Beginner Basics - PT. 1
Hello Readers!
Spring has SPRUNG! Pretty soon the flowers will bloom and warmer weather with it! Change is happening all around us as new things begin to grow. National Crochet Month inspired me to start a change: I’d like to encourage you, dear readers, to try something new and grow your skills!
To get started you are going to need a few things. First things first - you’ll need yarn! Yarn comes in different weights, or thicknesses, that can be used for different things. For example - bulky yarn works great for blankets or scarves, and super fine yarn works best for socks or smaller items. The weight of the yarn will determine what size hook to use with it.
All yarn labels include this information to make it easy - and they will also show you how big your work should be with that yarn and hook combo, also known as the gauge. Yarn labels provide a lot of useful information besides the size of yarn and hook.
You will also see:
So, now that we have our yarn, we can choose our hook! The hook size is based on the diameter of the hook - this is what controls the size of the stitches. There are two ways that hooks are labelled for size - the first being the metric measurement in millimetres. But since the US uses imperial measurements, the Craft Yarn Council of America implemented their own code to allow for continuity. The CYCA codes are often seen internationally, alongside the metric size, so everyone can find what they need! The Craft Yarn Council is also responsible for the industry standard symbols used on yarn labels.
Some extra tools that may come in handy:
Terms:
Now that you can read the basics of a pattern we can start practising! To start any project you must first create a slip knot. Most patterns will not mention this step because you can’t start without it - and it is assume you know this ahead of time. You can tie the knot and then insert your hook in the loop, but I like to make the knot using my hook.
To do this I hold the yarn tight in my left hand between my 1st and 2nd fingers and my thumb and 3rd finger. It will take some time for your muscles to get used to this - but practice makes perfect! With the hook in my right hand, I twist the yarn around it - we now have a loop but no knot.
I then move my thumb and 3rd finger to pinch at the base of the loop to hold it closed. Then yo(yarn over) your hook and pull a new loop through the existing one. Then tighten the knot by pulling the tail (short end of the yarn) and you have a slip knot! As long as your hook stays in the loop the work won’t come undone.
The next step for a pattern, worked in rows, is the foundation chains. To complete a chain stitch (ch) simply yo and pull through a loop.
It’s that easy! This is the most basic crochet stitch - with this alone you can make shoelaces, hair-ties, jewellery, and basically anything that requires 1 strand.
But we want to work in 2D most of the time, so how do we do that? With a foundation chain! This is what will set the width of your project. Patterns will list a number of chains at the start or as part of the first row. That number will change depending on what stitch is being worked next. That is because the last chains are turning chains that will set the height for the row.
So to recap:
Foundations Chains = width of the row
Turning Chains = height of the row.
We are only going to learn single crochet (sc) this week - and for that you need 1 turning chain. This is not counted in the stitch count, for example ch15 would be 14sc in the row.
But first we have to turn our work - hence turning chain. You want your chains in your left hand thumb and 3rd finger and your working yarn between the 1st and 2nd fingers. We work the stitches from right to left (if you are left handed please keep in mind to do the opposite).
Each chain should look like a v on top, we work stitches under the v. Insert your hook in the second chain from your hook - leaving the first as your turning chain. Yarn over and pull a loop through the chain, you should have 2 loops on your hook.
Yarn over again, but this time pull through both loops on the hook. That is single crochet! You repeat that process in every chain across and that is your first row.
In order to get the 2nd row on top of the 1st we need another turning chain then simply single crochet back the other way! You will notice the tops of the sc also have the v shape, so continue to work under those loops.
The 1st row is worked on the RS (right side) and the 2nd row is worked on the WS (wrong side). There is nothing actually “wrong” about this row - it is just referring to what side of the garment will be in or out. For some patterns there are details on only one side so it is important to keep track of RS vs WS, but for some projects this doesn’t matter, like a scarf!
Speaking of scarves - with what you have learned today you can make one yourself! Here is a simple pattern for you to test your skills!
Row 1 - ch 21, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc across (20 single crochet total), ch 1 and turn
Row 2 - sc 20, ch 1 and turn
Row 3 - repeat row 2
Row 4, 5, 6, …. - Continue with as many rows as you like to reach your desired length. On your last row do NOT ch 1 and turn - instead, cut the working yarn about 4in from your hook, yo and pull the entire strand through the loop on hook. Tie another knot to secure in place and weave in the ends.
Spring has SPRUNG! Pretty soon the flowers will bloom and warmer weather with it! Change is happening all around us as new things begin to grow. National Crochet Month inspired me to start a change: I’d like to encourage you, dear readers, to try something new and grow your skills!
This article is for absolute beginners and contains all the info you need to start crocheting - including the skills you need to make a scarf (pattern included!) Part 2 (coming soon) will go into more details and expand on these basics. If you already know how to crochet then use these tips & tricks to teach your friends and share your craft with everyone!
SUPER BASICS
Tools:
To get started you are going to need a few things. First things first - you’ll need yarn! Yarn comes in different weights, or thicknesses, that can be used for different things. For example - bulky yarn works great for blankets or scarves, and super fine yarn works best for socks or smaller items. The weight of the yarn will determine what size hook to use with it.
All yarn labels include this information to make it easy - and they will also show you how big your work should be with that yarn and hook combo, also known as the gauge. Yarn labels provide a lot of useful information besides the size of yarn and hook. You will also see:
- washing instructions (usually in symbols, so here is a cheat sheet courtesy of the Craft Yarn Council of America)
- the weight of the ball in ounces and grams (this helps when a pattern requires a specific amount of yarn),
- the dye lot number (this is an indication of when the yarn was dyed and what other balls of yarn were dyed at the same time. By matching dye lots you ensure your work has one exact colour all the way through).
- Some yarn labels even include free patterns, so hold onto those ones!
Some extra tools that may come in handy:
- scissors - to cut the yarn
- sewing measuring tape - to measure your gauge
- darning needle - to sew in your ends
- stitch markers - to hold your spot
Terms:
There are some phrases and words you should familiarize yourself with before we begin. Most crochet patterns are accompanied by a refresher course on terms and their abbreviations for the stitches in that pattern. Again, the CYCA makes sure everyone uses the same codes for all patterns. Today I will go into the most basic of these terms and teach you the simple stitches to get you started (I will be using US terms and next week I will explain the difference between US and UK terms).
beg - begin/beginning
ch - chain stitch
cont - continue
lp - loop
prev - previous
rem - remaining
rep - repeat
RS - right side
sc - single crochet
sl st - slip stitch
st - stitch
|
tch/t-ch - turning chain
turn - turn the work from RS to WS/ WS to RS
WS - wrong side
yo - yarn over
“/in - inch
cm - centimeter
g - gram
m - meter
mm - millimeter
oz - ounce
yd - yard
|
GETTING STARTED
I then move my thumb and 3rd finger to pinch at the base of the loop to hold it closed. Then yo(yarn over) your hook and pull a new loop through the existing one. Then tighten the knot by pulling the tail (short end of the yarn) and you have a slip knot! As long as your hook stays in the loop the work won’t come undone. 
The next step for a pattern, worked in rows, is the foundation chains. To complete a chain stitch (ch) simply yo and pull through a loop.It’s that easy! This is the most basic crochet stitch - with this alone you can make shoelaces, hair-ties, jewellery, and basically anything that requires 1 strand.
So to recap: Foundations Chains = width of the row
Turning Chains = height of the row.
We are only going to learn single crochet (sc) this week - and for that you need 1 turning chain. This is not counted in the stitch count, for example ch15 would be 14sc in the row.
But first we have to turn our work - hence turning chain. You want your chains in your left hand thumb and 3rd finger and your working yarn between the 1st and 2nd fingers. We work the stitches from right to left (if you are left handed please keep in mind to do the opposite). 
Each chain should look like a v on top, we work stitches under the v. Insert your hook in the second chain from your hook - leaving the first as your turning chain. Yarn over and pull a loop through the chain, you should have 2 loops on your hook. Yarn over again, but this time pull through both loops on the hook. That is single crochet! You repeat that process in every chain across and that is your first row.
The 1st row is worked on the RS (right side) and the 2nd row is worked on the WS (wrong side). There is nothing actually “wrong” about this row - it is just referring to what side of the garment will be in or out. For some patterns there are details on only one side so it is important to keep track of RS vs WS, but for some projects this doesn’t matter, like a scarf!
PRACTICE
Speaking of scarves - with what you have learned today you can make one yourself! Here is a simple pattern for you to test your skills!
Yarn - any colour worsted weight
Hook - as listed on yarn label
Hook - as listed on yarn label
Row 1 - ch 21, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc across (20 single crochet total), ch 1 and turn Row 2 - sc 20, ch 1 and turn
Row 3 - repeat row 2
Row 4, 5, 6, …. - Continue with as many rows as you like to reach your desired length. On your last row do NOT ch 1 and turn - instead, cut the working yarn about 4in from your hook, yo and pull the entire strand through the loop on hook. Tie another knot to secure in place and weave in the ends.
If you have any questions about the information in this post, leave a comment below and I’d be happy to help! If you followed along and crocheted your first scarf, give me a shout out here, on instagram, or on facebook. I would love to see your 1st project and your progress with crochet! Come back for part 2 with more in depth tips; new stitches, and much more!
Until next time,
I’m Kat and that’s that!
Until next time,
I’m Kat and that’s that!
Comments
Post a Comment