Quick Intro to Crochet
Learning to crochet is a bit of a curve, but I think it’s a great place to start within the fiber arts. What you will need to start are as follows
-Yarn
-Hook
That’s it! But do make sure that both yarn and hook ‘match’ each-other, you can learn a bit more about that in the page.
How to crochet
Just to start off we will be making simple chains and shapes.
To start you want to make a knot, and for crochet it looks a little like this
There are a couple of different ways to make starting knots but this one is the easiest I think. Anyways, one you have your starting knot, the way you would continue is by ‘chaining’ and this created the base for anything.
We are just going to make 10 chains for practice sake, but when starting moving up rows, you always want to make an extra 1 chain, this will ensure that your structure will stay even and straight.
*we will take a quick detour to go through stitches, this mini guide below will include all the basic stitches to the best of my ability and will be at the top of each patterns but it will also be right here->Stitch Guide
To keep it simple will be continuing with single crochets. I like to think of single crochets as ‘Stab, strangle, pull back out, and punch’ (come on, were using a HOOK) So well continue as such
This stitch is pretty fundamental, and you can continue forever with this. In order to keeping moving up rows, always chain one at the end of a ‘row’ which you can think of as a layer.
You will poke into the loops you make form that initial chain, and from there you repeat the same chain, but through and over the loops. Eventually you will see a ‘V’ form form a birds-eye view, and that is where you will insert your hook.
Another starting knot to know is the magic circle. For any circular patterns you can start any one of 2 ways. You can make a chain and connect the ends, and then build form there, or my personal favorite, the magic circle. This ones a bit tricky, but once you master it it’s quick and easy to start. You start by wrapping yarn around two fingers, in an ‘X’ formation
You take your hook, under on thread and hook onto the other-
You pull and twist and yarn over, and pull and tadaa! You have a magic circle!
Practicing is key for crochet, you don’t learn without your body learning along, so even just going through the motions is good, make super long chains, make random strips of yarn, practice knots, mess around. These foundations are meant to be built on. 🙂