Learning to Crochet for Beginners

Dear users, dear authors,
What tips do you have for crochet beginners?

I’d recommend small, simple projects for beginners.
When you experience your first successes, it sparks a love for crocheting and gives you the confidence to stick with it.
For example, doilies, dish towels, headbands, or small scarves or shawls without too many pattern changes.
Maybe start with just single crochet or double crochet stitches.
For this, I’d recommend a medium-sized hook and a yarn that’s easy to work with and doesn’t cause frustration due to its fiber structure. 

Very important: count, count, count! Especially when crocheting in rows, it’s easy to forget a stitch at the edge. And when crocheting in the round, use stitch markers so you can see where the round ends.

Crocheted pieces often end up slightly crooked—even when you count correctly.
To prevent this, try inserting the hook a little deeper into the last stitch of the row.
This applies starting with the second row.
Stitch markers also make counting easier.

To start with, you might want to use a larger crochet hook than specified (one size larger), since beginners tend to crochet quite tightly.

Hi,
I’d recommend using thick yarn (that’s well-twisted) with a large hook (size 5 or larger), then making a
scarf—a straight piece—or maybe a pot holder (in that case, use cotton yarn)—that way, you’ll quickly feel a sense of accomplishment 😉
Be careful at the beginning and end of each row not to forget or miss any stitches; at first
double-check the pattern to be on the safe side.
This is especially true for shawls (because of the increases!)—a granny shawl
works well, for example. It’s important to always place a stitch marker in the last stitch when setting the work aside—and, if necessary, make a note of which row you “stopped” on.
What I love about crocheting is that you can easily unravel it (if the yarn allows) if you happen to make a mistake 🙃—that’s much harder with knitting 😩
The internet is often a big help, too; there are great videos on the different stitches 😇

I’d start with twisted, i.e. plied, yarn. Unplied yarn, like typical Bobbel yarn cakes with 3 or 4 strands, can be a bit tricky for learning because you might not catch all the strands.

As for hook size: I’d use a 4.0 mm hook. Because if it’s too thick (size 6, for example), it gets clunky again, and that can be difficult too, just like with a thin size 2, for example.

Once you’ve mastered the basic stitches, I’d actually start on a project that you like. Choose some nice yarn—that gives you motivation.

The standard pot holders can also be so boring that you might end up losing interest. Usually, you start crocheting because you’ve seen something great and want to try it yourself. Crocheted clothing is especially trendy this year. So I’d rather start with something I really want to have and get the pattern for it or crochet along with a video tutorial.

Use wool! Wool is stretchy and pleasant to crochet with.
Cotton and polyester yarns are usually not stretchy and tend to cause frustration.

Best regards
Silke

To start with, it’s best to use yarn in slightly lighter colors. The darker the yarn, the harder it is to see the stitches.

And then it’s all about practice, practice, practice. Don’t give up right away if your work looks uneven, too loose or too tight, or crooked at first. The more you crochet, the more familiar you’ll become with how yarn tension works, and your stitches will become more even.

Be sure to save your very first crochet attempts. That way, you can look back and see your progress over time and take pride in it.