My Beginner Crochet Guide Part One

Oct 1, 2023
6 min read

Updated: Oct 2, 2023

So many hours crocheting, and honestly, I'm starting to feel a little Loop - y!

How To Hold Your Crochet Hook

The two most common ways to hold your crochet hook are a pencil grip and the knife hold method.

Pencil Grip Method: Use your thumb and index finger to pinch the grip of your crochet hook, like you would a pencil.
Knife Hold Method: You will hold your crochet hook like you would a knife, resting your thumb on the grip.

There are many different ways to hold your crochet hook; the main thing is to choose one that works best for you. In all the different methods, however, you have to hold your crochet hook with your dominant hand and the yarn with your non-dominant hand.

How To Stitch Count

Crochet patterns often have a stitch count at the end of each row or round to help you out. It can sometimes be confusing.

Here is a line from a crochet pattern as an example:

Round 4: sc twice in each stitch (24).

The number 24 is your stitch count which is the number of stitches you should have at the end of the row or round. When I feel frustrated hearing the pattern out loud can really help me understand the pattern better.

How to Weave in Your Yarn Ends

You are going to have some ends hanging loose in your crochet project. Weaving in yarn ends is a method used to hide and secure yarn tails by stitching them back in and through your crochet project.

Here is a quick and easy way to weave in those yarn tails:

Attach your cut yarn tail to a needle and weave horizontally across your crochet project.
Changing directions multiple times, and then weaving your yarn vertically in the opposite direction as many times as you can before cutting off the yarn to close the crochet project.

How to Read a Crochet Pattern

Reading a written crochet pattern seems like reading a different language. However, once you understand how to read them, you will be stitching away in no time. All you need to know to get started is a few basic stitch abbreviations and some common crochet terms.

The first thing you need to do is read a written pattern to become familiar with common crochet terms. Once you learn and understand these terms, you will use them over and over again.

Here are the abbreviations that you will come across in almost every crochet pattern. These abbreviations may seem confusing at first, but once you know them, you’ll find that they make patterns shorter and easier to read. (And you will get quicker when you know them by heart.) In most patterns, there is an abbreviation chart to help you understand the pattern. Some patterns do not have an abbreviation chart so I have written up one for you below as a reference guide.

Ch - Chain
Dc - Double Crochet
Dec - Decrease
Hdc - Half Double Crochet
Inc - Increase
Rep - Repeat
Rnd (s) - Round (s)
Sc - Single Crochet
Sc2tog - Single Crochet Together
Sl st - Slip Stitch
St (s) - Stitch (s)
Sk - Skip
Sp (s) - Space (s)
Bpdc - Back Post Double Crochet
Fpdc - Front Post Double Crochet
Bphdc - Back Post Half Double Crochet
Fphdc - Front Post Half Double Crochet
Ps - Puff Stitch
Pm - Place Marker
Pc - Popcorn Stitch
Bo - Bobble Stitch
Tr - Treble
P - Picot
Blo - Back Loop Only
Cc - Change Colour
Flo - Front Loop Only
Ch-sp - Chain Space
Join - Join Two Stitches Together
Turn - Flip Your Project Around To Start A New Row

How to Increase and Decrease Stitches

The most common use for these stitches are for beanies, toys, bags, and clothing patterns.

Increase:

To increase, simply work two single crochet stitches into one.

Insert a hook in the next space or stitch
(Make a single crochet): Insert the hook into the stitch, yarn over, and pull up a loop. Yarn over again, and pull through both loops on the hook.
Insert the crochet hook into the same stitch as the single crochet stitch that you just made.
Make a second single crochet and pull through both loops on your hook.

What is the abbreviation of the single crochet increase stitch?

There are three abbreviations for this stitch:

Inc
2 sc in the next st
Sc2 in the next st

Decrease:

Insert the crochet hook into the next space or stitch, yarn over, and pull up a loop (there should be 2 loops on the crochet hook).
Insert the hook into the next stitch or space yarn over and pull up a loop. You should have 3 loops on the crochet hook.
Yarn over and pull through all three loops on the crochet hook.

There are only two abbreviations for this stitch:

Sc2tog
Sc dec

How to Measure your Gauge

Grab a ruler or tape, crochet a swatch that includes the specific number of stitches, and measure your swatch. There is usually a measurement at the beginning of your pattern.

If you have a slightly bigger swatch than the measurement stated in the pattern, you need to change your hook size to a smaller one. If your swatch is a smaller size than the recommended size, then you need to change your hook to a bigger one. The size is important to the crochet pattern. You will notice a “gauge” section in your pattern instructions. Crocheting a gauge swatch before beginning your project will ensure that it will turn out the exact size. Most crochet patterns will let you know the finished size that you should expect your crochet project to be. In order to ensure that your crochet projects work up to the correct size, it is important to use the right yarn and crochet hook.

Pattern Notes

Most crochet patterns have special instructions; you will usually find the special instructions right at the beginning or right at the end. The special instructions could include:

Whether the pattern is written in US or UK terms.
If a crochet pattern works in rows or in rounds.
What is the right side and the wrong side.
Whether a crochet pattern is worked in one piece or crocheted/sewn together.

And the crochet designer will add other notes that they thinks may be helpful for that particular pattern.

Top Tips for Beginner Crocheters

You will make mistakes; do not give up on crocheting when you make a mistake. Making mistakes is part of learning.
Be patient and take it slow and steady (wins the race.) Crocheting can be overwhelming at first. Once you get the hang of crocheting, you will love it and love the outcome of what you are making.
Have fun while doing crocheting. Keep your first project to show yourself how far you have come over the weeks, months, and years that you have been crocheting. All different journeys have a beginning.
Do not let crochet patterns scare you. Read the pattern bit by bit, one row at a time.
Always take notes on what you have changed on the crochet pattern, and you can also take pictures of everything you make to show people what you have made.
Always do a sample swatch before starting with the chosen crochet project. This is very helpful to gauge your crochet.

The Best Crochet Hook for Beginner Crocheters

Aluminium crochet hooks are great for beginners. Aluminium crochet hooks are lightweight and easily glide through yarn. There is no right or wrong with choosing a crochet hook. To choose the best crochet hook for you, try out a couple of different ones to find the one that suits you the best.

The Best Yarn for Beginner Crocheters

Here are some tips and tricks for yarn recommendations for beginners. It does not matter what type of yarn you use. My recommendation for beginner crocheters is to make sure to choose yarn that has a solid, lighter colour, a yarn weight of 8 or 10 ply, and some acrylic fibres in the yarn. This type of yarn is great for beginners to start with. Acrylic yarn is not very expensive.

There are so many different yarns to choose from. Here is a list of different fibre yarns you can get.

Cotton (My favourite)
Wool (My favourite)
Bamboo
Alpaca
Merino
Silk
Mohair (My favourite)
Linen
Cashmere
Nylon
Rayon
Angora
Hemp
Llama
Acrylic

The most forgiving fibre yarn is wool, and it is very easy to work with. Wool has a slight strength to it and is very forgiving. It's great for clothing, blankets, rugs, beanies, toys, and so much more.

I get my yarn from Bendigo Woollen Mills. They are located in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.

See my Previous Blogs for more Tips and Tricks