beginner

[sharonparker6@aol.com]

I am a total beginner, have never crocheted before and lockdown seems like a good time to start. I am wondering if there is a beginners kit to buy as I dont have anything yet. Thanks Sharon.

[Granny Square]

Hi Sharon, welcome to the ville!  I don't know of any kits, but they'd probably be overpriced anyway.  What kind of things do you want to make?  Hats, doilies, blankets, toys?

Except for doilies, my suggestion is -- assuming you are in the US, a good place to start is with a skein of 'medium' weight yarn, Red Heart Super Saver is a good place to start (doesn't have to be that brand, it's just a really common, sturdy and not-expensive acrylic yarn).  You will see on the label a little square with a sketch of a skein of yarn with a "4" on it's label, and it will say "Medium" above the skein).  It will also suggest an "I-9" hook - hook size chart and other info here.  You don't HAVE to use that size, it's just in the middle of a range of sizes that work well  with that yarn, pretty much any size from G to K will work, and maybe a size or two beyond in either direction but it starts to get a bit harder to handle - for the record I still have my first hook, it's 50 years old, and it's an I size.

As far as 'how to' - Here is a site with a lot of good information of stuff to know after you've learned to make the basic stitches, and want to start on a pattern -- see menu on the right, 'how to read a crochet pattern' (this is US based). 

I have not used this book - "Teach Yourself Visually - Crochet" - however I bought the knitting version when I was trying to re-learn things and thought it was excellent, so hopefully the crochet version is as well.   

There are also a lot of videos out there to learn stitches, some are horrid and some are great.  I like to use this site (new stitch a day) when I'm looking for a fancy stitch, but they also cover basics--here is the subsection on basic crochet stitches, with video and written instructions https://newstitchaday.com/crochet-techniques/crochet-abbreviations/  .  Don't be intimidated, probably the chain stitch (ch), single crochet(sc), double crochet(dc), and slip stitch(slst) will suffice for 99% of patterns you'll run across.  Maybe half double(HDC) too. 

Let me know if you are in the UK or 'down under' (not sure about Canada?), there are differences in some basic stitch names.

Edited to add, re crochet hooks - probably would be a good idea to shop for a package of a few different sized hooks...wow, the price on this set is great on Amazon, it's brand x but I don't have such a complete set in that range (after 50 years crocheting).  They are sized in mm not US letter sizes but there are cross references on line that you can use.

Edited November 4, 2020 by Granny Square

[USpolishgirl]

Hello and Welcome!

I remember before I started crocheting I bought from Mary Maxim little KIT for about 4 or 5 Bucks.  There was a very small  book. I think that title was: "I thought my self crochet". In that book  were few simple stitches with pictures - info. how to make them. There were 3 cheap hooks and two or three very small bundles of yarn. I started practicing how to crochet sc (single crochet) and dc ( double crochet) stitches. I was NOT trying to crochet anything, just to crochet small flat piece, rip that and crochet over again and again...

After about a week of practicing I bought few skeins of white color Baby yarn. because I needed very desperately to crochet scarfs for my two little babies-granddaughters.  I bought that Kit-Book because of my little Babies granddaughters. I NEEDED to learn how to make Baby-scarfs!. My daughter was complaining that she can NOT find anywhere in stores scarfs for babies! :(. They were living way North in Wisconsin, winters there are VERY COLD :(. If would not been for those needed baby scarfs I would never started crocheting.

When I started there were no YouTubes-Videos on Line like now. IF they were? I did NOT knew anything about that. I was on my own! :(.  No one that I knew was crocheting to be able to help me.  That winter I made many beautiful scarfs for my grand-babies . After making about 4 sets of those scarfs all I wanted was to make a Sets for them (Hats & Scarfs). I did not knew how to crochet in rounds. BUT, I did figure out a "way" how to make hats just crocheting from side to side. Those are the Tube-Hats (that is how I call them). That piece for that hat looks like a short scarf  (I could crochet that from side to side), sew together two smaller sides, gather one side, put a pom-pom on, flip the other side-brim. And I got hats!.  MANY OF THEM..LOL. My daughter was so happy, they were matching Sets- Hats & Scarfs.

Now with so ALL of those You-Tubes people can learn a lot easier & faster everything they want to make :).

BUT, I still would advice you to buy one or two skeins of cheap-strong and easy to crochet with yarn. like  "Red Heart Super Saver" yarn. Buy a hook or two -5mm and maybe 5,5 mm or 4,5mm.  And PRACTICE crocheting flat pieces (from side to side) over & over again. No matter what you will want to crochet before you do that you do need to get some practice...your hand needs to get use to that hook and how to crochet even stitches (so they would look the same, not one looser or taller than the other). After some practice you can try to make some wash- cloths and see how that is going.. maybe a scarf. I would not start anything more complicated like with  Increases and Decreases or "fancy" stitches.  That might just make you " confused & angry" and you could give up on all of that.

That is my advice,

Krys

[USpolishgirl]

5 hours ago, Granny Square said:

a good place to start is with a skein of 'medium' weight yarn, Red Heart Super Saver is a good place to start (doesn't have to be that brand, it's just a really common, sturdy and not-expensive acrylic yarn).

Sorry Granny Square I did not read your comment before I posted my comment.  Here we are  advising  the same yarn to practice on "Super Saver" LOL

[Tampa Doll]

Welcome  to Crochetville from the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Grab your yarn and hooks, put your feet up and sit a spell.

We are always so glad to meet new friends.😁

Here is a book I used when I was learning.  It gives tips and has patterns to help.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Learn-to-Crochet-Paperback-9781464714306/39565447?wmlspartner=wmtlabs&adid=22222222222089551816&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=o&wl2=c&wl3=74423243575539&wl4=pla-4578022844571075&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=& wl10=Walmart&wl12=39565447_10000008576&wl14=Learn how to crochet&veh=sem&msclkid=776fcb43388b1715dafc94e70acb39d3

Edited November 5, 2020 by Tampa Doll