What Should a Beginner Crochet? |
Posted: October 4, 2020 |
Crochet is a beautiful craft that people young and old enjoy alike. Gone are the days when it was known as something only grandma’s indulged in. More and more people are taking up crochet. With an endless collection of YouTube videos, a large number of crocheters are self-taught. They did not have a mom or a grandma who crocheted. Some turn to crochet as a means to cope with stress, some to combat depression or loneliness and some others just as a relaxing hobby. Whatever the reason, everyone who crochets will agree that it is a therapeutic craft.
If you are someone looking to try crochet, you might not know where to start. The first step is to learn basic crochet stitches. Once you learn how to make a foundation chain, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, and how to change colors you are ready for your first crochet project. You will find plenty of YouTube tutorials if you search these terms. Of course, you will have more techniques to learn like increasing and decreasing in crochet which will help you shape your piece, but we will come to that later.
So, what should you crochet as an absolute beginner? Straight edged projects like scarves and blanket are a great place to start. You can use double crochet stitches and worsted weight yarn to make a simple scarf. Add fringes or pom poms to the edge to jazz it up. Scarves also make great gifts for friends and family. Crochet scarves can also be donated to homeless shelters.
You can also try your hand at simple crochet blankets made from just double crochet stitches or a mix of basic crochet stitches. Change colors every 2 rows to make a striped crochet Blanket and your work looks prettier without much extra effort. There are also simple beginner stitches like a V-stitch, suzette stitch and shell stitch that will make beautiful blankets. And did you think crochet blankets are only for babies? They look great as throws on you couch too. Just try to make it to match the colors of your décor and you have a snuggly and warm blanket to curl up in while watching your favorite television show.
You can also donate blankets to nursing homes. The residents love using them as lap blankets and a handmade gift makes them feel loved.
With just a few basic stitches in your arsenal, you can also make simple crochet hats which are made flat, sewn into a tube and gathered at the top. You can use any basic stitch for this pattern. A lot of women crochet hats to donate to hospitals. If you are interested in going that route, there are charities that will collect and donate hats on your behalf. You can also ask the hospitals near you.
Another great item you can crochet with basic stitches is a dishcloth. They are generally made as small 8 by 8-inch squares and are the best for learning new stitches. Keep making small swatches in the new stitches you learn and use them as dishcloths. You can also make a bunch of them, tie them with a jute twine for a rustic look and gift them to friends and family.
Once you make these basic items, you will gain the confidence to move on to more complex items. The next step is to learn how to increase and decrease in crochet. Then you can start with hats worked in the round, fingerless mittens and other similar items.
If you want to try making clothing, I would suggest you start with ponchos to gain confidence. Ponchos generally have simple construction without sleeves and can be tackled easily. Before you try a woman’s cardigan or sweater, you must learn to check your gauge. Gauge will ensure that your finished piece doesn’t end up too small or big. Gauge is a measure of how tight or loose you crochet. If your gauge does not meet that of the designer, you could end up with a piece too big or small. We will discuss gauge in more detail in one of my next articles.
I hope you learned some basic crochet terms and what to look for when you start crochet.
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