Crochet for beginners: everything you need to start

Crochet is one of the most accessible craft skills you can learn. You need one hook, one ball of yarn, and the ability to follow a simple sequence of movements with your hands. The barrier to entry is lower than knitting — there is only one live stitch at a time rather than a needleful — and the results come quickly enough to be genuinely encouraging from the very first session.

If you have been meaning to learn crochet and have not quite started, or if you have tried and found the first few attempts confusing, this guide covers everything you actually need to know before you begin — what equipment to buy, which yarn to choose, what the essential stitches are, how to read a pattern, and which books and resources will help you most. Everything we mention is stocked at Craft and Canvas in Hebden Bridge and online at craftandcanvas.co.uk.

What you need to get started

A crochet hook

Crochet hooks come in sizes measured in millimetres — the size of the hook determines the size of the stitches it makes, and the right size for you depends on the yarn you are using. The two are always matched — every ball of yarn has a recommended hook size printed on the ball band.

We stock the KnitPro Zing Crochet Hooks at £2.95 individually across the full range of sizes. The Zing hooks are made from anodised aluminium with a comfortable tapered grip and an in-line throat — the geometry of the hook that affects how stitches slip on and off. For most beginners, a 4mm or 5mm hook is the most practical starting size — large enough that the stitches are visible and manageable, small enough to produce a neat, usable fabric.

We also stock the Prym Tunisian Crochet Hook in natural wood at £7.55. Tunisian crochet is a technique that sits between regular crochet and knitting — stitches are picked up along a row and then worked off in a return pass — and requires a longer hook than standard crochet. It produces a distinctive fabric with a woven, slightly textured quality. Worth exploring once you are comfortable with standard crochet.

What size hook should a beginner start with? For a standard DK weight yarn, a 4mm hook is the standard recommendation. For a chunky yarn that produces results more quickly and is easier to see, a 6mm or larger hook suits better. Match the hook to the yarn you have chosen.

Yarn

For a first crochet project, the most important properties in a yarn are smoothness, visibility, and a forgiving tension. Slippery yarns and very dark colours are harder to work with for beginners — stitches are harder to see and count. A smooth, medium-toned DK or aran weight yarn in a light or mid colour is the most practical starting choice.

Stylecraft Special DK is our most recommended beginner crochet yarn — smooth, consistent, affordable, widely available in a full colour range, and machine washable. The even twist of the yarn means stitches are easy to see and count, and the acrylic content makes it forgiving of inconsistent tension while you are learning. It is the yarn used in the majority of UK crochet pattern books and tutorials.

Rico Essentials Organic Cotton DK at £3.95 per ball is an excellent alternative if you prefer a natural fibre — the smooth cotton construction makes stitches very clear and the fabric has a crisp, structured quality that suits bags, home accessories, and summer garments particularly well.

For a first project, a ball of DK yarn is plenty — enough for a hat, a simple bag, a dishcloth set, or a small granny square project.

That is genuinely all you need

A hook, some yarn, and scissors. Everything else — stitch markers, yarn needles for weaving in ends, a tape measure — can be added as you go. Do not let the prospect of a long equipment list put you off starting.

The essential stitches

Crochet has a smaller vocabulary of core stitches than knitting, and most of what you will encounter as a beginner can be built from four fundamentals. Learning these four in order gives you a complete working foundation.

The slip knot and foundation chain. Every crochet project begins with a foundation chain — a series of chain stitches that forms the starting edge of the work. The slip knot attaches the yarn to the hook, and the chain is made by pulling loops through loops in sequence. This is the first thing to practise: making a consistent, even chain with no stitches too tight or too loose.

Double crochet (UK) / Single crochet (US). This is the shortest and most fundamental of the main crochet stitches — a compact, firm stitch that produces a dense, even fabric. In the UK it is called double crochet; in the US it is called single crochet. The difference in terminology between UK and US crochet patterns causes enormous confusion for beginners and is worth being very clear about from the start — always check which terminology a pattern is using before you begin.

Double crochet produces a tight, structured fabric that is excellent for amigurumi (crocheted toy animals and figures), bags, dishcloths, and any project where firmness and structure are wanted.

Half treble crochet (UK) / Half double crochet (US). A slightly taller stitch than double crochet, producing a fabric with a little more drape and softness. One of the most useful all-round stitches in crochet — comfortable in both garment and accessory contexts.

Treble crochet (UK) / Double crochet (US). The standard workhorse stitch of most crochet patterns — taller, more open, and faster to work than double crochet. Most crochet garment patterns, blankets, and shawls are written primarily in treble crochet or variations of it. Once you can work a neat treble crochet row, the majority of beginner and intermediate patterns become accessible.

The UK/US terminology problem

It deserves its own section because it trips up almost every beginner at some point. UK and US crochet stitch names are completely different — the same stitch has one name in the UK and another in the US, and the names overlap in confusing ways.

The short version: UK double crochet = US single crochet. UK treble crochet = US double crochet. UK half treble = US half double. UK double treble = US treble.

Before beginning any crochet pattern, always check whether it is written in UK or US terminology. Most UK books and patterns specify this clearly. If you are following an online tutorial or a YouTube video, check whether the creator is based in the UK or US and adjust accordingly.

Reading a crochet pattern

Crochet patterns use abbreviations — ch for chain, dc for double crochet, tr for treble crochet, and so on — which look intimidating at first but become intuitive very quickly. Most patterns include an abbreviation key, and any good beginner crochet book will explain them in full.

The most important habit to develop early is counting your stitches at the end of every row or round. Accidentally adding or dropping a stitch is the most common beginner error and the most disruptive — a count at the end of each row catches problems immediately rather than discovering them several rows later.

Crochet is worked either in rows — back and forth, turning the work at the end of each row — or in the round, working continuously in a spiral or joined rounds. Most beginners find working in the round slightly easier to learn on, because there is no turning and the right side of the work is always visible.

The granny square

The granny square deserves special mention as a starting point for beginners because it is simultaneously one of the most traditional and most currently fashionable crochet structures, it teaches the fundamentals of working in the round, it produces a satisfying finished object quickly, and it is the building block for an enormous range of projects from blankets to bags to garments.

A basic granny square is worked in rounds from the centre outward, using chain spaces and clusters of treble crochet stitches to produce the characteristic open, geometric structure. Once you can make a granny square — which most beginners achieve in a single session — you can make almost anything. A blanket is simply many granny squares joined together. A bag is two large squares or several small ones. A cardigan can be constructed entirely from squares in various sizes.

The Granny Square Card Deck we stock is a beautiful and practical resource — a set of cards each with a different granny square pattern, allowing you to work through a variety of designs at your own pace.

Books we stock

You Will Be Able to Crochet by the End of This Book — £19.99

The title is a genuine promise rather than marketing. This is one of the most clearly structured beginner crochet books available, covering everything from the very first slip knot through a series of carefully sequenced projects that build skills progressively. If you want a single book that will take you from absolute beginner to confident independent crocheter, this is it.

Easy Crochet for Beginners — £14.99

A practical, accessible introduction with clear photography and step-by-step stitch instruction. A solid choice for visual learners who benefit from seeing each step of the process clearly illustrated.

Bella Coco's Crochet Stitch Card Deck — £14.99

Bella Coco is one of the most trusted names in online crochet education, and this card deck brings her clear teaching style into a physical format — individual cards each covering a specific stitch or technique with clear visual instruction. Excellent as a reference tool alongside any project.

Handbook of Crochet Stitches — £9.99

A comprehensive stitch dictionary covering the full range of crochet stitches from basic to advanced, with clear illustrations. The natural companion once you have learned the basics and want to expand your stitch vocabulary.

Patterns to try first

We stock a wide range of crochet patterns at Craft and Canvas at £3.50 to £3.85 each. For a beginner, the most practical first patterns are simple accessories — hats, scarves, cowls, and bags — rather than garments, which involve shaping, sizing, and more complex construction.

The Marisol Hat and Snood pattern, the Astra Scarf and Headband, and the Happy Cotton pattern booklets are all accessible starting points. The Happy Cotton booklets use Sirdar Happy Cotton DK in small, quick projects — ideal for a first completed piece that comes together in an afternoon.

Frequently asked questions about starting to crochet

Is crochet harder than knitting?
Most people find crochet easier to learn from scratch than knitting. There is only one active stitch on the hook at a time rather than a whole row on the needles, which makes dropping stitches less catastrophic and recovering from mistakes easier. The movements are slightly more varied than knitting, but the basic logic is simpler.

What size hook should I start with?
For most beginner projects in DK weight yarn, a 4mm hook. For chunky yarn where you want bigger, faster results, 6mm or larger. Always match the hook size to the yarn's ball band recommendation and check your tension against the pattern.

Can I learn crochet from a book rather than a video?
Yes — many people learn from books alone. A good beginner crochet book with clear step photography is entirely sufficient. That said, videos can be helpful for specific stitches where seeing the hand movement in motion makes the process clearer. A combination of both is ideal.

What is the easiest first project?
A simple square or rectangle in double crochet — a dishcloth, a small blanket square, or a simple bag panel. Straight edges, no shaping, no joining — just practising the fundamental stitch in rows until the tension is consistent and the stitch count is reliable.

Why do my edges look uneven?
The most common cause is inconsistency in the turning chain — the chain stitches worked at the end of each row to bring the hook to the right height for the next row. Counting the turning chain as a stitch in some patterns and not in others is a source of particular confusion. Read your pattern carefully and count every row.

How do I join new yarn?
When a ball of yarn runs out, join new yarn at the end of a row where possible rather than mid-row. Leave a tail of approximately 15cm on both the old and new yarn, work the first stitch of the new row with the new yarn, and weave in both tails securely once the piece is finished.

Shop crochet supplies at Craft and Canvas

We stock KnitPro Zing Crochet Hooks at £2.95, the Prym Tunisian Crochet Hook at £7.55, a full range of crochet patterns from £3.50, crochet books from £9.99, and everything you need in yarn to get started — at Craft and Canvas in Hebden Bridge and online at craftandcanvas.co.uk.

Craft and Canvas | 3 Carlton Street, Hebden Bridge, HX7 8ER | craftandcanvas.co.uk