Mumsnet Talk

Now I've been sitting here for an hour and I still can't do the first knot

Have you tried craftyminx crochet school? Can't link from phone, but do a search. What are you learning from? I had the same idea a few weeks ago and am doing fine when I can get the time without baby, toddler or dog attached to me...

I've been knitting since I was 8 years old, but only finally managed to learn to crochet a few weeks ago (I'm 44). I'm still not doing it properly as an have to have the wool in my right hand, the same as when I'm knitting. Have you tried looking at films of it on YouTube?

I, not an.

Have looked at videos but I'm left handed but do it the right handed way backwards iyswim?

Craftyminx shows a left and a right handed video.

I taught myself from the book "Kids Learn To Crochet". Aimed at about 8yr olds - it was perfect for me!! I am leftie too so had to reverse everything but I managed.

If it makes you feel any better, when I first started it took me 4 hours to make a chain.

My first project (a cardigan for DD) ended up on a Teddy as my tension was so tight it was half the size it should have been. I didn't give up though, and now I'm not doing too badly. I've made a hat and poncho for DD for Christmas, and I'm going to make DS an Angry Birds hat. I'm also a third of the way through a blanket for the little hugs appeal.

Have you got anywhere that runs classes near you? I've been going to classes at my local wool shop, and found it really helps to have someone look over what you've done, and point out where you've gone wrong.

Don't give up! It will all click into place, sooner or later.

Have done the knot (woohoo) but it keeps moving

I've done a chain, but I think I've done it too tight

Don't worry about the chain being too tight. Just keep going and you'll get better and neater and more consistent.

The knot should move (it's a slip knot).

For the chain, you can use a bigger size hook for the chain. It makes it easier to work into.

Keep making chain for practice - you can always tie it to a hanky and make a teddy parachute

You can do this! The Art Of Crochet By Theresa has YouTube and written instructions for both right and left handers, and there's an ultra slow version too

I had this self same revelation on fri, went to shop sat morning and bought hook and wool, went to another shop sun and bought more wool, have now done a ton of these granny squares and one of these birds keep at it, it will come, I am struggling to get the tension right but a lot of practice has definatly paid dividends.

and I am desperate for the day that I can crochet and do something else as well, totally addicated already.

I found the Planet Purl videos on YouTube really goo. But, they use the US terms not the UK terms, so bear in mind when they say Single Crochet we'd say Double Crochet and when they say Double Crochet we'd say Treble Crochet.

Actually, American's say Crow-shaaaay. Which always makes me laugh.

can I ask a question? I'm just starting out and have been practising rows of single crochet but have ended up with a pyramid rather than a square!! What am I doing wrong? I did 11 chain stitches then turned and did single crochet to the end of the row, then "chained up" 1 stitch and then went back along the row doing single crochet x repeat. Help!!!

Also if I want to practise double and treble crochet how many chain stiches should I do for my first row?

TIA

Sounds like you missed off your turning chain stitch.

Are you using UK or US terms? I'm assuming US, as there is no single crochet in UK terms.

Double crochet (single crochet- US) - 1 chain
Half-treble crochet (half-double crochet - US) - 2 chains
Treble crochet - 3 chains.

Ooh more replies

I'm following the crafymix videos so i'm doing it the UK way. I was up til 10pm last night doing chains

I do think that the yarn is too small, same with my hook I'm using a 3.5. I can now go back over but again its too tight to carry on.

MissWooWoo, make sure you're going into the first and last sts of the row - they're often a bit hidden so you need to count!

Anya, take a look at how you hold your wool. No matter the dominance, you should have a Wool hand and a Hook hand. Wool hand has wool looped round so Hook hand can pick it up, and spare fingers support your work. Hook hand is the one that moves.

In dk on a 4mm hook, i get 4 sts to 1". 24 sts to the row would give you 6", then keep going till it's 6" long. You have made the first square of a blanket

I have the wool in my left hand and hook in my right.

I'm still doing it too tight as, as I go back on my self I can't get the hook into it.

In dk on a 4mm hook, i get 4 sts to 1". 24 sts to the row would give you 6", then keep going till it's 6" long. You have made the first square of a blanket That means nothing to me

Sorry feeding means lots of abbreviations!

Using Double Knit (dk) weight wool on a 4 mm hook, 4 stitches (sts) measure 1" in my fairly average tension.

A row of crochet 24 stitches across will measure 6". Work as many rows as you need until your work is 6" long then fasten off by cutting the wool, drawing the tail through the last stitch and pulling tight.

You have made your first blanket square. Make 24 squares for a toddler size blanket, or 6 for dolly

Hahahaha at the thought of making a blanket!

I've now managed 2 rows but had to stop as its too tight

I've just made a lovely worm

Hurrah!

I've got a little white one and a little pink one

DP wasn't impressed

Keep at it, he'll be impressed with his first willy warmer

ooo 24 squares is a toddler size blanket, that is good to know, I have been doing 3 a day. I do square from the middle out, is that wrong? so start with 4 and then do groups of three in rounds. (get me with the technical talk. I have given up on the flower garden squares think I was getting abit ahead of myself. I told dh I have made him a pair of something for his birthday and he wants to know is it is ball hats.

6 rows of 4 squares = 2' x 3'

There's loads of different ways, Dita, you're doing grannies of some variety. As long as they turn out squarish, you're doing it right!

I've been learning from you tube videos, I got the childrens book mentioned above book but it confused me

The you tube videos and me pausing, rewinding and watching over and over have been most successful. I'm now making a scarf with shell and v stitches which is so easy it's unbelievable but it grows quickly and looks nice as long as you don't look too closely It may not be perfect but I'm not a perfectionist and I'm just enjoying making something that I will be able to wear.

I loooove that birdie dita

I am just starting to knit, so am currently knitting a scarf, (its a bit holey) then try my hand at crochet. Apparently you are better/enjoy one more than the other?

I cant knit to save my life, the birds actually look good when I have done which is unbelievable really.
I am loving the you tube tutorials as they dont shout at you when you get it wrong.
what colour is the scarf do you?
I realised I was trying to do the flower squares with 2 different weight wools, one is 4 ply and one is dk might be why it wasnt working so well.

There is a really good booklet, english terms, covers lefties, called crochet unravelled.It's about £6.

It is the only thing I read that made sense. I'm still rubbish as tendion is all over the place but it really helped.

thanks seabright and purpleessiah I'll have another go later. er, think I am using a mixture of both uk and us as I have been looking at youtube videos from both sides of the water - obv this has not helped matters - doh!

I'll keep at it - am desperate to complete a granny square sometime soon ... looks like there are quite a few designs, can anyone recommend a really easy one to start me off please?

Now I'm just making twisted worms

The scarf is in fuschia Dita, a lovely snuggly merino wool. My crochet doesn't really do the wool justice but I'll get there and it looks pretty good.

My dses think its great, that'll do for me

MissWooWoo I just googled granny squares beginners patterns and plumped for one that I could understand the pattern. I've done a couple now of different patterns, the language all seems to be making a bit more sense now

MissWooWoo try Craftgawker or Pinterest for links to different patterns for squares. IME granny squares are all the same - all you do is increase or decrease the number of rounds, and perhaps change colour between rows.

I did that Anya.

I found it easier to start with a bigger crochet hook and chunky wool! It meant I could see where the stitches began and ended and it was obvious where the hook was meant to go iyswim. Plus it stopped me making the chain so tight.

I did drag dp and dd out this morining to get thicker wool and hook.

I'm now on a roll so dp's willy warmer might be ready for christmas

Anya whereabouts are you?

I'm left handed and pretty competent and would be more than happy to show you how, if you are anywhere near
York/Scarborough/Middlesborough.

Furthermore , I think it is much, much, much simpler to start off learning to crochet in the round than to crochet in rows. Look for crochetgeek's granny square tutorials on YouTube.

TheRealMBJ Aww thanks for the offer but I'm no where near you

I find it easier to do it with my right hand, I just end up doing it backwards

Will have a look at crochetgeek videos now, I just spoke to my sister who has started learning as well, so naturally I have to be better then her

Location on profile, any good Anya?

No Purple

I used this book a lot when i was first starting out. It has everything both right and left handed.

I started in the summer and have so far made a lot of squint squares, some granny squares, some cubes, a mouse and a blanket. I recently started blanket no2 and I've just ordered 16 balls of wool.

You'll get better very quickly, honest!

Northants/Leicestershire any good for you Anya? I can do cake crochet any weekday but Friday

I used to live in Northants. A little town outside Wellingborough.

Thank you for all the offers of help in RL, but I doubt I'll be able to take anyone up. I'm a SAHM with no other childcare and DP gets home from work, well whenever he gets home from work. He travels all over the country and if there is a holdup on the motorway then he is screwed iyswim.

DD has been under the weather this morning so has been cuddled up on me watching cbbies and I've managed to do some more. Pic on profile

That doesn't even vaguely resemble a worm! Looking good

Thank you, its still a bit wonkey

Everyone starts off like that. It takes quite a while to be able to see where all the stitches are so you can do the next row of stitches in the right place.

you are suppose to say its the best you have ever seen

that is exactly what mine ended up like Anya - I was trying to do a square btw!

Sorry. The stitches look pretty neat actually, it's just the number in each row that is the issue!

I've had to stop now. the child keeps pulling the wool round her neck

You made a car

The car is no more

DD got hold of it while I was making her dinner, pulled it all apart

Frogging is fun

I decided to teach myself a year ago and just followed some YouTube videos. Tried a few till I found ones I liked and still look at them when I forget how to do things. I like the art of crochet by Theresa and the knit witch.

Keep going- if I can do it ANYONE can! I've made lots of things now and my proudest was when I carried home my newborn son from the hospital wrapped in the cosy blanket I had made him.....

Put the hook in your left hand and watch you tube through a mirror.

I taught myself to crochet left handed in order to teach my left handed cousin. Both her mum and mine had tried unsuccessfully.

Poor car

Wait till your dd gets a bit older Anya she will be wowed by your efforts. My boys are 10 and 8 and everything I produce is a masterpiece to them. My first wonky square was met with lots of cheers and 'you are so clever mummy'. I want them to stay this age forever

I have found it easier working in circles tbh. Granny squares are pretty easy, just have to remember to count....I seem to have problems when I get past 10

Can I join in? I started about 4 weeks ago with an enormous, plastic hook from dd's Learn to crochet set. The instructions were awful so I've looked at some YouTube videos. I have my own set of hooks now but I have gone from the tension being too tight to bring too loose.

One video I've found helpful is Girlybunches but I'm going to look at some others that posters have recommended.

I am actually loving doing it though.

aww bless. dd is 20 months so by the time she is 8 I might be able to do it