects as time has passed. I’ve also gotten to the point where I can create my own patterns and modify existing patterns to produce unique results.
I personally prefer crocheting to knitting. I find that with crochet, it’s easier to backtrack if you make a mistake, so I feel more confident trying adventurous projects or techniques. If you muck it up, it’s a breeze to just go back and fix it. You don’t have to stress about ruining your whole project if you make one little mistake.
Today I’m going to talk about the absolute basics of crochet. If you want to learn this fun craft, this is the place to start.
What will I need to begin crocheting?
Ultimately, you will need two things: yarn and a hook.
When choosing yarn, I think it’s best to go for 8 ply acrylic yarn. At least while you’re a beginner, acrylic yarn is the easiest to work with, it’s washable and it produces great results. It’s also nice and cheap, so you won’t have to spend a lot of money on your new hobby. Once you’ve got a bit more experience, you can try some fancier yarns, but for now, 8ply acrylic is your best bet.
You can be less choosy when it comes to buying hooks. Most craft stores will sell crochet hooks in a range of sizes and materials. When I first started crocheting, I found it easiest to work with a plastic hook. The plastic hooks are smooth, so the yarn slips over them easily. They’re also not quite as rigid as metal hooks, which can be tough on your fingers when you’re just learning. But it really does come down to personal preference.
To begin with, I’d buy a pack of about five crochet hooks in varying sizes. These packs are pretty easy to find and aren’t expensive. The set in the picture above was my first set of crochet hooks and it cost me about $4. The smallest hook is 4mm and the largest is 6.5mm. This is a good range of sizes because these are the most commonly used hook sizes. As you become more experienced, you might want to invest in some larger or smaller hooks for specific projects.
What do I need to know?
When you first learn to crochet, you don’t need too many skills. I think it’s best to start out learning the most basic techniques and building up your knowledge slowly. I think that the most basic things you need to know to begin with are:
– How to hold your yarn and hook
– A slip knot
– A slip stitch.
– Single crochet stitch
– Double crochet stitch
– Chain stitch.
There are a lot of other crochet stitches, but most of them build on these basic techniques. So if you master these, you’ll be able to pick up anything else pretty quickly.
I’m a very visual person, and I find it difficult to learn new stitches from pictures in a book. I think that the easiest way to learn is by watching videos of people actually doing the stitches. Whenever I need to learn a new stitch, I go to Youtube and search for a video demonstration. I’ve linked to a video tutorial for each of the most basic stitches listed above to give you a head start.
I want to make something right now! What’s a good project to start with?
It’s best to begin with something relatively simple. For beginners, a project that uses only a few stitches and is quite repetitive is a good place to start. You don’t want to begin with a project that’s too involved. Here are a couple of projects that I made when I was new to crochet.
– Fingerless gloves are a quick project that you can whip up in an afternoon. This pattern is simple and easy to master.
– Granny squares are simple and you can use loads of fun colours to make them stand out. This pattern shows you how to start a granny square. You can make them into potholders or keep adding rows to make a huge blanket.
– One of my first crochet projects was this bobble blanket from The Nearsighted Owl. Now, I know the idea of making a blanket is daunting, but this is actually a great beginner project. It’s repetitive, uses only a few stitches and doesn’t require any fancy finishing techniques.
So by now I’ll bet you’re all ready to start working on your first crochet project. I wish you the best of luck and all the encouragement in the world. It takes a little bit to master crocheting, but soon you’ll feel confident enough to try a more difficult project, or even create your own pattern.
If you’ve got any questions about crocheting, or requests for tutorials, please feel encouraged to get in touch with me.
