How to Crochet for Beginners

Intro: How to Crochet for Beginners

This is an Instructable to teach a beginner how to crochet.

All you need is some fat yarn and a size N crochet hook.

STEP 1: Make a Slip Knot.

Begin the slip knot by laying the yarn down and looping it. Making sure your short piece, the tail, is on top of the long yarn. Next, flip the whole thing down, onto the longer yarn. Grab the middle yarn between your thumb and forefinger and pull the middle yarn out gently. Hang on to tail and pull the loop tight.

STEP 2: Tighten the Loop

Pick up the loop in your left hand and slide the hook into the loop and tighten the loop around the hook. Not too tight, there should be some give. Note: I started out life left-handed and am now ambidextrous. I prefer to teach the way my nana taught me because it's how all the books are published.

STEP 3: How to Hold the Thread

Turn the long side of the thread around your pinkie and twist it around your index finger. Grab the short side, the tail, with your middle and ring fingers. Hold the hook in your right hand. This way of holding the thread and hook will create enough space to move the hook and it keeps tension on the thread.

There are multiple ways to keep your thread and hook, find out what works the best for you.

STEP 4: Begin the Chain

Begin with the starting chain stitch by twisting the thread around the hook and pull it through the loop.

STEP 5: Finish the Chain

Don't make the loop too tight and continue to the second loop by pulling the thread trough the second loop. Keep continuing until you have a chain.

STEP 6: Begin the First Row

To start the first row of single crochet insert the hook in the second chain from the hook. You now have two loops around your hook.

STEP 7: Crocheting the Chained Row

Catch the yarn in your left hand with the hook and pull it through the first loop. This will leave you again with two loops on your hook. Catch the yarn again with your hook and pull it through both loops. Repeat these steps until you get to the end of the chained row.

To crochet more rows, chain one stitch at the end of each of the end of your row and turn your crocheting over to start the next row.

STEP 8: Finish

To finish, cut the long side of the yarn and pull it through the loop.

Remember, it doesn't matter what you're crocheting, it only matters that you're doing it!! :)

Comments

[arcycat]

What a nice clear instructable! Thanks so much. I'm looking forward to checking out your other posts and hope you do some more. Would love instructions for simple granny squares???

[MrsDsOdyssey]

I'll try to post one soon. I didn't realize that there weren't any to speak of. Lots of slide shows of them, though. Leigh

[arcycat]

Wow, thanks for replying! Your instructions are great and you've made me very glad that I just discovered this website and such a nice person. Peace and Joy, clare

[Badgergirl]

THANKYOU THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU! I've always want to know how to crochet. I got directions off of a different site and I got soooo confused! Thanks!

[MrsDsOdyssey]

Happy to have been able to help!! Funny thing is, I learned how to do most of the crafts I do by watching my Nana. She gave me the basis for wanting to teach. So I do. Leigh

[Average aquarist]

Thank you so much for this clear tutorial! I haven't started yet, just reading several beginner guides to try and learn basic terms and techniques before I try. I've looked at other sites and none were as clear as this, there is no confusion here!!!

[Phixson]

Why does my "scarf" twist?

[vanloane720]

This helped so much! one of the best websites for learning how to crochet I’ve ever read THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[Pinkpeony1]

Thank you so much. I could not follow Utube and I cant find my hard copy directions. This is even better !

[mariarubert1965]

Hello and hi
This is Maria t Rubert I am trying to learning how to do crochet but I have forgotten how to do it I need the step by step of the instruction of how to do the crochet of no sew crochet flip flop sole sandals because once I learning how to them I am going to sell them what is the material that I have .

[mariarubert1965]

Hello this is me again and I am sorry to bother you this is the picture of what I want to do but I need to know what materials I have to buy to do this and I need to know the step by step instruction of how to do that crochet okay and thank you.

[Kate days]

I got stuck at step 7 .....can someone explain to me how to do it

[curtismarcy]

When you insert the hook into the second chain hole that counts as 2 loops, with the hook grab the yarn and pull through only 1 loop so you'll still have 2 loops. Then do the same as the last step but pull through both loops this time. Just keep repeating the steps.

[VioletJarosz]

I don't get the part after you pull the yarn through both loops, because you don't have two loops to do it again. Thank you for you time!

[curtismarcy]

when you insert the hook into the second chain hole that counts as 2 loops, with the hook grab the yarn and pull through only 1 loop so you'll still have 2 loops. Then do the same as the last step but pull through both loops this time. Just keep repeating those steps.

[goldstonhollen09]

Thank You! Thank You! That was the best way I have ever seen how to make a slip knot. I have bad dyslexia so it's been very hard to felt good about my knot.

[diana.faridzadeh]

HOW TO TURN THE CHAIN YOUR VIDEOS ARE THE BEST

[helena962]

The most difficult part of crochet is keeping edges straight. I'm a senior who is self taught as I'm a leftie. I knit normally because of 2 needles but with just 1 hook cannot master it right handed. Have a big problem with endings and beginnings of rows.

[humanpansy]

i created an account just to reply, but Bella Coco on Youtube has many left handed crochet tutorials for help! my mom is also a self taught crochet-ing lefty! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmSoXNqpP8Y&list=PLsrz34yAA5TpNssZdAo5Cbc3CwhO3q2R9

[Jenlb1974]

You saved me and my frustration. I finally understood. I wish you would of continued on to do more rows. I am stuck on how to continue on and making the Afghan.