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 scarves and jumpers to fine lace, and you will find that your item will grow rather quickly compared to a knitted item!
How to Crochet: Step by Step Instructions
If you have never crocheted before you will need to learn 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 make 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
All you need to complete your 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, like a small pair of craft scissors and a darning needle to finish your yarn’s ends.
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 pattern will depend on where you live and where the pattern was printed, the trick is working out which measurement scheme is being used!
Reading a 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 stitches!
Would you like to know when a double crochet is actually a double crochet, not a single crochet or a treble?
A Few Crochet Projects
Everyone who knows how to crochet has made something out of Granny Squares!
Granny Squares are easy to make and very versatile. You can make a blanket or a knee rug in one piece or by joining squares together. Small squares can be used to piece together a scarf, a cover for a pillow or cushion, a basic jumper for a baby or to make a bib.
But best of all you can make multi-coloured squares from your leftover yarn.
How to Make a Rose…
These roses are reasonably easy to make and add an interesting touch to shoes or booties, headbands, hats or jumpers. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
