A Beginner’s Guide to Crocheting

Have you been longing to find a new hobby to take up your time? Do you want to be able to create your own clothing or accessories from scratch? Are you looking for a way to wind down and relax? If you answered yes to any of these, you might want to make crocheting your new pastime! Getting the hang of this craft can be a bit overwhelming at first—that’s why VALLEY has curated a guide on how to crochet and where to begin if you are new to it.

For any crochet project, some of the most essential materials and tools include:

Yarn

There are various kinds of yarn differing from the material they are made from. The three best types to use if you are a beginner would be wool, cotton and acrylic. A helpful tip is to use a darker colored yarn when you are first learning so that while crocheting, you can count and see your stitches more clearly.

Crochet Hooks

Crochet hooks come in all different sizes. Each size of a hook corresponds to different types of yarn. When you purchase yarn, the packaging will inform you what hook will work best for it.

This crochet hook set is perfect for beginners because it includes a wide range of 14 different sized hooks that will work for any project and material of yarn you choose. Each hook also has a grip bottom which helps prevent sore hands while crocheting.

Scissors

You will need these to cut and trim yarn throughout crocheting. If you do not have sewing scissors, regular ones work well, too.

Getting Started

Once you have your tools ready, you will want to learn a few basic stitches.

Slip Knot

The following stitches will allow you to make things such as blankets, hats, scarves, tote bags and much more.

1. Wrap yarn around hook making a loop.
2. Twist loop around the hook, making the yarn cross underneath the hook.
3. Put yarn over hook.
4. Pull yarn that was pulled over through the loop made in Step 2.
5. Tighten slip knot by pulling on the leading end of the yarn.

The main use of the slip knot is that it secures your work to the hook. The beginning of all projects must start here. You will need a slip knot before beginning to chain stitch.

Chain Stitch

1. Make a slipknot (see the previous stitch for directions)
2. Put yarn over crochet hook.
3. Pull the yarn over through the loop.
4. Continue steps 2 and 3 until the desired chain length.

When following a pattern, this stitch will be abbreviated as Ch.

Single Crochet

1. Once the chain (see the previous stitch for directions) is at the desired length, turn the chain and insert the hook through the first V-shaped chain.
2. Put yarn over hook and pull through both chains.
3. 2 loops should be left on the hook.
4. Put yarn over crochet hook.
5. Pull through the remaining 2 loops.
6. Repeat steps until the last remaining chain stitch.
7. Single crochet into the last chain, chain one and then turn work.
8. Repeat these steps until the desired length.

When following a pattern, this stitch will be abbreviated as SC.

Learning from Tutorials

It can be tricky to understand just by reading, so the following two videos are helpful visual guides to utilize while you are first learning. They feature learning how to prepare the yarn, how to hold your hook, how to slip knot, how to single crochet and how to fix mistakes.

Finding Patterns

When you are a beginner, pieces such as small bags, coasters, hats and blankets are a great place to start since the techniques used to make them are simple and are easy to get a hang of. Once you get the hang of those, you will be able to create more pieces with intricate designs.

If you are looking for patterns, websites such as Yarnspriations and The Spruce Crafts have many free patterns ranging in difficulty. You can find patterns to make plant hangers, throw pillows, socks, blankets and much more. The possibilities are endless when it comes to crocheting!

If you are feeling adventurous, you can even try to recreate the infamous Harry Styles JW Anderson Colourblock Patchwork Cardigan that consumed Tik Tok a few months ago. The pattern for that cardigan can be found here.

If you want to give crocheting a go, tag @VALLEYmag on Twitter and Instagram to share your results!

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