How Do I Start Crocheting?
Have you wanted to begin crocheting, but you don't know where to start? I can help! I was there just a few years ago, so let me tell you how I started!
First thing I did was buy some cheap worsted weight yarn and a cheap metal crochet hook. These work great because they are the typical size for most yarns and hooks required for most projects. I got mine from Walmart, not a craft store. I did that because: 1) I was a broke college student, so the cheaper the better, and 2) I didn't want to spend money on really good quality materials if I ended up not liking it. It is always better to experiment with cheaper stuff until you decide whether you are going to actually commit or not.
What I chose:
Yarn: Red Heart Yarn
Hook: Boye Crochet Hook
You want a yarn color that is not really dark. When you are first starting out, you really want to be able to see the individual stitches. Darker colors mean that the stitches blend in with one another, and then you won't be able to tell the anatomy of each individual stitch, so you won't be able to tell where to put the next stitch.
Second, I took to YouTube. YouTube is full of channels where there are tutorials for all sorts of patterns. My favorite channels are ones where they teach you individual stitches, beginning with how to hold the hook and create a starting chain. You can try and start with a whole pattern tutorial, but you'll get nowhere if you don't know how to even start a chain!
Some of my favorite channels:
Each one has their own style, and this is not an exhaustive list of every crochet channel out there. Explore the community, and find the teacher that really speaks to you!
Third, I practiced. Practice is really how anything gets improved on. If you don't practice, you don't build those muscle memories that are developed when something is done repeatedly. Practice also includes learning how you best hold a crochet hook, whether you crochet left- or right-handed, what your typical yarn tension is, and just seeing how and when you prefer to crochet. It all boils down into finding your own crojo! And trust me, the crochet community is full of individualized approaches!
So if you've been looking at learning how to crochet, why not take a leaf out of my book, and just go for it and have a YouTube binge session? Let me know what works for you, or if you have any suggestions for other newcomers on what to try and expect from their own experience!
