I'd like to crochet - please tell me how?!

[CarpeJugulum]

I have memories of my DM crocheting - mainly doilies!

I'd like to learn to do little projects for the home - just things to make it more, erm, homely! . I've seen this and would love to make it for DS's room. I'd also like to crotchet a baby blanket (I'm thinking lots of little different coloured squares sewn together?), for a friend with a baby due in July.

I have NO idea how to start. I live rurally and have a 19mo so classes aren't an option - internet shopping definitely is, and I have a large Hobbycraft store I can get to when I go into the major local town (maybe not the best?)

Can people give me hints on books/internet sites/stockists and erm - basically everything?!

I learnt from a book called Crochet Unravelled. Other MNers learnt from YouTube tutorials.

Erm no help from me but I would be interested too. I shall sit next to you with my crochet hook.

Once you've learnt, join Ravelry for free patterns. In fact, join them now for inspiration!

A friend of mine learnt using YouTube videos but I learnt using a book (or two).

I often still get books from the library for project inspiration or to learn new skills and there are some great blogs out there. Attic 24 is great with simple instructions. The ripple blanket was one of the first project I did.

Granny Squares are a good way to get started (the bunting looks like granny triangle) so look for a youtube video or photo heavy tutorial to get you started.

Good luck...once you've got it, you'll be hooked (pun totally inteded )

I learnt as a child but retaught my self about 7 years ago with the help of this book on crochet squares and online tutorials.

I use MCA direct for a lot of my yarn but have heard good things about cucumberpatch too. I buy my hooks etc on ebay.

Attic24 is a brilliant blog which includes tons on crochet with fabulous tutorials , well worth a browse,

I love Attic 24 and I also like the Planet Purl tutorials on YouTube, the only thing to bear in mind is that they use the US not UK terms. But the videps are lovely and clear

I taught myself a couple of years ago following you tube videos and the happy hooker book. Have a look in your library for books. Do you have a wool shop locally? Mine does a knit and knatter session and is full of people happy to help out a beginner.

I tend to avoid hobbycraft as I'm tight careful with my money . To start with, wool and hooks came from charity shops and ebay, books from amazon.

I am now a huge amigurumi addict and love making toys for the dc. Current project is a full selection of angry birds

Crochet Unravelled is the best place to start IMO, I tried the YouTube videos but that only made sense once I had a good grasp of the theory from a book. There's only about 4 basic stitches with crochet.

The hardest part for me when learning was doing the first row of crochet into the starting chain (most if not all crochet starts with a "tail" of continuous slipknots). I struggled a lot with that until I got the hang, now it's easy. It helped to read somewhere that even very experienced crocheters find this bit fiddly. If I hadn't read that I might have given up It gets far easier with experience. Crochet Unravelled explains how to do it the best IMO. After learning the basic stitches you can move on to pattern books. Look up YouTube for how to do things like crochet two stitches together, which some patterns call for.

Crochet hooks - come in various sizes from very thin to chunky. When I started learning I thought there was only one size of hook(!). Different patterns will say to use different sized hooks. I bought an aluminium coloured set so I have all the different sizes at hand. Something like this here You can probably find them cheaper elsewhere on the internet.

Wool (or yarn, which refers to wool type fibre but that which does not come from a sheep ) also comes in different thicknesses. 4 ply is thin, 2 ply (also known as double knit or DK) is thicker, aran is thickest. If you are making baby stuff consider whether to make something from acrylic so it washes/tumbles and is hypoallergenic, as opposed to wool which is more of an heirloom fibre but is hard to wash and can irritate baby skin. Be aware that it's best to get "baby" DK or "snuggly" DK as that makes for softer items. Crochet can be quite tough/hard when it's made up so choosing a softer yarn keeps it more pliable/flexible.

A lot of people like to use Stylecraft Special yarn, it's quite cheap on Ebay at around £1.30 for 100g (compared to say, merino wool at £5.50 for 50g). I would suggest buying a few cheap balls of the stylecraft to practice with, then you'll find yourself drawn to the more expensive stuff as if by magic when you get into it . I personally like to use Sirdar Snuggly DK as it turns out softer, but then the range of colours isn't nearly as good.

HTH!

There isn't a local wool shop, but there is apparently a knitting shop in the bigger town, so I'm planning a trip there.

The ripple blanket here looks perfect for what I want to create so I'm thinking about baby friendly wool in pastel colours as my friend doesn't know what she's having. I think I'll try for maybe 5/6 colours so blue, pinky/red, green, yellow, purple and maybe orange? I'll see what the shop has in store!

I'm hoping it will work out in the time I have - she's not due until mid July, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'm not too rusty!

No doubt I'll be back for help!

Oh blast!

I meant to say THANK YOU to everyone who answered!

My mum taught me the basics and then I got a book called 'The Happy Hooker' :o that shows examples of all the stitches, it's kinda addictive once you get the hang of it, I'm still learning really - I've found youtube helpful too :)

What I four worked for me is that I learnt the stitches up to UK trebles and then launched into making things - if I came across a technique or stitch I didn't know, I googled it.

The never ending granny square helped nicely with rhythm and faffing about with the yarn and then, by making stuff, it kept my interest because I wasn't just making things to practise stitches if that makes sense.

Haha @ Happy Hooker !

I also learned from a book, but had to get youtube and a kind wool lady (from a wool shop, not made of wool ) to show me some basic steps that I couldn't work out from the book. I've since made a few things here and more recently some booties and a crochet bag. Other than the bag (which I made up - basic bag panesl and a strap), they were all from books from the library.

Good luck! You'll get, ahem, 'hooked'. :o :o

Too funny today, me.

A book with good clear diagrams is a good start and then supplement those with some video tutorials.

I really like Catherine Hirst's video tutorials (sorry can't do links right now). She is American but based in the UK and uses UK terminology.