7 TIPS FOR CROCHET BEGINNERS
By Whittingham Thomas on Oct 03, 2023
Learning a new skill is always a challenge. If you’ve decided it’s time to learn to crochet, you’ve come to the right place. We have everything you need to learn the craft (yarn, hooks, patterns, and tips from the experts). Here are our top 7 tips for people new to crochet:
1. Keep your stitches relaxed and loose.
It’s totally natural to feel tense when you are learning something new. The more complicated the stitch you learn, the tighter you will tend to hold your hook. Fight that urge, take a deep breath, and keep your stitches relaxed and loose. The looser the stitches, the more easily you’ll be able to insert your hook, and the easier the process will be!
2. Practice, practice, practice.
Read the pattern you want to make beforehand. If you see it lists a stitch you haven’t tried before (single crochet, double crochet, shell stitches), grab your hook and yarn and practice a few of these before you start your project. By the time you reach that stitch in the pattern, you’ll feel totally comfortable executing the stitch with ease.
Pro tip: Most patterns recommend making a “gauge swatch”, which is usually a square swatch about 4” x 4”. Practice your new stitches while you are making the gauge swatch to perfect your technique, and also to make sure you are making the project to the correct size. (See #5 for more about gauge!)
3. Try different tools.
If you’re just getting started, it might be worth investing in a few different hooks to try. If you’re struggling to catch the loop on your hook, you might need a hook with a deeper bowl or mouth. If inserting your hook into the stitch isn’t going well for you, you might need a hook with a pointier head. A different hook might make all the difference.
4. Try different Yarns.
Typically, a worsted weight yarn that is smooth and doesn’t tend to split is best for beginners (we recommend Brava Worsted). But everyone has a different preference. Feel free to try out different yarns, we have plenty for you to try!
5. Learn about gauge.
Avoid this common beginner mistake. Gauge matters! Gauge tells you how many stitches and how many rows of your stitch pattern should fit in a certain amount of inches. Every pattern should have this listed. If you want your finished project to match the photos you see or fit a certain size, you will need your gauge to match what is listed in the pattern. A lot of people skip this step, and sometimes end up with a hat large enough to make a chair cover. Learn about gauge early, it will pay off later!
6. To frog, or not to frog, you decide!
What’s frogging? It’s when you “rip-it” out (get it? Rip it, ribbit? Frog?) If you have a lot of attention to detail and you recognize a mistake a few rows back, it might be worth frogging it back and fixing the mistake (it will bug you forever). If it’s not a noticeable mistake, decide if you want to go back and fix it. Everyone has a different preference. Don’t feel guilty about your choice.
7. Don't be too hard on yourself.
Mistakes happen. Even the most talented and detail-oriented crocheters make mistakes in their work. Nobody has a perfect first project (or first 10 projects). Don’t beat yourself up over mistakes. Be proud of learning something new and know that you’ll improve with time.
