If I wanted to start crocheting where would I start?

[StopEatingThatMud]

As a complete and utter beginner with no idea what I'm doing?

Are there any good books? Am I better off looking at online tutorials?

Where's the best place to buy the bits I need from? Online/ larger national shops / independents?

Gah, so many questions and it's something that's been niggling in the back of my mind since I was pregnant....DD is now 15 months and I've still done precisely bugger all about it. Please help me get started oh wise MN-ers!

Youtube is your best bet here. And attic24 blog. You can pick up a hook and a couple of balls of yarn almost anywhere for a few pounds. I would recommend your local yarn shop though so you can squidge the yarn and get advice.

I would suggest getting a 4mm hook and some DK yarn/wool. And if you want a book, there's a little booklet called Crochet Unravelled, about £6, that explains the basics very simply - I couldn't get my head around it at all until I tried that book. YouTube also good when you're a bit stuck but a lot of it is from USA where they call the same stitches by different names, a bit confusing.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still crap but I can do a few basic stitches if I concentrate. I'm a bit better at knitting.

YouTube is great for tutorials and hobbycraft sell everything you need to get started.

My gran taught me to crochet when I was 9, I have made loads of blankets etc for ds.

I still can't knit, I think I should learn.

Knitwitch on YouTube is v good. I think the newsagents have started selling the art of crochet again. Iirc they give away a 4mm hook and some yarn with the first issue. Do check though, it may have changed. Enjoy!

Thank you, I have a £20 Amazon voucher (thanks MN!) so will have a look at Crochet Unravelled and see if they stock it.

I think I may be better having a book that I can refer to and youtube to back it up if that makes sense. I mainly fancy blanket type things to start.

I was torn between knitting and crocheting but somehow came to the decision to try crocheting first, I'm not too sure why, guess I can always give knitting a go if I'm really rubbish!

mummy I'd seen that Crochet magazine advertised but nearly fainted when I worked out the £300+ cost of buying all the issues! Might be worth buying the first issue for the hook though I guess as I think it's on offer at 99p!

stopeating I have decided to learn to knit, I need a new challenge.
Thank you

atic24. I've made sooooo many things - cushion covers, a wonderful blanket for my daughter, a gorgeous bag - all on her site, all easy to make. Inspirational, informative - as in step by step instructions with excellent photos - creative and simply lovely!

attic24 (spelling fail!)

Crochet Unravelled and a set of 12 various sized aluminium hooks ordered :)

Attic24 looks good! The granny stripe blanket looks amazing, I can't wait until the instructions mean a bit more to me, they look like double dutch at the moment!

Am lurking as I want to start and was considering the crochet magazine but these sound a lot better, thankyou

Will let you know how I get on once they arrive Vintage. And I'm pretty much a lurker anywhere so happy to share my thread with you :)

I know Maud, I didn't get many of them. It is rather expensive.

I learnt from Crochet Unravelled :)

I went through it up to where the book shows you how to make a granny square. At this point I stopped and just carried on with my granny square until it was big enough for a (small!) blanket. I found this helped me with rhythm, sorting out how best to hold the yarn and hook and really helped cement the basic technique.

After that I googled instructions if I came across something in a pattern I'd not seen before.

Online technical support available, just ask - bribery in the form of squares for the MN Woolly Hugs gratefully received

prays I can do it

I love attic24, she makes such wonderful things. I learnt from stitch n bitch's Happy Hooker book, which apart from the amazing name is incredibly helpful and easy to follow.

Course you can do it, it's only knotting bits of wool together :o

Thanks Pidj, wishing I could make something for Expat's blanket is one of the things that got me thinking about getting my act together and getting on with learning how to do this sort of stuff.

Vintage, my book and hooks have been dispatched today, so Amazon tell me, eeeeeeeek I'm excited. DP is however less excited, spoilsport......

journoem I saw that book on Amazon as well, I have £8 left from my 20 MN voucher, I can see me spending that very soon!

We appreciate effort as much as skill for woolly hugs "Plain squares are good, plain squares are essential"!

Dp and i have a deal - he nods and smiles at my crochet/sewing, i nod and smile when he talks football...

I found Catherine Hirst's videos really concise and clear. She is American but based in the uk so uses uk terms.

She has short videos for knitting and crochet, left and right handed.

catherinehirst.wordpress.com/2011/08/25/videojug/

I taught myself watching videos on YouTube. I ended up in a mess the first few times but kept it up and made my dd a baby blanket for her being born