Why should you learn to crochet? Just as with knitting, crocheting can be very therapeutic, and you can add it to your crafting arsenal. It can become your go-to boredom buster when you run out of options.
On top of that, you can create practical objects for your home or create beautiful garments for the entire family. Here is an outline to give you a head start and encourage you to try something new.
Crocheting uses hooks instead of pointed needles. The hooks help to pull the yarn through the loops. The reason for this mention is that some people often confuse the two crafts.
The best way to learn how to crochet is to start with very thick yarn. In addition to that, use a large crochet hook. Double-knit yarn in a light color is an excellent start. This way you can see clearer when you form the stitches.
The easiest stitch is called the chain. It is the foundation stitch of all crochet stitches. It starts with a slipknot. Pull the yarn through this slipknot to form your first stitch. Continue to pull through the loops that form to create the chain.
You work your next row of stitches from this foundation—that is, the chain. These stitches all have names and can be any of them depending on what pattern you wish to create.
The Stitches You Use Form a Pattern
The most basic stitches are:
The chain stitch (ch), which we already mentioned. You use it to start any project as the foundation.
Following the chain can be any of these stitches:
The double crochet (dc), where you simply turn on the chain and insert the hook into the second chain from the hook. You then pull the yarn through both loops. In some instances, especially in recent instruction books, the stitch is called single crochet (sc) .
See the first image above, which illustrates this stitch perfectly. This stitch is perfect for stuffed toys (as seen below) because it is quite a dense stitch.
The half treble stitch (htr), which is a more open stitch than the double crochet, but you can also use it for stuffed toys. It is a taller stitch than the double crochet as well.
Here you hook a loop around the crochet hook, insert it into the chain or the next stitch (depending on which row you are on). You the pull the yarn through all three loops on the hook.
The next stitch is the treble (tr), which is again taller than the half treble stitch. It will give you a less dense fabric than the stitches above. These stitches can help you create garments.
The stitches are more open but are not too revealing; hence, you can create tops and other types of garments with them. With this stitch:
The double treble (dtr) is an even taller stitch than the treble and creates a more open fabric as well. This stitch is similar to the treble stitch, but taller, as we said.
Wrap the yarn around the crochet hook twice
Insert the hook into the next stitch and pull through
Proceed to pull the yarn through every two loops until you end with one loop on the hook
The slip stitch (sl st) is the simplest stitch. It is the one that closes rows, especially when you crochet in the round.
When you get to the end of a row, you insert the hook into the top of the previous stitch
You pull the yarn through all loops on the hook
This closes up the row
Creating a Pattern
The pattern we refer to here is the fabric that you create. Once you master the basic stitches, you have a myriad ways of using them to create a patterned fabric. See below for an example.
