How to Crochet

Crochet is a fun and sociable craft anyone can do! How to crochet will introduce you to the basics of the craft along with a few simple stitches to get you started on what's sure to become your new favorite hobby.

Crochet is a fun and sociable craft anyone can do! How to crochet will introduce you to the basics of the craft along with a few simple stitches to get you started on what's sure to become your new favorite hobby.
Introduction
- Crochet is a craft that uses loops of yarn or thread to create a dense fabric that is great for washcloths, afghans, or sweaters. Crochet is very similar to knitting, except only one loop is active at a time.
- You need very few tools and even fewer skills to start crocheting. With just a few stitches under your belt, you can crochet your way to a brand new scarf or afghan. How to Crochet will walk you through the basics of the craft. So, get your yarn, and get ready to learn an addictive new hobby!
What You'll Need
- You'll need a very basic set of supplies to get started crocheting. Everything you need can be bought at an art and craft supply store or through an online vendor like Michaels or Joann.com.
- Yarn
- The most important thing you'll need to crochet is yarn. Yarn is available in many different sizes, or weights. There are seven basic yarn weight categories: lace, super fine, fine, light, medium, bulky, and super bulky.
- Additionally, you will need to choose a yarn fiber. Yarn comes in a multitude of fibers. Most beginners use wool yarn, but silk, alpaca and cashmere provide luxurious natural-fiber alternatives. Natural fibers such as wool and silk are not machine-washable, but acrylics, blends, and cottons typically are, which make them a favorite of expectant parents everywhere.
- Crochet Hook
- A crochet hook pulls the loops through one another to create the stitches that make up a crocheted work. You can find crochet hooks made of plastic, wood, metal, and even bone! Try each material until you find what works best for you. You may even find that you enjoy using a certain type of hook with a particular yarn fiber.
- Scissors
- You'll need scissors to cut the yarn when you've finished your piece.
- Tapestry Needle
- A tapestry needle, a needle large enough to thread your yarn through, is used to weave the yarn ends into the finished fabric. More experienced crocheters may opt to use their hook to do the weaving, but a tapestry needle is a good choice for a beginner.
- Tape Measure
- You'll need a tape measure to measure your work.
Before You Begin
- Before you start crocheting up a storm, you'll need to know how to handle your newly-purchased crafting implements.
Holding the Hook
- There are two common ways to hold a crochet hook:
1. Pencil Grip
  - Hold the crochet hook in your dominant hand as though it is a pencil and the hooked end is the writing end.
2. Overhand Grip
  - Hold the hook in your dominant hand, parallel to the ground. Your top four fingers lay lightly over the top of the hook, and your thumb balances the bottom.
Holding the Yarn
- Initially, you may be more concerned about actually crocheting than holding the yarn correctly for good stitch tension. But eventually, when you begin to follow patterns and crochet actual things, you're going to want to know how to hold the yarn correctly.
1. From the bottom, wrap the yarn around your pinky.
2. Then pass the yarn, on the palm side of your hand, by your ring and middle fingers.
3. Lay the yarn over your index finger. Your index finger will guide the yarn as you crochet.
Step One: Foundation Row
- The foundation row does exactly what you would think based on its name; it lays a foundation for you to crochet from. The foundation row is a row of chain stitches.
1. Make a slip knot over the crochet hook.
2. Wrap the yarn around the hook from behind the hook to the front of the hook.
3. Using the hooked end, pull the first loop through the second loop you just created in the previous step. This is one chain stitch.
4. Continue steps 2 and 3 until you have created the desired amount of stitches.
  - To count chain stitches, simply count the Vs on the chain and ignore the loop on the hook.
Step Two: Single Crochet
- Single crochet is a simple and commonly used crochet stitch. When you begin your single crochet row, you should already have one loop on your hook from the previous row (be it foundation or otherwise).
1. Insert the hook into the previous row.
  - From the foundation row: Thread your hook under the top loop of the second chain stitch.
  - From a single crochet row: Thread your hook under the top loop of the first stitch of the previous row.
2. Wrap the yarn from behind the hook over the top of the hook.
3. Pull the wrapped yarn through the stitch with the hook.
4. Wrap the yarn over the hook again.
5. Pull the yarn through both loops on the hook. This is one single crochet.
6. Continue steps 1-5 to create a row of single crochet.
Step Three: Finishing
- When your crocheted piece has become as big or as small as you'd like, it's time to finish!
1. Cut your yarn from the ball, leaving about six inches of yarn connected to your piece.
2. Pull the loose yarn through the last live loop on your hook and pull tight.
3. Thread the loose yarn through your tapestry needle.
4. Weave the yarn through the stitches of the last row of your piece.
5. Then turn the work and weave the yarn back through the stitches of the next row in the opposite direction.
6. Clip yarn and hide the end under a stitch.
- It is important to end off so your work doesn't unravel.
Other Popular Stitches
- Of course, there are many more stitches than just the chain stitch and single crochet. Here are some popular crochet stitch options:
- Visit About.com and LionBrand.com for more information about other crochet stitches.
Projects
- As your crochet skills progress, it will become time to tackle actual crochet projects.
1. Beginner crochet projects are typically made up of simple squares or triangles:
  1. Dishcloth Pattern
  2. Scarf Pattern
2. Advanced crochet projects require shaping or extensive finishing:
Reading Crochet Patterns
- To attempt even a basic crochet project, you'll need to know how to read a basic pattern.
1. The abbreviation for chain stitch is "ch."
2. The abbreviation for single crochet is "sc."
- There are many different crochet abbreviations and terms. As your skills progress and you begin to read more complex patterns, you'll learn more of the abbreviations and terms used.
- Visit Purple Kitty Yarns for more information about reading crochet patterns.
Crochet Your Knitting
- Crochet is a very popular way to finish a knitted piece.
1. Use a crochet hem on a stockinette piece to stop the rolling that traditionally occurs with the stockinette stitch.
2. Crochet a hem in a color different than the color of the body of the knitted work.
3. Use a single or double crochet bind off to bind off your knitted piece.
Conclusion
- As you delve into the world of crochet, keep in mind there are a number of communities available to people interested in crafts. Both Ravelry and CrochetMe are popular online crochet communities where you can share stories and photos of your crochet adventures.
- Crochet, like knitting, a community-based craft. It's a craft for sharing and friendship. This is part of the reason that yarn crafts are making such a huge comeback. So grab some yarn and a hook, and get crocheting!