If you want to learn to crochet, a huge unknown is where to begin. There is an overwhelming amount of videos and articles online to reference, so how do you choose? What step is the first to learn? What exactly are you supposed to be doing with your hands? Is that teacher demonstrating a proper technique? And then what step is next?
This confusion was a big barrier for me. I put off learning to crochet because books with simple images confused me and I didn’t know where to start online. When I finally committed to learning, I spent far too much time sifting through YouTube to find the right videos.
Well, forget all that, because I’m simplifying the process and telling you what exactly you need to do. I created basic, easy to follow videos for you with my teaching techniques. They are a combination of my instructor training from the Craft Yarn Council and my in-class experience. I developed different tips and tricks based on how I observed people learn best, common sticking points people most often fumble with, and different anecdotes that I found most helpful for my students. Those videos can be found here.
The Process
You will start with Part 2. I’m working on Part 1, which is an intro with crochet background information that I share in my classes to set my students. It is on my to-do list! The critical parts to learning how to crochet start with Part 2, so start there and work your way through to Part 6. Spend as much time as you need on each video. Watch, rewind, try for yourself, pause, rewind, and practice again.
The key to learning crochet is to maintain a level of patience and persistence. Learning to crochet will most likely feel awkward and unnatural at first. This is completely normal. But keep at it! Things will click before you know it.
Your First Project
Once you’ve mastered parts 2-6, you’re ready for your first project. This is arguably the most critical step. You have a foundational knowledge at this point of how to properly hold the yarn and hook and complete the crochet basic stitches, so now you need to put them into practice. This forces you to understand how to turn to make even rows, improve your tension, change colors or yarn if needed, and finish off. In the meantime, you will be learning how to read a pattern.
I recommend practicing row after row of single crochet until you reach about 60″. You will then have your first scarf! If you read my first blog post (here), then you know the importance of that first perfectly imperfect project. No matter how ugly your scarf turns out, you will be proud of it and treasure it as you continue on your crochet journey. It might sound repetitive to do row after row of the same stitch, but that repetition is what helps you learn and grow.
Another reason this is the ideal first project is that you don’t need to know how to read a pattern to make that first scarf. Reading a pattern is another skill you must learn. Once you understand how to read a pattern, there are “Beginner” patterns that are great to try. For a list of suggested patterns to try by difficulty level, click here: https://nickibyrnescrochet.com/crochet-patterns.
nickibyrnescrochet.com 