Don’t let that crochet hook scare you!

In my experience, it is a lot easier to handle one crochet hook than two knitting needles. (I just can’t get the knack for knitting). If you are brand new to the art of crochet, don’t worry. It is not as difficult as it looks, and before long, you can crochet almost anything without ever looking at a pattern.

I believe that the hardest part of learning how to crochet is learning how to really SEE the stitches. Once you understand exactly what you are looking at, everything else will seem simple.

Below, I have created a step-by-step “Crochet Basics” guide that will help you learn how to chain and create your first row of single crochet stitches.

You can do so much with just a basic knowledge of chain, single crochet, and double crochet. There are wonderful tutorials on basic and advanced stitches on YouTube, which is where I learn some fun new stitch designs.

Choosing your first crochet yarn and hook:

If you are a complete beginner to crochet, you want to choose your materials wisely. Some yarns are WAY harder to crochet than others.

Stay away from: dark colors, fluffy or fuzzy yarn, super thin yarn, super thick yarn, and yarn with varying thicknesses.

I recommend a cotton yarn of average thickness, and light color. A good example of this is Peaches & Cream yarn in the color: Oasis. You can probably find it at your local craft store or Walmart.

Use a hook size of 5mm or US H/8 with this yarn. (All yarn labels should be marked with the recommended hook size).

Use metal hooks, rather than plastic hooks. Some hooks have thicker, ergonomic handles which makes them easier to hold.