Learning to Crochet Tips

Hard and Easy

I've always said that learning how to knit is easy but actually knitting something is hard. Well, with crochet, the opposite seems to be true: it seems very challenging to learn how to crochet, but once you learn the basic stitches, you can make just about anything! Just keep reading the crochet tips here at Lifetips, and you will be a true crocheter before you know it.

Ring in the (Yarn) Tension

Maintaining uniform tension when feeding out the yarn while you crochet is one of the hardest things to do when first learning how to crochet. It does come with time -- just keep experimenting with different ways to hold the yarn that allows it to flow easily but not too loosely. One trick I just learned from Kelsey Innis on FaveCrafts is to try feeding the yarn through a smooth ring that you wear while crocheting. Now, it has to be a ring you're willing to part with til the end of the project because it's going to be trapped in the yarn til then, but just feed the yarn through the ring, slip it on your ring or middle finger, moving the yarn to your palm side, and let the yarn loop over your index finger. See if that helps with the tension.

Left Handed Crochet

Lefties tend to get neglected, but not here! There are clearly written instructions for left handed crochet on Craftbits' website at this link http://www.craftbits.com/viewProject.do?projectID=1324 as well as videos available on YouTube demonstrating left handed crochet.

A Bird in the Hand...

This tip is great for golfers too! Whether you choose to hold your hook like a pencil or a knife, you should hold it as though it were a bird -- tightly enough that it won't fly away, but loosely enough that you won't kill it! Getting just the right grip on your hook is important for maintaining the uniformity of your stitches as well as the health of your hands, fingers, and wrists.

Skill Levels

Crochet patterns often come with some indication of the crochet skill level you should have to be able to tackle the project. Don't feel bound by these statements, just take them to be guidelines for helping you assess what's involved in creating the item and if it's a pattern that you want to try:

Beginner: this is a pattern that is intended for first-time crocheters, utilizes basic stitches, and involves minimal shaping.

Easy: this is a pattern that uses basic stitches, simple repetitive stitch patterns and/or color changes, and simple shaping and finishing.

Intermediate: this is a pattern that uses a variety of crochet stitches in varying patterns and has mid-level shaping and finishing.

Advanced or Experienced: this is a pattern that uses advanced crochet techniques and stitches in intricate patterns and involves detailed shaping and finishing.