Crochet Basics – Video Tutorials Included

Hello beginners!!! In this tutorial I’ve included all the basic knowledge you need to get started with crocheting.

1. Tools & Materials
   • Crochet hook
     • Crochet hooks are available in many sizes. 
       It’s called a hook because the end of this tool is curved like a fishing hook. (please note that this is not knitting which uses two long needles) I have attached some pics below so you won’t mixed those up with fishing hooks 😉 
   • Yarn , of course
     • Available in many weights and types. 
       There are more finer weight yarn or regular weight yarn such as DK or light worsted. Crocheting with threads – which are very fine weight requires more time and patience than the others while more bulkier weight yarn work up very simply and quickly. If you are a beginner and starting for the first time it’s best to start with a medium size. Which is why worsted weight yarn would be an excellent choice to build up those basic skills. Worsted weight yarn are easy to handle as well, mainly because you can see the stitches very clearly and correct any mistakes you make along the way.
       Choose an 100% acrylic yarn to practice. 5.0mm to 6.5mm hooks are ideal for worsted weight yarns. (Usually it’s mentioned what hook to choose in yarn labels) But if you choose to go with a light worsted yarn – which is also a good choice for beginners – the ideal hook sizes are 4.00mm, 4.5mm and 5.00mm
   • Hook size
     • Hook size is always decided according to the yarn weight.
       For lace weight threads the recommended hooks sizes are range from 0.6mm to 1.5mm.
       Other fine and baby weight yarns can be crocheted with 2.0mm to 3.5mm hooks.
       But it’s not recommended to use these fine and baby weight yarns for beginners.
       3.5mm to 5mm hook sizes can be used with light worsted to worsted yarn weights. Choosing the right style of hook is as important as choosing the right size that matches the yarn weight. When choosing the style it should be comfortable to hold, have a good quality grip with an even texture.
   • Tapestry/Darning needle 

Well now you must be wandering where to buy all these, Handy is my go to place to order yarn online as I live in Sri Lanka, but if you are living outside of Sri Lanka, please check your local craft stores or any online store that ships to your country.

2. Slip Knot

• Being a combination of knots and loops, we always start crocheting with a knot. The starting knot is one simple knot which is called the ‘Slip Knot’.
  • Slip Knot, the name reminds us of the very first knot we learn to make in our childhood. Well, this is exactly the same but when crocheting we might have one too many methods of doing it. I’ve shown you my favorite method in the video. You may follow it or simply make the knot with your hand by tying a loop that is not too tight and not too loose. It should match the hook circumference so the hook can be easily moved back and forth trough it.

3. How to hold hook and yarn?
   • Holding the crochet hook can be done in two ways, namely, Knife hold and Pencil hold. (image below). Try both ways and see whats more natural for you. We use our dominant hand to hold the hook and the non-dominant hand to hold the yarn. We should be able to feed the yarn to the hook in a consistent tension if we are holding the yarn properly. This is the only rule on how to hold the yarn. You should be able to control the tension with your fingers of your non-dominant hand. I have demonstrated this in How to Chain  video tutorial.

3. How to Chain
   • Chain is the foundation of any crochet project. Well, it is called the ‘foundation chain’. If you are an absolute beginner perfecting the chain will help you move forward to the following lessons. Try making 100 chains continuously, keeping consistency in size and the tension in each chain link.

4. Single Crochet (US)
   • Now let’s move one step ahead by filling the chain with stitches. This is the easiest and most basic stitch in crochet, Single Crochet in US terms or Double Crochet in UK terms.
   • After practising the chain refer the video to learn Single Crochet. Make a foundation chain with about 20 chains and start practising the stitch by filling each and every chain continuously. Make sure you count at the end of each row. Try working several rows to form a square. Repeat the process until you are satisfied with the tension and neatness of your work.

Now you must be wondering about the two terms US and UK. Why two terms and what’s the difference? Let’s have a look.

When it comes to US and UK, we all know there are differences in the English they use from spelling to words to phrases even. Similarly when it comes to Crochet the terms are different in US and UK.

As an example we have ‘Single Crochet’ stitch in US terms, but in UK terms we call it ‘Double Crochet’. There’s no ‘ Single Crochet ‘ stitch in UK terms. Understanding these differences are really important when you’re reading and working with different crochet patterns. Following conversion chart will help you understand the difference of those terms and hopefully come in handy when you’re working with a pattern which doesn’t use your familiar terms.

As there are many Sinhala readers in my blog I’ve included the Sinhala terms in the chart above. Usually Sinhala terms derive from the respective UK term, but since I work with US terms I use US terms in my English tutorials and patterns. 

5. Double Crochet (US)
   • According to my knowledge Double Crochet is the most commonly used stitch in Crochet world. You can combine Double Crochet with other stitches to create more decorative/advance stitches. Let’s take a look at the following tutorial which will show you how to work the Double Crochet stitch.
   • Do a foundation chain with about 20 – 30 chains and work each chain with a double crochet to practice neatness. Make sure you have 20 stitches in each row, repeat the process until you get a perfect rectanguler shape.

6. Half Double Crochet (US)
   • The half double crochet is the 3rd highest stitch among the basic stitches. You can use half double crochet when you need to work in a stitch that’s taller than the single crochet and shorter than the double crochet.
   • Do a foundation chain with about 20 – 30 chains and work each chain with a half double crochet to practice neatness. Make sure you have 20 stitches in each row, repeat the process until you get a perfect square shape.