Is there anyone out there who would love to learn the art of crochet? It’s true that there are tons of projects that you can do with crochet, but there’s no need to feel intimidated. For my first post, I am posting some basic tutorials. I thought about doing my own, but there are so many good ones out there, that I didn’t feel it necessary.
This first tutorial is great. She shows the very basic steps you need to get started, including what materials you will need.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqca00LdmAc
Note: The only thing I would disagree with her on is the type of yarn to start out with. Yes, acrylic yarn is the super cheap stuff, but if you’re making washcloths (which is one of the more popular beginning projects), then you want to use cotton yarn. Acrylic feels funky while you’re cleaning as it is really stiff. Then again, that just may be my own opinion. Some people may love to clean with acrylic.
This second tutorial teaches you pretty much everything else you need to know for crocheting. Once you’ve got all of these stitches down, you can figure out pretty much any pattern you find. 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlTdOMTDkug
Prefer a picture tutorial? This blog has a great one. But, her tutorial isn’t as extensive as the videos, so you might want to watch the videos as well.
Great! Now that you know the basics of crochet, go out and practice them. 🙂 Try making some washcloths. You can use the pattern from the video to start. I will transcribe it below for you, 1) so that you don’t have to watch the video over and over again trying to make the washcloth, and 2) so that you can see what a crochet pattern will generally look like.
Single Crochet Washcloth
Chain (ch) 21
Row 1: Single crochet (sc) in 2nd ch from the hook. Sc in each stitch (st) across to the end. Ch 1, and then turn.
Row 2: Sc across to the end. Ch 1. Turn.
Repeat row 2 until you’ve reached your desired length.
All done? Woo! You’ve made your first crocheted item. Yay! Now is a great time to make a set. 🙂 If you followed my advice and used cotton yarn, you will most likely have enough to make another washcloth. Try doing the same pattern but substitute double crochets for single crochets. The pattern for this will look different:
Double Crochet Washcloth
Ch. 22
Row 1: Double crochet (dc) in 3rd ch from the hook. Dc to the end of the row. Ch 2. Turn
(Note: I know the lady in the video told you to go into the 4th ch, but I prefer only the two chains on the end. I think it looks neater. But, hey, if you like it her way better, just ch 23 at the beginning and insert your hook into the 4th ch. Do what you like. This is your project. 🙂 If you follow her way, ch 3 at the end of the row instead of the 2 that I direct.)
Row 2: Dc across. Ch 2. Turn.
Repeat row 2 until you’ve reached your desired length.
Of course, you don’t have to make washcloths to practice. You can just practice the stitches over and over again. Hey, you might not need any washcloths. I don’t generally make them because I received a million from my bridal and baby showers. It’s autumntime, so you may want to try a scarf. This would be a great way to practice all of the basic stitches. For a scarf, you can totally use the acrylic yarn. You won’t be scrubbing anything with it, so the texture won’t be weird. 😉 You can also use wool if you prefer. Check out this link for a bunch of different patterns. However, this pattern is pretty basic, and it’s something a beginner can totally handle. She does a kind of tricky stitch, but she has pictures to help you figure it out.
I hope this post helped someone to get into this fun hobby! I love crocheting, and probably half of my Christmas gifts are crocheted because it’s a fun, personal, handmade gift. Let me know if you have any questions!
Tiny Toes Crochet 