This crochet beginner tutorial and video ebook will teach you how to get started with crochet and what you will need in order to learn the basic stitches in crochet. If you have never crocheted before, this tutorial is the perfect and most ideal way to get started.
You will learn everything from the most basic crochet stitches such as making a slip knot and how to crochet a chain to learn how to single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, treble crochet, double treble crochet, and even how to make a magic circle and a front and back post. All of the basic stitches come with a very detailed photo and video tutorial.
Once you have perfected these basic crochet stitches you are ready to get your hands on any beginner pattern and I have many for you to offer. So, let’s get right to it and start by checking out what you will need in order to get started to learn how to crochet. Remember I have a video tutorial on all of the below as well.
But, I have all the basic crochet stitches on different parts of my website. If you prefer having all the videos in one spot plus the entire collection of Basic Crochet Stitches and so much more with lots of photos in one printer-friendly ad-free ebook, you can also purchase it below.
The convenience to print it all out and have the videos all in one spot will make your crochet learning experience so much better. You’ll learn faster too.
Materials Needed to Learn How to Crochet
You will simply need some yarn, a hook (usually whatever your yarn skein refers you to use or whatever the crochet pattern you use mentions), a pair of scissors, and a yarn needle for weaving in the end. That’s it! Nothing more is needed to learn how to crochet. Simple and easy.
Crochet Hooks Sizes and Yarn Weight
In order to understand how to crochet with the correct yarn with the correct or responding crochet hook, you will first need to know what crochet hook sizes are available and how you relate them to a specific crochet yarn weight.
Let’s take a look at the table below. You see the metric system sizes of crochet hooks on the left (which I like to refer to in my patterns and the crochet hook size in U.S. terms on the right. Usually, both are mentioned on a yarn skein information sheet.
In order to use the correct crochet hook for specific yarn weight, please check the below table as a guideline. Although when crocheting from a pattern be sure to follow the mentioned yarn weight and hook size for that pattern as one can change it easily to create either a tighter stitch or a more lace texture by changing out the yarn weight or hook for a smaller or larger weight or bigger hook size.
The above picture was adapted from the Craft Yarn Council’s website.
Learn How to Crochet – Slip Knot and a Chain
So, let’s get started with the hands-on experience. Grab your yarn and a crochet hook. You will now first learn how to crochet a slip knot and a chain as well as how certain parts of a chain are called. If this below picture tutorial is too complicated for you, please check out the below video tutorial for a more visual demonstration.
1. First, wrap your yarn around your pointy and middle finger such that the shorter end is underneath the showing crossed yarn stands and the longer one going towards the big yarn skein is on top.
2. Now, remove the circle, but hold the crossed area tide together using your non-dominate hand. Next, use your fingers or as shown below, your hook, and pull the yarn from the longer yarn strand (going towards the yarn ball or skein) thru the loop or circle.
3. Once you did that, it should look like the below picture.
4. Next, hold both strands and pull with your crochet hook the loop such that a knot is building.
5. Now, pull the longer yarn strand and make the loop around the hook smaller. Do not make it too small. You still need to be able to move your hook easily inside the loop. You now created a slip knot.
Once you created a slip knot, you will need to make a chain to get started with the basic crochet stitches. So, let get right to that.
1. Using the longer yarn strand, hold it with your non-dominant hand like I do below. I chose to lead the yarn strand to go through my pinky and ring finger as it provides tension control. The yarn will be neither too loose not to tough to pull.
2. Next, wrap your yarn around your hook as shown below.
3. Now pull the yarn through the loop. You now created your first chain.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have a good amount of chains created. Keep practicing until you have the chains all about the same size at all times. You want to prevent having some larger chains and then some smaller chains. Try to make them all about equal in size.
5. Now that you have created a long chain and practice enough, you can start learning how to crochet the basic crochet stitches.
Difference between the Front and Back of a Chain
1. The front of a chain looks like a picture shows below. You see stacked up “V”s. When looking at one V, the loop that is closed to you is always known as the front loop. So sometimes a pattern calls for a stitch being made in the front loop only (aka “flo”). The loop behind it is called the back loop. Therefore, if a stitch needs to be made only into the back loop only then it would say “blo”. If you need to crochet through both loops (front and back), which is the most common way, then it is just considered a stitch (aka “sts”).
2. The back of a chain looks a little bit different. You can see horizontal bars that are known as the back bump or hump. I usually crochet into the back bump instead of the front and back loop together as that makes the finished piece a lot easier.
Video Tutorial to Learn the Slip Knot and Chain
Subscribe to my Youtube Channel here:
Learn How to Crochet – All Basic Crochet Stitches
In order to learn all the basic crochet stitches, there are, please click on the links below. Try to stay in order from top to bottom to learn from the easiest and smallest stitch to one of the largest or even more advanced stitches. The below-mentioned basic crochet stitches are in U.S. terms only. To learn how to convert to U.K. terms, please check this translator.
- Single Crochet (aka “sc”) Slip Stitch (aka “sl st”)
- Half Double Crochet (aka “hdc”), plus Increases (aka “inc”) and Decreases (aka “dec”)
- Double Crochet (aka “dc”), plus Increases and Decreases
- Treble Crochet (aka “tr”), plus Increases and Decreases
- Double Treble Crochet (aka “dtr”), plus Increases and Decreases
- Magic Circle or Magic Ring
- Chainless Foundation Chains (sc, hdc, dc, tr)
- Front and Back Post Stitches (aka “fp” or “bp”)
Once you learned all the above-mentioned basic stitches, you can now learn more advanced crochet stitches and even patterns. Be sure to check them all out. I am sure you will find something that you like.
But, I have all the basic crochet stitches on different parts of my website. If you prefer having all the videos in one spot plus the entire collection of Basic Crochet Stitches and so much more with lots of photos in one printer-friendly ad-free ebook, you can also purchase it below.
The convenience to print it all out and have the videos all in one spot will make your crochet learning experience so much better. You’ll learn faster too.
Also be sure to share this Crochet Beginner Guide – Crochet 101 with the world on social media. Thank you.
