If you’re on the hunt for a new hobby, look no further! Crocheting is the perfect mix of relaxing, fun, and productive. While it’s similar to knitting, it is much easier to learn and just as versatile; you can make almost anything.
Supplies
When you’re in the beginning stages of learning, fancy is unnecessary, Walmart will do just fine. You will need yarn, a crochet hook, scissors, and stitch markers (optional). A worsted-weight yarn (labelled as #4 on the packaging) is best for beginners because its medium size and light weight make it easy to work with. Acrylic and cotton yarns are quite cheap and easy to work with, but avoid thick, fluffy, or textured yarns because it can be difficult to see your stitches. Hook size correlates to yarn size, but typically you should use a 5mm (H-8) or 6mm (10-J) hook, as these are the most versatile. Stitch markers are optional but useful to keep track of your starting stitch, often used by beginners or in larger projects.
Stitches
There are only a few important stitches to learn for beginner projects: the slip knot, chain, single crochet, double crochet, and slip stitch. Each of these stitches has a different purpose—slip knots begin a project, chains are the foundation of a project, single crochet is the most common and easiest stitch, double crochet is common in bigger projects, and slip stitches join each round.
Tutorials and Patterns
There are countless free crochet patterns online, but as a beginner, it is almost always easier to watch an online tutorial rather than follow a written pattern. Some of my favourite YouTubers with clear, easy-to-follow tutorials include SimplyDaisy, Emma P Crochet, and The Turtle Trunk. If it’s the case that none of these tutorials work for you, search on YouTube for some others until you find one you like—there are so many crocheters with all different niches out there!
Beginner Friendly Projects
After you’ve spent some time playing around with stitches and you have a better feeling of how to do them, you can start out on your first project. There are so many options for a beginner-friendly project. A dishcloth is easy and useful, you can make a cozy scarf for the winter, and a simple granny square is straightforward and will be important in many projects to come!
Common Mistakes
One of the most common mistakes to avoid is rounded sides on a project that is supposed to have straight edges. This usually happens because people forget to chain one at the end of every row. Another common mistake is stitches that are too tight or too loose, this can ruin the texture of a project. Avoid tight or loose stitches by keeping a consistent medium grip on your yarn and hook. Adding and losing stitches is a big issue for beginners, so make sure you keep count of your stitches—this is where stitch markers can come in handy!
Crocheting is a fun and relaxing hobby that anyone can learn with only a little practice and patience. After mastering the basic stitches you’ll build the skills and confidence to take on more challenging projects. As you become more comfortable you can experiment with different yarns, hooks, and techniques, and eventually create complex and beautiful projects like blankets and sweaters. So grab your hook and yarn, and start stitching—there’s no limit on what you can create!