How to Crochet

I learned how to crochet many years ago, at the age of six while sitting on the knee of my very patient grandmother, and I have been crocheting ever since.

Crocheting is fun, easy to learn and very versatile.

You can make anything from scarfs and jumpers to very fine lace, and you will find that your item will grow rather quickly compared to a knitted item!

If you are just learning you will be able to find step by step instructions on this site, along with patterns for simple projects that you can experiement with as you gain crocheting experience.

Step By Step Crochet Instructions

If you have never crocheted before you will need to learn how to crochet. This means learning how to hold the hook while you are working, and how to form the basic crochet stitches.

Starting with how to form a slip knot to begin your piece and forming a chain, to making a single crochet, double crochet and trebles.

Unlike knitting, you do not have to cast on or cast off your work but you will need to know how to finish off your piece by weaving in the ends of your yarn.

Materials Used in Crocheting

Bascially all you need to complete your crocheting project is the yarn specified in the pattern (or an appropriate substitute), and a crochet hook.

You might also find it useful to have a few accessories to hand, like a small pair of craft scissors and a darning needle for finishing off the ends of your yarn.

Crochet Hook Sizes

Crochet hook sizes range from 0.60mm right up to 25.0mm, and just to make it even more complicated there are three main measurement schemes for hook sizes.

The size that is recommended by your crochet pattern will depend on where you live and where the pattern was printed, the trick is working out which measurment scheme is being used!

Reading a Crochet Pattern

Reading a crochet pattern is a real art and to make it even more confusing patterns produced in different countries use the same phrase to describe two different crochet stitches!

Would you like to know when a double crochet is really a double crochet and not a single crochet or a treble?