Welcome to the wonderful world of crochet! If you’re asking “How Can I Learn To Crochet?”, you’ve come to the right place. Crochet is a fantastic craft, incredibly accessible and enjoyable, allowing you to create a wide array of projects once you master the basics. From cozy blankets to stylish accessories, the possibilities are endless. The beauty of crochet lies in its simplicity: you primarily need a hook and yarn to begin. Starting your crochet journey involves familiarizing yourself with holding the hook and yarn, creating a slip knot, and crocheting a chain – and you’re well on your way! This guide will also introduce you to the single crochet, one of the foundational crochet stitches.
When I first started learning to crochet, I relied heavily on online video tutorials. Watching numerous YouTube videos helped me visualize the process and ensure I was doing it correctly. Like many beginners, I was eager for my projects to mirror the flawless examples I saw. Remember, practice is key! Creating sample squares is an excellent way to get comfortable with holding your hook and yarn, and to understand yarn tension. Don’t be discouraged if you end up with a stack of squares; these can be sewn together to make a charming patchwork blanket!
This written tutorial is designed to guide you through the initial steps of crochet. We will cover how to hold your crochet hook and yarn, how to make a slip knot, how to crochet a chain, how to execute a single crochet stitch, and finally, how to finish off your work and weave in the ends. Let’s get started on your crochet adventure!
Getting Ready: What You’ll Need
The essentials for starting your crochet journey are yarn, a crochet hook of the recommended size for your yarn, scissors, and a yarn needle (also known as a darning needle).
For beginners, I highly recommend starting with a thicker yarn. Thicker yarn is easier to handle and allows you to see your stitches more clearly, which is incredibly helpful when you are just learning how to crochet. Always check the yarn label for the recommended hook size.
But how do you decipher yarn labels when you’re yarn shopping? Yarn labels contain crucial information, including the yarn weight indicated by a number. This number is key to selecting the right yarn and hook size.
This image shows a typical yarn label indicating yarn weight. For beginners, look for yarn labeled size 4 or larger – these are typically medium to bulky weights.
Yarn labels usually specify the recommended crochet hook size. For a size 4 medium weight yarn, a 5.5mm (or size I-9) crochet hook is generally recommended. This information is also usually found on the yarn label, often represented by both metric (mm) and US sizes.
Holding Your Crochet Hook: Finding Your Grip
There’s no single “correct” way to hold a crochet hook. Comfort is key, and what feels natural to you is often the best method. However, two common grips are widely used: the knife hold and the pencil hold.
Knife Hold
Pencil Hold
I personally prefer the knife hold as it feels more natural and comfortable for me, providing a good balance of control and ease of movement. However, the best way to find out which grip works for you is to try both and see which one feels more comfortable and gives you better control. Experiment and choose the hold that suits your hand best!
Making a Slip Knot: The First Step
Before we learn how to hold the yarn, we need to create a slip knot and place it on your hook. The slip knot is the foundation of most crochet projects. It’s the loop that starts everything off. While most patterns assume you know how to make one and won’t explicitly instruct you, mastering the slip knot is essential. For projects like amigurumi (crochet toys), patterns might start with a “magic circle,” but for now, let’s focus on the slip knot.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to making a slip knot:
- Start by measuring out approximately 3 inches of yarn tail. Hold the yarn in your non-dominant hand, using three fingers (ring finger, middle finger, and thumb) to secure it. Extend your index finger outward, almost like you’re making a finger gun! 🙂
- Wrap the working yarn (the yarn attached to the ball) over your index finger once, bringing the short tail end to the front of your finger.
- Wrap the working yarn around your index finger again, so you now have two yarn loops around your finger.
- Secure both yarn ends – the short tail and the long working yarn – with your thumb and middle finger. This will hold the loops in place while you manipulate them.
- Take the back loop (the loop further away from your fingertip) and pull it over the front loop, but don’t pull it off your finger completely just yet.
- Now, take the back loop again and pull it completely off your finger. Then, gently tighten the knot by pulling on both the tail and the working yarn. Ensure the knot is snug but not overly tight; you want it to be able to slide easily on your hook.
Ta-da! You’ve successfully made your first slip knot!
Next, insert your crochet hook into the slip knot loop. Pull on the working yarn to tighten the loop around the hook. Make sure the short tail end of the yarn is facing towards the hook’s throat (the curved part of the hook).
Holding Your Yarn: Maintaining Tension
Alright, we’ve learned how to hold your hook and create a slip knot. Now, let’s delve into how to hold your yarn. Exciting, isn’t it? 🙂
The way you hold your yarn is crucial as it directly impacts your tension – how tight or loose your stitches are. Whether you are right-handed or left-handed, the key is to keep your yarn hand relaxed. The yarn should flow smoothly, neither too tight nor too loose, to create even stitches.
Again, there’s no single right way, and personal preference plays a big role. This is how I typically hold my yarn:
- With your slip knot on the hook held in your dominant hand (hook hand), take the working yarn in your non-dominant hand (yarn hand). Place the yarn between your middle finger and index finger, coming from the back of your hand to the front.
- Wrap the yarn around your pinky finger, guiding it from the front to the back of your pinky.
- Bring the yarn back up to the front of your hand and wrap it around the back of your index finger. This creates a loop around your index finger, which helps control the yarn tension.
Experiment with different ways of wrapping the yarn around your fingers to find what gives you the most comfortable and consistent tension. The goal is for the yarn to flow smoothly and evenly as you crochet. Ultimately, the best method is the one that feels most comfortable and allows you to crochet with consistent tension.
Making a Chain: The Foundation Row
You’ve made excellent progress! Crocheting your first chain might initially feel a bit awkward, but with practice, it will become second nature.
With your slip knot on your hook, secure the slip knot with your thumb and middle finger, holding it close to the hook. This gives you control and stability as you form the chain stitches.
- To make a chain stitch, bring the yarn over your hook from back to front. This is called a “yarn over” (yo). Catch the yarn in the hook.
- Pull the hooked yarn through the slip knot loop that’s already on your hook. This completes your first chain stitch.
And there you have it – your very first chain stitch! Yay! Repeat this “yarn over and pull through” step to create a chain. For practice, continue making chain stitches until you have a chain of 21 stitches. Remember, the loop currently on your hook doesn’t count as a chain stitch. Your chain should look something like this:
When crocheting a chain, remember that consistent practice is essential. Aim for a chain that is loose enough so you can easily see the loops or “Vs” of each stitch. If your chain is too tight, you’ll find it difficult to work into it in the next row. If you are struggling with tight chains, try switching to a slightly larger hook size, which will naturally make your chain looser.
Examining Your Chain: Understanding Stitch Anatomy
Let’s take a closer look at your chain stitches. Understanding the anatomy of a chain is crucial for working into it correctly in subsequent rows. The image below highlights how to count your chain stitches and where to insert your hook for the next row.
Still Feeling a Bit Lost? 🙂
For a more dynamic learning experience, I’ve created a detailed video tutorial on YouTube that covers everything we’ve discussed 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 to stay updated on new video tutorials and crochet tips!
The Single Crochet Stitch: Your First Basic Stitch
Now, let’s move on to learning the single crochet stitch! This is one of the most fundamental crochet stitches and a great starting point for beginners.
For a visual demonstration, you can also check out my YouTube tutorial on the single crochet stitch: Click here to watch!
As you work along your chain, keep an eye on how I hold the chain between my middle finger and thumb. Use your fingers to gently move your work down the chain as you create new stitches, maintaining control and even tension.
- To begin single crocheting, skip the first chain stitch from the hook (this is because the loop on your hook already counts as part of the stitch). 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 will now have two loops on your hook.
- Yarn over again (yo – bring the yarn over your hook from back to front) and pull the yarn through both loops that are on your hook. Only one loop will remain on your hook. You have just completed your first single crochet stitch!
- Continue to make single crochet stitches into each chain stitch down the entire foundation chain. If you started with 21 chains, you should make 20 single crochet stitches in total (remember, you skipped the first chain). Your row of single crochet stitches should look something like this, with 20 single crochets across:
Moving to the Next Row: Building Your Crochet Fabric
- To start crocheting the next row on top of your first row of single crochet, you need to make a “chain one” (ch 1). This is done by simply yarning over and pulling through the loop on your hook, just like making a chain stitch. This chain 1 acts as a “turning chain”. The turning chain helps to bring the yarn up to the correct height for the next row and keeps the edges of your work straight.
- Turn your work. It’s important to turn your work in the same direction each time (either always clockwise or always counter-clockwise) to maintain consistency in your stitch direction.
- To continue crocheting down the row, insert your hook into the first single crochet stitch of the previous row. Look closely; you’ll see that this is the stitch right next to the chain 1 turning chain.
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Notice in the picture above how each single crochet stitch looks like a “V” at the top. For standard single crochet, you should insert your hook under both the front and back loops of this “V”.
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Yarn over and pull through the stitch. You will have two loops on your hook.
- Yarn over again and pull through both loops on your hook. This completes your single crochet stitch in the second row.
And that’s essentially it! You can now crochet! If you’re using this square as a practice piece, you can now learn how to finish off and weave in the ends. Below are instructions on how to do just that!
Finishing Off and Weaving in the Ends: Securing Your Work
Cutting the yarn and securing your work, often called “finishing off,” can be a satisfying step – almost as satisfying as seeing your finished crochet project!
Crochet patterns often use the abbreviation “FO” for “Finish Off,” which means to cut your yarn and secure the last loop to prevent unraveling. Here’s how to finish off and weave in the ends:
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 be about an inch long.
Keeping the loop on your hook, lay down your crochet work and measure about 2 inches of yarn from the hook. Cut the yarn at this 2-inch mark.
Now, take your hook and pull the cut yarn completely through the loop, drawing the end of the yarn through the loop and creating a knot. Pull the tail to tighten the knot securely.
Weaving in the Ends: Hiding Yarn Tails
To weave in the ends, thread the yarn tail through the eye of a yarn needle (darning needle).
Pull the yarn through the needle, leaving enough tail to hold onto.
I usually insert the needle into the back of the first stitch of the bottom row to begin weaving in the end.
Insert the needle through the top of the stitch downward, making sure to only go through the one side of your work and not all the way to the front.
Pull the needle through, but not too tightly, as you don’t want to distort or curl your work.
Weave the needle back into the bottom row, inserting it where your yarn tail initially emerged.
Pull the needle through again, ensuring you’re not pulling too tightly.
Remove the needle from the yarn and cut the yarn tail close to your crochet work. If a tiny piece of the tail still peeks out, gently stretch the row a little until it disappears into the stitches.
And there you have it! 🙂
You can now continue practicing the single crochet stitch by making more squares, which you can later join together to create a blanket or throw.
In conclusion, I genuinely enjoyed creating this tutorial for you! If you have any questions, 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 patterns! Also, subscribe to my newsletter to receive the latest tutorials and, best of all, free patterns!
I look forward to seeing you in the next tutorial!
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