🧶 Crochet Newbies in Mild Crisis

[evilmommie]

A couple of my Disney gal pals and I decided to learn how to crochet. We ordered beginner kits online, and while they’re slightly less confusing now, we still feel like we’re deciphering hieroglyphics.

We’ve found a few helpful YouTube videos, but we’d love more tried-and-true recommendations. If you have beginner tutorials you swear by, simple first projects, or must-have supply tips, please send them our way.

We’re committed to learning—just hoping to reduce the number of yarn-related panic moments.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

A couple of my Disney gal pals and I decided to learn how to crochet. We ordered beginner kits online, and while they’re slightly less confusing now, we still feel like we’re deciphering hieroglyphics.

We’ve found a few helpful YouTube videos, but we’d love more tried-and-true recommendations. If you have beginner tutorials you swear by, simple first projects, or must-have supply tips, please send them our way.

We’re committed to learning—just hoping to reduce the number of yarn-related panic moments.

I found it easiest (when I was learning how to crochet) to use an illustrated book. I had to teach myself how to do it.

I basically put the book in front of me, and read the instructions word-by-word and did what each word said to do. And just repeated, repeated, repeated until my brain figured out what I was doing.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I used a magazine from like hobby lobby maybe, a friend to get me going ant the very beginning and then YouTube videos for specific stitches/forgot basics because I put it down too long lol.

I started with a scarf. Then I did a blanket in squares where you make the squares and then attach them to form the blanket at the very end. I kept the first one and gave my BFF the second blanket (which was much better). I bought extra yarn which was good so I could throw out any really wonky squares. I am not artfully gifted- not even remotely- so I have not and do not intend to try anything that isn’t nice and flat. Guess that’s my top tip- stay flat

 

[gottalovepluto]

Btw- I have no idea what a beginner kit would even entail so maybe don’t lean too hard into that? The magazine in store I came across told me the pattern, the size hook, the type and amount of yarn necessary for the project and generally had a 101 on how to the stitches in the guides (but YouTube helped sometimes there).

 

[Imzadi]

This beginner YouTube series by Kristen Mangus is THE teacher to learn to crochet or knit with. She has a series for right handed or left handed. Her instructions are clear, concise, she goes over mistakes and what to watch out for.

It's best to just do simple rows of one stitch (single crochet) until you have it down in muscle memory. Then do the next stitch (half double crochet) until that is in muscle memory, then move on to double crochet, etc. Maybe all of you can start with each individually doing a scarf with different rows of the stitches, before moving onto the kits.

Right Handed:

Left Handed:

She even has a Facebook Group, if you get really confused. You can ask about your kits there and other members will help you figure it out:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/404982146179179

 

[Suger Mag]

I have empathy for the crochet struggle

I bought my daughter a crochet kit last year (Wooblies).... she loves it, took off and is now crafting items on her own and did her first craft fair....

as a gift she bought me the Snoopy Wooblies kit.... said Mom it is so easy.... OMG I cannot do this at all and I am someone who likes to craft... I ended up hiding the uncompleted Snoopy in shame it is so bad

 

[Nayan]

The Crochet Crowd on YouTube. Mikey has awesome tutorials for beginners, along with stitch-along videos and free patterns.

 

[evilmommie]

Btw- I have no idea what a beginner kit would even entail so maybe don’t lean too hard into that? The magazine in store I came across told me the pattern, the size hook, the type and amount of yarn necessary for the project and generally had a 101 on how to the stitches in the guides (but YouTube helped sometimes there).

There are several kits on Amazon that are for “beginners”. My friend is an art teacher and wanted us all to learn together. She’s struggling too.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0FJRZ3F13?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
Thanks for your tips!!!

 

[evilmommie]

I have empathy for the crochet struggle

I bought my daughter a crochet kit last year (Wooblies).... she loves it, took off and is now crafting items on her own and did her first craft fair....

as a gift she bought me the Snoopy Wooblies kit.... said Mom it is so easy.... OMG I cannot do this at all and I am someone who likes to craft... I ended up hiding the uncompleted Snoopy in shame it is so bad

I can soooo relate to this!!! Glad your daughter is off and running! What a talent, that she’s turned this into a side gig!

 

[disneyseniors]

The Crochet Crowd on YouTube. Mikey has awesome tutorials for beginners, along with stitch-along videos and free patterns.

I agree. Mikey is so easy to follow, and I love his posts and videos.
When I first learned to crochet, there were no pattern books like they have now and definitely no TV shows. Computers were unheard of, so it was a really long time ago. I found a very small mini magazine called Workbasket and followed their instructions as best I could. I did everything in single crochet for a long time and had a lot of fun with it. You don't need to be an expert or learn every complicated stitch. I recommend starting with single crochet until you get comfortable with the yarn and hook. I am still crocheting after 50 years,, LOL! I have learned a lot of different crochet stitches, but my favorites are still double crochet and half DC.

 

[fla4fun]

This beginner YouTube series by Kristen Mangus is THE teacher to learn to crochet or knit with. She has a series for right handed or left handed. Her instructions are clear, concise, she goes over mistakes and what to watch out for.

It's best to just do simple rows of one stitch (single crochet) until you have it down in muscle memory. Then do the next stitch (half double crochet) until that is in muscle memory, then move on to double crochet, etc. Maybe all of you can start with each individually doing a scarf with different rows of the stitches, before moving onto the kits.

Right Handed:

Left Handed:

She even has a Facebook Group, if you get really confused. You can ask about your kits there and other members will help you figure it out:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/404982146179179

This is so great, that there is a video for both dominant hands. I am a lefty when it comes to writing, but there are some things I can only do right handed (for example, I can only use scissors in my right hand, even if they are left handed scissors). My grandmother taught me to crochet, knit, and embroider, and she was right handed so I do those things right handed.

My favorite thing to crochet is doilies. I like the detailed and intricate designs. I haven’t made one in a while though. . .

 

[theluckyrabbit]

A couple of my Disney gal pals and I decided to learn how to crochet. We ordered beginner kits online, and while they’re slightly less confusing now, we still feel like we’re deciphering hieroglyphics.

We’ve found a few helpful YouTube videos, but we’d love more tried-and-true recommendations. If you have beginner tutorials you swear by, simple first projects, or must-have supply tips, please send them our way.

We’re committed to learning—just hoping to reduce the number of yarn-related panic moments.

Is there a good yarn store near you? Most of the yarn stores around here have classes or knitting/crochet circles where a real person can answer all your questions and show you what to do. I learned to knit and crochet that way and it was fun! Very supportive groups and good for word-of-mouth resources.

 

[Skippy918]

I haven’t crocheted in awhile but when I was learning I preferred videos over writing instructions. The slow motion videos were helpful along with the tips like counting your stitches so you don’t end up creating a trapezoid shape blanket. I started with simple patterns like doing double crochet stitches only, then learned the shell stitch pattern, corner to corner, chevron (this one is tricky), box stitch. Color changes were hard to master. I like the multicolored yarn.