Can't find the hole! Crochet woes...

[evenflo3]

Can anyone help?

I am trying to teach myself to crochet, I can chain like a good 'un but when it comes to then doing the next bit and sticking the hook in a hole to do a double crochet etc I get all muddled up. Maybe I am doing the chain too tightly? Is my yarn too floppy? It's just hard to work out where the bloody holes are!

Can anyone help?

What colour is your yarn? Its an awful lot easier if you use a light colour till you get the hang of it. Also is it smooth and not fluffy?

Practice! What YouTube tutorials are you watching? Try BellaCoco, sometimes just watching someone else do it over and over is helpful - I used her beginner tutorials, and suddenly I understood where my hook was meant to be going.

It's difficult to get a "visual" because you have nothing to compare it to. But watch a few slow tutorials and you'll be able to "see" the shape of the stitches and the spaces.

It'll come, I promise, don't give up!

Tension of the yarn is a difficult one as well - it wants to be tight enough not to lose the shape of the stitches, but not so tight that it becomes distorted and impossible to move around. Like the holding a baby bird in your hands analogy!

Start with granny squares, easiest thing ever - once you've done a load of those everything will slot into place.

I've watched Bella Coco but I just can't find the correct holes...

I will definitely try a lighter yarn though. Plus one that's not so fluffy as I think it's too fluffy and that's making it all puffed up.

I shall keep going but right now it's feeling like I will never master it!!

Oh, definitely use photos/diagrams rather than videos for first steps, much easier to see where the hook should go

Yes, try a nice standard DK 100% acrylic yarn in a light colour, with a 4mm hook.

I think it depends somewhat on how you learn - I'm quite a visual person so watching someone do the steps very slowly and repeating them worked best for me.

There was a blogger who always uses great pictures - Attic24?

attic24.typepad.com/weblog/harmony-granny-square.html

Her pictures are great but BellaCoco is really good at explaining terminology!

You could always try some different tutorials?

I love Jayda in Stitches vids on YouTube- they really helped me.

I can't work from videos at all, the Attic24 patterns work for me, as do the pictures and words that most crochet books have.

It's the same for me! I'm an intelligent crafter, have figured out all sorts of skills for various things, but I cannot get crochet AT ALL. I, like you, can't figure out where you're supposed to hook back through. I've watched videos, looked at pictures, had a lesson from a very good crocheter, but STILL can't figure it out, except the basic chain.

Following your thread in case someone posts a solution...!

You might find it easier to learn foundationless first row which would avoid the initial working into a tight chain. Or use a bigger hook for chain and swap to 4mm for first row

The first row is always tough, I know a lot of crocheters who will only go under one loop on the first row (going through the chain) rather than two loops.

I learnt (or at least had a go) at crochet from a book first, but I really mastered it when I went to a class where there was a tutor there. Might be worth seeing if there are any craft groups near you as you might find someone talking you through it helps a bit. Hope you find something that works for you OP.

But also - have you tried just doing say 4 chain stitches, making them into a circle by slipstitching into the first chain and then doing the stitches into the centre of the circle? You're not going into the chain, just the space in the middle.

To be honest the first row into the chain is always a pain but usually it comes out OK after even if you go into the wrong hole, as long as you get the right number of stitches overall.
You could try using a bigger hook to make the chain, then it's easier to put the next row in.
Or keep the tension sloppy.
Try not to worry - crochet is very forgiving in my experience

I'd second starting with a granny square - so work 4/5 chain, slip stitch to join into a circle to start. Then 3 chain, 2 trebles, 1 chain 3 trebles, 1 chain 3 trebles. 1 chain 3 trebles and slip stitch into the top of the 3 chain at the start of the round. then follow a granny square pattern from there....

www.gathered.how/knitting-and-crochet/crochet/free-granny-square-patterns/

I use a thick needle to identify the hole if I can't find it. I also used Bella Coco and just kept pausing and rewinding until I got it (she also does left handed vids!)

I taught myself to crochet in lockdown last
year. It does get easier.
I watched hooked by robin i think her name is and sirins crochet. They helped me a lot. Make sure your yarn isn’t too fluffy or cheap as it will split easily. I got on much better when i used a cotton smooth yarn.
I find it easier once you’ve done the chain to work the first row from the back so your only going under one loop and not two.
I’m not sure if it will let me upload a photo to show you what i mean but i will try

So when you turn your chain round there is one loop or wool lying horizontally i’ve marked this in blue. You slip your hook underneath that and that is you in the hole for the stitch.
I hope this helps.

Try and get the hang of a single crochet first it’s less loops to worry about so is easier than a double.

Thanks for all of your suggestions, I am determined to persevere with this.

I have bought myself a new set of hooks as I am sure having more 'stuff' will help

Make your chain in one colour with a slightly bigger hook.

Have a good look at your chain and you'll see that one side has a neatish row of chain stitches and behind that is a row of little bumps (the 'back bumps')

I work my first row into those back bumps as it gives a neat finish.

But you can also work into one or 2 loops of the chain stitches (working into one loop is easiest).

Decide what bit of chain you plan to work into and have a good look at it so you can identify it when you've started making stitches and pulled the chain about a bit.

Now take a new colour yarn and the correct hook and start making stitches. If you're doing (U.K.) trebles, attach your yarn (doesn't matter how for practising) to your first chain/back bumps and make 3 chains and then make your first treble in the next chain/back bump.

Using a different colour for each row helps with keeping track.