Very. very beginner crocheter

[ScatterChasse]

I'm having real trouble teaching myself to crochet. I can now do the chain at the beginning, but it's all different tensions, but presumably that will improve as I practise.I do end up lifting the yarn over half the time though, so I presume that can't help.

My main problem is, I can't always find the centre of the stitches when I want to do single crochet, and once I've managed one, I'm not entirely sure where the next chain stitch is.

I want to be able to crochet and I know I just need to practise, but do you have any tips for me or know of any good tutorials? I have watched some but am still struggling

start with a good yarn that doesn't split too easily. Some yarns like patons smoothie are prone to splitting, which makes it bally hard to crochet with. Try a chunky wool with a larger hook to give you some confidence.

Make chain until you feel you can be a little consistent in the size of your chain. I run the yarn over my forefinger to create tension.

It can be really hard to see where you need to go next. Sometimes a granny square can be a really good starting point, as you don't need to go into a stitch, you go into an opening, as such.

Have you anyone local you could call on for help. I'd be happy to give some actual help, but I live in Somerset so won't be much use if you are further away. Is there a knitting/crochet group near you that you could pop to for advice, or a yarn shop. The yarn shop was the best bet for me, I got in a pickle over something very simple, it wasn't until someone showed me what to do that it all clicked. My mum was too fast to show me and my MiL is backwards about it, both gran's forget what they started telling/showing me. :) Youtube was a saint, I also got a lot of books out the library.

I taught myself with the help of the Happy hooker book and youtube tutorials for any particular step I didn't understand too well.

The first things I did were Hexagons from this site the photos and instructions are very clear. I also did them as kellestar suggested in a chunky wool and a large hook. I still do this for any particularly hard patterns that I want to work out before doing them properly.

It's really worth persevering, I love crocheting. It's very relaxing and satisfying when you finish a project!

Thanks kellestar, but I'm near Manchester, so not exactly local! I will definitely try and find somewhere/someone to ask, that would really help me I think. Might ask my Grandma if she can crochet (it's unfair, she doesn't really enjoy crafty things, but is annoyingly good at them )

I'll have a look at those hexagons and the granny squares, and let you know how I get on

There are videos on YouTube - but try to find a British one as Americans have different names for the stitches. You might find it easier to watch a video rather than look at diagrams - I could never understand diagrams or photos.

The basics of crocheting are quite hard to learn. I ended up paying for a two-day course just to get me started, then I found it easier to learn from books.

I borrowed a how to crochet dvd and magazine of a friend. here is one on ebay for £3.50 I found it really good, very clear to understand and follow.

just to add, I only started learning in march and I love it!

I am trying to learn too - just started 2 days ago. So far I can make a chain and kind of double crochet (though haven't got as far as turning it yet). I've found this tutorial quite simple to follow (so far!)

www.knitsimplemag.com/node/19

Another vote for the happy hooker - she really breaks down each step along the way (so many books I consulted would say 'loop the wool over' and I would be left thinking 'WHA?' ). I tried youtube videos as well, but they always moved too quickly for me... The Happy Hooker also shows you other ways of single crocheting into the chain (my most hated part of any kind of crochet) which may help.

Agree about the large hook advice, and also buy bright wool as it's easier to see where you are. I bought my first set of hooks from a lovely haberdashery who advised me to go to QD, buy some very cheap and nasty acrylic and practise chaining & SCing until I felt confident enough to start a project. First project was some bunting (dead easy, you only chain one to start!).

It's very addictive though - because you can see how much progress you're making, there's always the temptation to keep going and going and going... I'm sure DP isn't very impressed when he comes home to find the house a tip, an easy dinner in the oven and me guiltily shoving my hook and yarn out of sight.

Concentrate on how you hold the wool and hook. It all fell into place for me when I got the hang of that!

Make your slip stitch

Spread your non-hook hand out with the palm facing you and your fingers pointing at the hook

Bring the yarn coming from the hook over your little finger then round again

Trail it over the top of your hand, coming down to the hook between your thumb and fore finger

Grip the tail of wool, and later your work, with your middle finger and thumb

Leave your fore finger sticking up to control the wool

Hold the hook like a pencil

Does that help? I'll try and find you a tutorial when I get home

Well, I'm improving :)

But, after I've done the row of chaining, and then the first row of crochet, I really struggle. I can turn it, I just can't work out where to put the hook.

BUT my grandma did a few rows for me, and then I could keep going
I think I might be visiting again tomorrow...

Can you see two strands of yarn along the top? The hook goes under them

z.about.com/d/crochet/1/0/V/q/scsteps.JPG

static.howstuffworks.com/gif/knitting-instructions-31b.jpg

www.lionbrand.com/faqImages/learnToCrochet.pdf

Lionbrand are well worth the free sign up, by the way