Learning to crochet: How I got started and my fun first projects!
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This is actually a really funny post to write, because I never thought I’d be interested in learning to crochet. Whenever anyone (like my mom) would show me how to do it, I found it so annoying to do, and it didn’t make any sense to me!
Well, fast-forward to now, and I am borderline addicted to crocheting! My sister even ended up learning to crochet and now we have a crafting club with my mom so we can crochet together each week!
I’m going to share with you guys how I ended up learning to crochet, what my very first projects have been, and some resources for you in case you’d like to get started yourself!
As you might already be able to tell, I’ve really been enjoying it!
Related: How to start sewing your own clothes!
I thought I hated crocheting, until…
This past Christmas, my husband got a Star Wars amigurumi crochet kit from his family… and his first request was for me to show him how to do it!
Though I had no idea how to crochet, I decided I’d learn with him so I could help him complete his little Star Wars figures!
Unfortunately, for first-time crocheters, the instructions in this Star Wars pattern book were definitely not sufficient. Crocheting is a very visual process, so I quickly turned to YouTube videos to help us understand the basic knots!
This video by BerceauKnits introduces the slipknot and chain stitch, which are what you typically use to get a project started:
Then, this next video by CraftingforWeeks was especially helpful, as it introduced to me the next tier of actual crochet stitches: the slip stitch, single crochet, half-double crochet, double crochet, treble crochet, and double-treble crochet.
I began practicing each of the stitches over and over with some spare yarn. One of the cool things I discovered about crocheting is that undoing stitches is super easy, so I’d often practice one stitch for a few rows, undo those two rows, and practice a different stitch!
Once I’d gotten these basic stitches down and got into the rhythm of using the crochet hook, I was ready to show my husband how to do it!
He also got the hang of it fairly quickly. And look, he did a fantastic job, didn’t he?!
Then I was hooked… no pun intended!
Hah, jokes aside, at this point I was definitely interested in crocheting, since I’d gotten those basic knots down!
To be honest, making anything out of yarn was a very foreign process to me, and I’d not yet personally discovered how many possibilities such a craft would open up.
I am very proficient in sewing, for example, but you always start with premade fabric when sewing. Crocheting is literally just creating something from yarn itself, and it genuinely feels like I have more of a hand in the actual process than I do with sewing. This isn’t to say I don’t still adore sewing (because I do!), just that I get a very different sense of satisfaction from completing a crochet project than I do from a sewing project!
Finding my first projects after learning to crochet
After I’d gotten the basic stitches down during some practice sessions, I decided I’d actually like to try and make something!
However, I wasn’t personally all too interested in crocheting the Star Wars figures that my husband was making… so, I started scouring the web for free crocheting patterns!
And as I was still new to reading the patterns themselves, for my first project, I opted for this crochet video tutorial to follow along and get the hang of it (rather than following just written instructions).
I was able to make one of the socks, but unfortunately just ran out of yarn for the second one! But it was still really satisfying to make something that fit me!
After this, I bought a huge cone of white cotton yarn, figuring it would give me at least something natural to work with. The yarn I’d started with was acrylic and I am not a fan of synthetics! But it made a great first timer’s practice yarn, that’s for sure.
As I looked for free patterns online, I came across a bunch! All I did was search “crochet pattern filetype:pdf” in Google, and this brought up a ton of random patterns from the internet. And, amazingly, I came across a vintage pattern! I totally didn’t expect that!
It came from a site called Antique Pattern Library, which I was amazed contains TONS of PDFs of all kinds of vintage patterns whose copyrights are now expired. What a gold mine!
The specific pattern book I found was this beautiful pattern book of vintage doilies, all crocheted. I’m a super old-fashioned girl, and I immediately jumped in and started making one of them!
Little did I know, it would take the better part of two weeks to make!
But look how beautifully it turned out…
And it’s a lot bigger than the pattern said it should be, since I used larger yarn, but I didn’t mind!
I did, of course, make some mistakes (I’m basically a total beginner!) but you can’t even notice, and I learned so much about how to read crochet patterns along the way!
So… have I piqued your interest in learning to crochet? If so, here are some resources!
If you’re interested in learning to crochet, you have a few options!
If you like the idea of making those little figurines like my husband did, you can purchase an amigurumi kit, which contains everything you need to get started. He definitely likes his Star Wars one!
There are also kits such as these which also include yarn, a crochet hook, and instructions on how to make little animals and similar figures.
If, however, you’re like me and are more interested in learning to crochet the traditional kinds of projects, this is all you’ll need to get started:
- Crochet hooks: This is a set of multiple different sizes for a reasonable price which will cover all the different thicknesses of yarn you might come across!
- Yarn: You’ll definitely need yarn if you want to start crocheting! It’s quite easy to find yarn locally, but if you’d like to start with some natural, 100% yarn, there is a huge selection here!
Once you have a hook and some yarn, the internet is your oyster! There is a large selection of free patterns online. So far, I haven’t needed to buy any patterns, but there are also pattern books as well as premium digital patterns for sale on various crafters’ sites.
Do keep in mind, as an absolute beginner (as we were), you’ll need to take the time to learn the basic stitches. Don’t jump straight into a pattern, as this is a surefire way to get discouraged! Instead, refer to the videos I embedded above for an introduction to all those basic stitches you’ll need to know! And consider watching a video tutorial for your first project rather than trying to follow a pattern; this really helped me!
In conclusion… I’m so happy I learned how to crochet!
Seriously, I can’t believe it took me this long!! Crocheting is so easy and fun!
My husband and I have especially found it to be a great way to get cozy on these cold, dark, winter days! (We really miss our summer kayaking and fishing adventures!)
And I’m very much enjoying spending time each week with my mom and sister crocheting together! Plus, I absolutely adore learning old-fashioned hobbies. I feel like the women of old knew how to make so many amazing things with their hands, and I want to become more like them!
Some other crafts I’ve gotten interested in since learning to crochet are tatting and knitting. I will update you guys on those once I’ve tried my hand at them!
Anyway, thanks so much for being here on my site; these posts really are a labor of love for me. I love sharing what I’ve learned with others, because I experience such joy from learning and doing new things, and I want to share it with as many other people as possible!
I wish you all luck if you try crocheting! Please feel free to leave me any questions or comments below; I’d love to hear from you or help out if you need it!
