How to Crochet: The Beginner's Guide

Welcome to Hooked On Aminah! If you’re new to crochet, you’re in the right place. Crochet is a fun, relaxing craft with endless creative possibilities, from cozy blankets to high-fashion outfits. This guide will help cover the basics so you can pick up a hook, grab some yarn, and start your crochet journey today!

What You’ll Need to Start Crocheting

Before we dive into the stitches, let’s talk about the tools. Here’s a quick checklist of beginner essentials:

• Crochet Hook: A medium-sized hook (like a size 5mm or H-8) is a great starting point.
• Yarn: Choose a worsted-weight yarn, which is easy to handle and perfect for beginners. Stick to light colors so you can see your stitches easily.
• Scissors: A small pair of scissors will help you neatly trim your yarn.
• Tapestry Needle: This will help weave in any loose ends at the end of your project.

Pro Tip: Start with 100% acrylic yarn until you’re more comfortable with different techniques!

Basic Crochet Stitches to Learn

To begin, let’s cover four of the most essential stitches. Mastering these will open up a world of crochet patterns!

1. Slip Knot: This is the foundation for any crochet project. Wrap the yarn into a loop, pull a loop through with your hook, and you’re ready to start.
2. Chain Stitch (ch): This forms the foundation row of most projects. Simply yarn over and pull through to make a chain.
3. Single Crochet (sc): One of the simplest stitches—insert your hook into the stitch, yarn over (yo), pull through, yarn over (yo) again, and pull through both loops on the hook.
4. Double Crochet (dc): One of the next most common stitches -- yarn over (yo) insert your hook into the chain, yarn over (yo) and pull through
   yarn over (yo) again, and pull the yarn through the chain. You should now have three loops on your hook.Yarn over (yo) once more, and pull the yarn through the first two loops on your hook. You should now have two loops left on the hook. Yarn over (yo) and pull through the last two loops. Yarn over (yo) one last time, and pull through the remaining two loops on your hook. You’ve now completed your first double crochet stitch!

Learning these basics will allow you to make everything from scarves to blankets!

Tips for Beginners

• Practice Makes Perfect: Don’t worry if your stitches aren’t perfect at first. It takes time to build consistency.
• Use Tutorials: Be sure to follow @Howtocrochet1 on Instagram for video tutorials. 

Next Steps

Once you’ve practiced these stitches, try a beginner-friendly project like a scarf. These are quick to make, useful, and will give you confidence to try more complex patterns!

With Hooked On Aminah, we’re here to provide you with all the crochet tips, tricks, and inspiration you’ll need. Follow us here and on Instagram for more crochet guides, pattern ideas, and exclusive tips!