Learn how to Crochet for Beginners

If you’re brand new to crochet and you’ve never picked up a crochet hook, then my step-by-step How to Crochet series was made for you.

If you are brand new to crochet and have never picked up a crochet hook, then my How to Crochet series was made for you.

How to Crochet for Absolute Beginners

Ready to jump right in? Grab your yarn and the crochet hook listed on the label (or a size larger) and follow these 2 simple steps to get started on your new hobby:

2 Simple Steps to Begin Crocheting Now!

  1. Learn how to make a slip knot and how to hold your yarn and hook and how to chain your first stitches. Video here.
  2. Learn how to single crochet and how to crochet the second row. Video here.

When you are ready to go into more detail you can learn everything you need to know in my indepth Beginner Crochet Series (below). It includes tutorials (photo and video) for the most commonly used crochet stitches, plus some extra tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way!

Each Crochet Lesson link opens a new post from me that will teach you with videos and photos how to crochet, step-by-step.

What is the best size yarn for beginner crochet?

Answer: I recommend a good Medium / Worsted Weight yarn for your beginner crochet practise stitches. Acrylic yarn can stand up to a lot of unwinding and reworking. Animal fibers (like wool) and cottons have a tendancy to shed a bit more with ripping out and making your stitches over which an lead to tangles. So for learning, I find a solid Medium Weight Yarn is the easiest yarn to start with. Some examples are: Red Heart Super Saver, or Bernat Super Value. They are dependable and strong and will help you to learn and see your stitches.

What stitches should a beginner crocheter know?

Answer: The six most commonly used crochet stitches are the chain stitch (ch), single crochet stitch (sc), half double crochet stitch (hdc), double crochet stitch (dc), treble crochet stitch (tr) and slip stitch. These are the US crochet stitch names, for the UK stitch names visit this post.

My Full Beginner Crochet Lesson Plan

This will show you everything you need to know to crochet. For more advanced stitches, or help in a specific technique check out my free online crochet stitch dictionary here. Some of these lessons also include printable cheat sheets and guides.

Quick Crochet Stitch Refreshers

Sometimes you don’t need to see a video, or to browse through an entire photo tutorial to crochet. Sometimes you just need a short written, or visual reminder to see how it should be done.

Learn How to Crochet YOUR Way

I truly believe that everyone learns differently. Just like some of us prefer learning from books and photos and some of us prefer learning from videos.

One style of teaching might work for your friends, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the same teaching style will be right for you.

That’s ok though, because there are so many fabulous online sources to help you learn how to crochet. I encourage to find the tutorials that follow the teaching style you prefer.

I’ve started you off with some helpful online tutorials, free crochet guides and teaching videos in my post below. So keep reading if you are still looking for help!

You can also leave me a comment if can’t find what you need – I’d be happy to share links to reputable crochet sites that I’ve come across in the past 11 years. Someone in our crochet community is sure to have exactly what you need!

I created my Free Crochet Tutorials and Patterns website to give you as many tutorial options as possible, so if you can’t find the tutorial that is right for you below, I recommend you pop over to that site.

Visit Free Crochet Tutorials here

Extra online crochet resources

If my Beginner Crochet Lessons weren’t for you, that’s ok 🙂 Here are some other online crochet resources that can help you become a crocheter.

Learn how to crochet with Video Tutorials

  1. Learn to Crochet Right Handed (with Moogly), Left Handed (with Moogly)
  2. Meladora’s Creations – Learn How To Crochet – With Slow Motion
  3. BobWilson123 – Learning the Basics and Beginner Projects
  4. The Crochet Crowd – Learn Crochet Basics: The Crochet Crowd Tutorials
  5. Sheruknittingcom – Crochet Basics – Tutorials for Beginners

Learn How to Crochet with Photo tutorials

  1. Planet June – Crochet Basics – Right Handed
  2. Craftyminx – Crochet School
  3. Crochet Spot – How to Crochet
  4. Learn to Crochet – Red Heart Yarn

How to Crochet Guides

Martingale has an entire series of downloadable crochet guides (PDFs) available to show you how to crochet.

Download these great crochet guides below:

  1. How to Crochet – Getting Ready to Crochet (PDF from Martingale)
  2. How to Crochet – Gauge (PDF from Martingale)
  3. How to Crochet – Now You’re Crocheting (PDF from Martingale)
  4. How to Crochet – Basic Crochet Stitches (PDF from Martingale)

Here are some great places to visit for quick crochet stitch refreshers:

  1. How to Crochet Quick Stitch Guide
  2. Crochet Stitches – For Dummies
  3. Crochet Pattern Central – Stitch Tutorials Written
  4. Crochet Terms + Tutorials – The Purl Bee
  5. Crochet Me – Glossary
  6. Hass Design – Basic Crochet Stitches

You can also find crochet stitches, tutorials and techniques from yarn companies.

Crochet Tutorials and Techniques from Yarn Companies and Publishers

  1. Leisure Arts – Crochet Tips & Techniques
  2. Annies – Stitch Guide – Crochet Lessons
  3. Lion Brand Yarn – Learn How to Crochet
  4. DROPS Crocheting Videos 
  5. Pierrot Yarns – Crochet Symbols & Video Files (scroll to the bottom)

You may also enjoy these posts:

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12 Comments

  3. Whooh! Thank you! I will definitely be checking out more of this tutorial section!
    I will learn!
    Thank you!

  6. this tutorial mater list was super helpful and thanks a bunch for preparing them =)

  8. Hi Kim, Thank you for sharing your story with me 🙂 I truly believe what I wrote – everyone learns differently 🙂 your example demonstrates this! I’m so happy you persevered and learned how to crochet and continued to make beautiful projects and even design 🙂 Thank you again!! All the best, Rhondda

  9. I am teaching myself to crochet with. YouTube and sites like yours. thanks for the great tutorial. You really helped me learn some basic stitches

  10. A family member offered to teach me to crochet after hearing me express an interest in learning the craft. I was so excited to present my first completed square for her inspection. I only had an hour and a half or so of instruction and was a bit fuzzy on the whole turning thing. So instead of turning my work from side to side, I worked with it under my hands and then flipped it up over my hands. The square looked good and it was nicely even. I thought I had done a good job and was thrilled to have created something. My relative, after inspecting my square, asked me to demonstrate my technique. Much scorn and ridicule ensued. As there were others present to witness this, I was humiliated. I was 25. I put my needles away and didn’t pick them up again until more than a quarter of a century later.
    Everyone learns differently. My relative was a teacher. I guess she was absent the day that lesson was being taught. She also missed the lesson about humiliation not being the best motivator! So, fast forward 25 years. I decide, come hell or high water, that I WILL learn to crochet. I buy books. I buy a Lot of books. I get frustrated. I buy more books. Someone introduces me to YouTube. I thought I heard a heavenly choir break into songs of joy and thanksgiving! So many wonderful teachers, so many different styles of teaching, so many different ways to do the same thing! A tutorial like this, one that acknowledges that everyone has a different learning style and is willing to point you in the direction of other wonderful teachers, is the equivalent of hitting a gold mine!
    So, my thanks to you and all of the other wonderful people out there who take the time to photograph, video, blog and respond to questions with answers, advice and encouragement. Thanks to people like you, after only a couple of years, this 54 year old (with arthritis, no less!) has learned to crochet! Not only have I learned to crochet, I have developed the confidence to create my own designs for afghans, purses, totes, hats, scarves, headbands, tablet covers…….even an apron! The things I create are not perfect. The designs are not mind blowingly complicated. But the people that I give these things to, they are thrilled to have something that was created, from the first stitch to the last, ESPECIALLY for them. I don’t think they care that it’s not the most complicated pattern ever created or that there might be a missed stitch somewhere! And the joy and satisfaction that I get? Priceless.
    Thank you and all the others like you out there for giving me, a total stranger, this wonderful gift.

  11. Hi Suzanne 🙂 I'm glad they were helpful! If you run into any questions you can't get answered, feel free to email me! Rhondda

  12. Hi Rhondda, thanks for the great links. I'm a total beginner so these are really going to help me and just what I was looking for. Saved your blog too!