So, you’d like to learn how to crochet. Well, while no one article can teach you everything you’ll need, this beginners guide will get you off on the right foot. At the end of this article, you’ll find out where you can get more information on a truly enjoyable pastime.

First of all, what exactly IS crocheting? Well, it’s the process of creating a fabric from yarn or thread using a crochet hook. There are countless yarns and threads that you can use and just as many hooks available to you. Essentially what you do is pull loops of yarn through other loops. Sounds simple, and in actuality, it is. However, it does require some skill and dexterity to get just right…not to mention the correct yarn, hooks and instructions. So yes, if you’re not careful, you can end up with a mess on your hands.

The key to crocheting is to make sure that you pick a project with decently written instructions. This will make your life a whole lot easier. The reason is because well written instructions will provide you with the correct yarn to use, the correct hook to use and the proper stitches to use and where to use them. You can’t even begin to imagine how many people think that they can just wing this process and end up with a total disaster in their lap. No, it’s not a pretty sight.

Because the instructions themselves are so important, it is critical that you learn the basic terms associated with crocheting. Most instructions are written in shorthand using very specific abbreviations such as SC for single crochet and DC for double crochet and so on. If you don’t know these abbreviations, you’re going to end up looking at your instructions like they had two heads…and neither of them pretty ones.

A lot of people wonder what the difference is between crocheting and knitting. Well, it’s really pretty simple. Knitting uses two hooks while crocheting uses just one hook. The reason for this is because a person who crochets has only one active stitch on their hook while a knitter has a whole row of active stitches. So while a dropped stitch in knitting can turn into a total disaster, in crocheting, it hardly makes any difference at all.

If you’d like more info, in my signature is a review on a great resource that will teach you everything you’ll need to know about crocheting.