10 Things Every Crochet Beginner Should Know

I’ve put together 10 things anybody new to crochet should know, I’m sure even the most experienced veteran crocheters will find there is something here that they can relate to.  All of them probably!

1. It addictive! You’ve heard this before and probably seen all of the hilarious quote signs out there, but seriously…..its true!  I have never felt this way about any other craft or hobby. You don’t come across many crocheters that can’t say, I’m hooked, I’m obsessed, or I’m addicted.

2. This hobby isn’t cheap! Ok, so a ball of yarn and a hook aren’t going to break the bank, but you wont stop at one ball! Yarn comes in a massive variety of fibers, hand dyed yarns can be particularly pricey.  I once found the most gorgeous shawl scarf.  The designer was featured in a magazine, the scarf wasn’t but it was looking lovely on her desk in the picture.  I visited her website to find the pattern, it was a reasonable £5.00, but the suggested yarn would cost nearly £80! What??? Yeah I didn’t make that scarf!  Sure there are some great quality affordable yarns, like acrylic, which in fact is my personal favourite, but being cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean better on your pocket, because you only buy more!!!!

3. Save the good stuff. So going on the point above about price.  My advice is use your cheap and sometimes scratchy yarns for housewares like; mandalas, trinket pots, bunting and baskets, keep the good stuff for wearables; hats, scarves, jumpers, baby items, clothes and toys. These all need to be soft and squishy.

4. Sample different hooks. Everyone will recommend their personal preference, but we are all different.  I have tried plastic hooks, but found them sticky and squeaky.  I don’t really like the shape of the hook end on bamboo hooks, but I love aluminium hooks, some with handles some without.

5. Stitch Markers. Don’t worry if you don’t have any, I only use them for certain projects.  I also use paper clips or sometimes a simple small length of contrasting yarn, these both work just as well.

6. You probably won’t finish. You will eventually, but not before you’ve started 5 plus other projects.  Don’t worry this is normal, or that’s what we tell ourselves anyway!  All I do is put each project in a zip-loc bag with a note stating the hook size I used, the pattern (or website) and any instructions like: which row is next.

7. You need a bigger house! To keep your yarn stash safe, you will become a yarn hoarder! I don’t know anyone that has a tiny little bag next to their sofa with a couple of balls of yarn and that is it! That’s just silly!!! That doesn’t happen……ever!

8. Don’t give up! It will come, anyone can crochet, young, old, male or female. Try a bigger hook than recommended, a single colour dk or aran yarn and relax.  If you’re tense, your stitches will be tight.  Find your way and embrace it, look on You Tube, you’ll soon notice the different ways to hold your hook and yarn.  A good friend of mine has just got back into crochet after only knowing granny squares as a girl (she has spent way too much time with me!), well, she holds her hook and yarn like she’s knitting, I wont lie its hard for me to watch!!!!, but she’s relaxed and the stitches all look the same at the end, and that is all that matters.

9. There aren’t enough days in the week. Or hours in the day, you know where I’m going with this.  Taking you back to point 1 – addictive, if you’re not hooking you’ll probably be searching for the next must, make project.  Just take a look at any crochet board on Pinterest, we don’t have enough days to make all of these!!!!!

10. Welcome to the “IT’S NOT KNITTING” gang. You will say this a lot!!! I’m sure my friends and family say “Oh, what are you knitting?” just to bug the hell out of me! They don’t get a reaction now, just the glare!

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