Welcome to the wonderful world of crochet! If you’re looking to Learn How To Crochet, you’ve come to the right place. Crochet is a fantastically rewarding craft that’s not only easy to pick up but also incredibly versatile. Once you master the basics, you’ll be amazed at the beautiful items you can create, from cozy blankets to stylish accessories. The key is to get comfortable with holding your hook and yarn, creating a simple slip knot, and mastering the basic chain stitch. Ready to start your crochet journey? Let’s dive in!
In my own experience, I remember being captivated by the idea of crochet but felt slightly intimidated at first. Like many beginners, I turned to online video tutorials to guide me through each step. I was determined to make my projects look just like the ones I admired in photos. The truth is, like any skill, learning to crochet takes practice. Don’t be discouraged if your first attempts aren’t perfect. Creating practice squares is an excellent way to get a feel for the hook and yarn and to understand your tension. And the best part? Even those initial squares can be joined together to make a charming blanket!
This guide will walk you through all the essential beginner steps. We’ll cover how to comfortably hold your hook and yarn, create that crucial slip knot, crochet a chain, learn the foundational single crochet stitch, and finally, how to finish off your work and weave in the ends neatly.
What You Will Need to Start Crocheting
The essentials you’ll need are yarn, a crochet hook in the recommended size for your yarn, a pair of scissors, and a yarn needle (also known as a tapestry needle or darning needle).
When you’re just starting out, I highly recommend choosing a thicker yarn. Look for yarn labels that suggest they are a ‘bulky’ or ‘chunky’ weight. These thicker yarns are easier to handle and see your stitches with. Always check the yarn label for the recommended crochet hook size.
But how do you decipher those yarn labels when you’re browsing the craft store? Yarn labels contain crucial information, including the yarn weight, indicated by a number.
This number represents the yarn weight category. For beginners, it’s best to start with yarn labeled size 4 (medium/worsted) or larger.
The yarn label will also suggest an appropriate hook size. For a size 4 medium weight yarn, you’ll typically need a crochet hook around 5.5mm (US size I-9). Following these recommendations will make your learning experience much smoother.
How to Hold Your Crochet Hook
Finding a comfortable way to hold your crochet hook is key, and there’s no single ‘right’ way! It truly comes down to personal preference and what feels most natural in your hand.
However, there are two commonly used methods for holding a crochet hook: the knife hold and the pencil hold.
Knife Hold
Pencil Hold
Personally, I find the knife hold more comfortable and intuitive. Experiment with both the knife and pencil holds to discover which grip feels best and allows you to crochet most easily. The most important thing is that you feel relaxed and in control of the hook.
How to Make a Slip Knot: The Foundation of Crochet
Before we can start crocheting, we need to create a slip knot and place it securely on your hook. The slip knot is the starting point for almost every crochet project.
Mastering the slip knot is essential because crochet patterns usually assume you know how to make one and rarely include instructions. While some advanced techniques like the magic circle offer alternative starts, for now, let’s focus on the fundamental slip knot.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to making a slip knot:
- First, measure out about 3 inches of yarn from the end. Hold the yarn in your non-dominant hand, extending your index finger like you’re making a finger gun.
- Next, wrap the yarn around your index finger once, bringing the short end to the front of your finger.
- Wrap the yarn around your finger a second time, so you now have two loops encircling your finger.
- Using your thumb and middle finger, grasp both yarn ends – the short tail and the long tail connected to your yarn ball (this long tail is known as the working yarn).
- Now, carefully take the back loop and pull it over the front loop, but don’t pull it completely off your finger yet.
- Finally, take the back loop and pull it completely off your finger. Tighten the knot by gently pulling both yarn ends. Ensure the knot is snug but not too tight, as it needs to slip easily on your hook.
Ta-da! You’ve successfully made your first slip knot!
Now, insert your crochet hook into the slip knot loop. Pull on the working yarn (the long tail from the ball) to tighten the slip knot around the hook. Make sure the short tail end is facing towards the hook.
How to Hold Your Yarn: Maintaining Tension
Alright, we’ve mastered holding the hook and creating a slip knot. Now, let’s tackle how to hold your yarn, which is crucial for maintaining consistent tension.
Exciting, isn’t it?! Getting to this point is a big step in learning to crochet!
The way you hold your yarn directly influences your crochet tension – how tight or loose your stitches are. Whether you’re right-handed or left-handed, the key is to keep your yarn hand relaxed. Avoid holding the yarn too tightly or too loosely. Finding the right balance is key to even stitches.
Again, yarn holding is largely personal preference, but here’s the method I find works well:
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With your slip knot already on your hook (held in your dominant hand), position the yarn in your non-dominant hand. Place the yarn strand between your middle and index finger.
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Wrap the yarn around your pinky finger, bringing it back up to the front of your index finger. Then, wrap it around the back of your index finger.
Experiment with different ways to wrap the yarn around your fingers to find what allows the yarn to flow smoothly and consistently as you crochet. Comfort and ease of yarn flow are the ultimate goals.
How to Crochet a Chain: The First Row
You’ve made fantastic progress! Crocheting your first chain might feel a little awkward at first, but with practice, it will become second nature.
With your slip knot on your hook and yarn held comfortably, secure the slip knot with your thumb and middle finger, positioning them close to the hook.
- To make a chain stitch, bring the yarn over your hook from back to front (this is called a ‘yarn over’ or ‘yo’). Catch the yarn with your hook.
- Now, pull the hooked yarn through the slip knot loop that’s already on your hook.
And just like that, you’ve made your first chain stitch! Congratulations!! Repeat this ‘yarn over and pull through’ step until you have made a chain of 21 stitches. Remember, the loop currently on your hook does not count as a chain stitch. Your chain should look something like this:
For crocheting chains, practice is truly key. Aim for chains that are loose enough so you can easily see the spaces between the stitches. If your chains are too tight, you’ll find it difficult to work into them in the next steps. If you’re struggling with tight chains, try switching to a slightly larger hook size. This will naturally create looser stitches.
Let’s Examine Your Chain Stitches
The image below provides a closer look at your chain stitches and shows you how to count them. Understanding the anatomy of a chain is important for working into it correctly in the next step, the single crochet stitch.
Still feeling a bit confused? No worries!
I’ve created a helpful video tutorial on YouTube that visually demonstrates everything we’ve covered so far in a quick 8-minute video! Click here to watch!
Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the notification bell so you’ll be alerted whenever I upload new crochet tutorials!
The Single Crochet Stitch: Your First Basic Stitch
Okay, now for the exciting part – learning the single crochet stitch! This is one of the most fundamental crochet stitches and a building block for countless projects.
For a visual guide, you can also check out my YouTube tutorial on the single crochet stitch here: Single Crochet Video Tutorial.
Pay attention to how I hold the chain with my middle finger and thumb as I work. As you crochet down the chain, adjust your grip, moving your fingers along to maintain control and ease.
- To begin the single crochet row, skip the first chain stitch from your hook (this is the stitch closest to the hook) and insert your hook into the center of the second chain stitch from the hook.
- Yarn over (yo – bring the yarn over your hook from back to front) and pull the yarn through the chain stitch and up onto your hook. You should now have two loops on your hook.
- Yarn over again (yo), and this time, pull the yarn through both loops on your hook. One loop will remain on your hook – you’ve just completed your first single crochet stitch!
- Continue making single crochet stitches in each chain stitch across the foundation chain. If you started with 21 chains, you should make 20 single crochet stitches across. Your row of single crochet stitches should look something like this, with a total of 20 single crochet stitches:
Moving on to the Next Row:
- To begin crocheting the next row on top of your single crochet row, you need to make a ‘chain 1’. To do this, yarn over and pull through the loop on your hook. This chain 1 is called the ‘turning chain’. The turning chain helps ensure the edges of your crochet work stay straight.
- Now, turn your work. It’s important to turn your work the same way each time (either clockwise or counter-clockwise). Consistency in turning direction helps maintain even edges.
- To continue crocheting down this new row, insert your hook into the very first single crochet stitch of the previous row. Look closely; this is the single crochet stitch right next to the chain 1 turning chain you just made.
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Notice in the picture above how the stitch looks like a ‘V’. For standard single crochet, you should insert your hook under both loops of this ‘V’ – through both the front and back loops of the stitch.
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Yarn over and pull through the stitch. You’ll have two loops on your hook.
- Yarn over once more and pull through both loops on your hook. You’ve completed a single crochet stitch in the second row!
And that’s it! You can now single crochet! If you’re practicing with a sample square, you can now learn how to finish off your work and weave in the yarn ends for a neat finish. Let’s learn how to do that next!
Finish Off and Weave in the Ends: Completing Your Work
Cutting the yarn to finish your project can be surprisingly satisfying, second only to admiring your finished creation!
Crochet patterns often use the abbreviation ‘FO’ or say ‘Finish off’, which simply means to cut your yarn and secure the last loop to prevent unraveling. Here’s how to finish off and weave in your ends with photo guidance (it’s truly easy!):
At the end of your last row, yarn over as if you were making a chain 1.
Pull the loop on your hook out to about an inch in length.
Keeping the loop on your hook, lay your work down and measure about 2 inches of yarn from the loop. Cut the yarn at this 2-inch mark.
Now, use your hook to pull the cut yarn tail completely through the loop on your hook. Pull firmly to tighten the knot.
Weaving in the Ends for a Neat Finish
To weave in the yarn tail, thread the yarn tail through the eye of your yarn needle.
Pull enough yarn through the needle eye so you have a good length to work with.
I usually start by inserting the needle from the back of the first stitch of the bottom row to bring the yarn tail to the back of your work.
Insert the needle under the top loops of the stitches, going downwards, being careful not to poke through to the front side of your work.
Pull the needle through, but not too tightly – you don’t want to distort or curl your crochet fabric.
Weave the needle back in the opposite direction, inserting it close to where the yarn tail emerged previously.
Pull the needle through again, keeping the tension even.
Remove the needle from the yarn tail and cut the yarn very close to your crochet work. If a tiny piece still peeks out, gently stretch the row to help it disappear into the stitches.
And that’s all there is to it! 🙂
Now you can continue practicing the single crochet stitch by making more squares. These squares can be joined together to create beautiful projects like blankets or throws.
In conclusion, I truly hope you enjoyed this beginner tutorial on how to crochet. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to leave a comment below. And don’t forget to follow me on all my social media platforms for more crochet inspiration and tutorials! Subscribe to my newsletter to get updates on the newest tutorials and, best of all, free crochet patterns!
I look forward to seeing you in the next tutorial!
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