Welcome to Crochetsics Basics! This is my tutorial series for people who are absolute beginners at crochet (and fiber arts in general) and want to learn from scratch. This course should teach you everything you need to follow a beginner pattern and hit the ground running, as well as a few other techniques and stitches you may come across.
Course structure
I’ve split this course into two “halves”: in the first half we’ll be learning the basic crochet stitches and how to work in rows. In the second, we’ll learn some more advanced stitch techniques and how to work in rounds. Each half will be capped off with a cinch sack project that uses all the techniques we’ve covered so far.
The course also has right and left handed versions. Most people hold their hook in their dominant hand, and their yarn in their non-dominant hand, so that’s how I’ve named each version of the course. Feel free to follow whichever version feels more comfortable for you! I’m right handed, and so the left-handed version just features me mirroring anything I did for the right-handed version. If there are any mistakes in my descriptions, let me know and I’ll fix them!
There’s also a corresponding video tutorial series, so if you’d rather follow video tutorials, those will be linked at the start of each post. Here’s the video for this post!
First, let’s get into the things you’ll need to follow along with this course.
Hook
The hook I’d suggest for this course is a 5.5 mm inline aluminum hook.
This may also be labeled as a US I or I9 hook.
You don’t need to worry too much about why I suggest this type of hook in particular, but if you’re curious, keep reading. If not, go ahead and skip down to the yarn section.
Shape
You’re going to see two different hook shapes: tapered and inline.
I’d suggest an inline hook if you’re just starting out. These are the ones that look like a cylinder with a notch carved into them. You’re probably less likely to drop your yarn with these, and the sharp point can make it easier to get the hook into a stitch.
Tapered hooks are great once you’re more comfortable with crochet. They don’t have any sharp edges, making it much easier to slip through loops on your hook. You can crochet quicker with these, but they may also result in tighter stitches. It’s also a bit easier to drop loops since there’s nothing “grabby” on the hook.
Material
Aluminum is I feel the slipperiest material you can get, which can make it easier to slide your hook through the yarn. I’ve found wooden hooks to be super grippy, so I’ve had to hold my yarn pretty loose to use them.
Handle
Some crochet hooks also have ergonomic grips. These are great to give yourself a little bit larger handle to hold on to, but they aren’t critical for the size hook we’ll be dealing with so no worries if you can’t find one.
Yarn
For this course, try to get a 4, or worsted, weight yarn.
In America, this is shown in the little yarn emblem above. These are also known as medium or worsted weight yarns. The yarn label also has information on the amount of yarn in the skein and the fiber content. They often also have suggested hook or needle sizes.
The material you choose for this isn’t super critical for this course, so it’s really dependent on what you like. The fiber type and makeup will also be listed somewhere on the label
Here’s some common yarn fibers to start out with:
Acrylic- Usually one of the cheaper options, and fairly stretchy. Some people don’t like this for sensory reasons, since it can be kinda scratchy.
Cotton- Stiffer than acrylic and much less stretch. This can make it a bit tougher on your hands, but may be more comfortable to use from a sensory standpoint.
Wool- Most common in specialty or independent yarn stores, but also available in big craft stores. These can also be fairly scratchy depending on the yarn you get. Merino wool is typically a bit softer.
When you select your yarn, feel them to see whether or not you like them. It’ll probably take some time to figure out what you like. Unlike for the hook, I’d suggest a yarn that ISN’T super slippery. These can be harder to hold on to with your hook, so try to avoid slick feeling yarns like bamboo or certain acrylics.
If you’re getting your yarn secondhand, it might not be labeled. In that case, you can determine the yarn size using the wraps per inch (wpi) of the yarn- the number of wraps it takes for the yarn to span an inch. Worsted weight yarn is about 9 wpi.
Notions
These are the non-hook-or-yarn things you should have on hand:
Tapestry needle- These are needles specifically for yarn, so they’re bigger than sewing or embroidery needles. I personally really like the ones with bent ends, but the straight ones are fine too. I’d advise against plastic needles since they’re more susceptible to bending or breaking.
Stitch marker- These are always useful and are used to mark stitches (who would have guessed?) You need to get ones that open and close. The fully enclosed ones are for knitting and don’t work for crochet.
Scissors- For cutting your yarn!
Conclusion
Alright! Time for a summary of what you’ll need for this course:
- 5.5 mm aluminum inline hook
- 4/worsted weight yarn
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch marker
- Scissors
We’ll be starting to learn to crochet in the next post, so get your hands on these, and I’ll meet you there!