Learn to crochet step by step for free – video tutorials

Recently I have received a few comments that you want to learn how to crochet. I have decided that I will make a post with step by step crochet instructions. I will start with the basics for absolute beginner and that I will go on to the stitches. The best way to learn to crochet for free is from YouTube. There are a bunch of videos. That is why I have located a few of the videos that show the best crochet instructions for beginners.

Materials you will need

First, you will need a crochet hook. They are usually about six inches long and come in different sizes based on diameter. There are two basic sizing systems used for crochet hooks – US and metric sizing. US sizing uses letters from A through P, but are mainly available in sizes D through N. Metric sizing gives the diameter of the crochet hook in millimeters. Usually, crochet hooks have both sizings stamped on the handle of the hook.

 

Crochet hooks are made of several materials, including aluminum, steel, plastic, and different woods. I would recommend the hooks with soft plastic grips on the handle. When you start to crochet, you will love it so much that you will want to do it all of the time. I got blisters from hooks without grips, so now I only use soft handles. I bought these hooks from Amazon. I am delighted with them. I got everything I need, and it is in the cute case that fits everything in it.

The yarn…

The next thing you will want to pick is the yarn. Don’t get scared, but there are a lot of different yarns out there. An extensive diversity of different colors, fibers, and weights are available. Don’t let that overwhelm you too much. There are only two primary things to consider – fiber content and yarn weight. And of course, the is the color.

Fiber Content: Yarn is made from different types of fabric, including wool, cotton, bamboo, acrylic, alpaca, cashmere, angora, and so on. There are other exotic fibers and mixtures of ones listed above. The fiber content of a yarn affects how you wash your finished project as well as how the finished item behaves. Some can even be itchy. If you are crocheting for a baby, I recommend you to use cotton. It is soft, and you can wash it in a washing machine. Wool, except for superwash wool, needs to be hand washed. Most animal fibers need to be cleaned by hand.

Yarn Weight: Yarn is classified by how thick it is. Most commonly yarn weight is described by a name. From thinnest to thickest, they are 0 – lace, 1 – fingering, 2 – sport, 3 – DK (double knit), 4 – worsted, 6 – bulky (chunky), and 6 – super bulky (super chunky).

Chart from the Craft Council of America shows the yarn weight and hook size for each yarn.

The finished product you create is affected by what size hook and what weight of yarn you use. If you use a thicker hook and a thinner yarn, you’ll get a drapey, open texture (suitable for scarfs and blankets). If you use a thicker yarn with a medium-sized hook, your composure will be denser (suitable for amigurumi). What texture you’re looking for depends on what you’re trying to create.

Now let’s get to the fun part

The stitches – I would recommend that you go for a yarn that has excellent stitch definition, so it’s easier to see your stitches when you work. Acrylic, wool, or cotton yarn is an excellent choice. Stay away from fuzzy or fancy yarn, at least for now. Pick a light-colored yarn. Dark or multicolored yarn can be hard to know where to insert the hook as you crochet.

 

First, I want to show you the chain (ch). It is often called the starting or foundation chain because you work the other stitches into it. When you crochet, you will work across your fabric from right to left. When you get to the end of your row (if crocheting a flat project), you turn your workaround. I think the best way to understand how to crochet is by looking at the video. Here is the video Tutorial by Naztazia.

 

 

One of the most common crochet techniques is single crochet (sc), which produces a tight fabric. This stitch is the most used in amigurumi. Here is an excellent video tutorial from Wool and the gang on how to do a single crochet.

 

 

The second most common stitch in crochet is double crochet (dc). It is also a handy stitch to know, especially when you crochet a blanket, shawl, afghan or cardigan. Here is a video tutorial from Wool and the gang on how to do a double crochet.

 

 

There are a lot of different stitches that you can learn on the way. The best way is to try various projects and learn new things.

In the end, I would like to show you an increase and a decrease – the two most essential stitches you need to know when you do an amigurumi.

Here is the video tutorial for crocheting Amigurumi Smiley Face Hacky Sack Ball Toy from Naztazia. In this video, you can also learn how to do a magic circle. When crocheting around things, we usually start with the magic circle. There are different methods, but I will talk about that in the next post.

 

 

In this post, I showed you the basics you need to know to start crocheting. Even if you only know these stitches, you can make an enormous diversity of creations. You will be surprised when you discover all the awesome patterns that you can make. Now that you know the stitches needed, you can start with my post-Eyeballs free Haloween crochet pattern and make a decoration. I will post a lot of free patterns in my blog, so keep following me.

I hope I made it a little easier for you to start crocheting. I helped you to learn the basics. Now all you have to do is practice. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below, I will gladly help you.

Enjoy crocheting.

Have a nice day.

Katja