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If you want to learn to crochet and you are an absolute beginner, then this is the place you need to be! In this series I will be showing you step-by-step the basic techniques you need to master to begin you on your crochet journey.
Over the next few days I will be releasing a new video so that you can add to your skills. I HIGHLY recommend that you feel confident with each technique before progressing to the next video. Each video is available in both right and left handed versions.
Episode One
In Episode One you will learn:
-
- What you need to get started
- How to prepare your yarn
- How to hold you yarn and hook
- A slip knot
- The Chain stitch (used for a foundation chain)
- The anatomy of a chain
What you need to get started
There are a few key items you will need in order to get started with crochet. You will need some YARN, I would recommend a DK (Double Knit) weight yarn or an Aran weight yarn to begin with. A few affordable option to get started are Stylecraft Special DK or Paintbox Simply Aran. You will need to look at your yarn label (also known as a yarn band) to see what size HOOK you will need. The instructions usually give you details for different measurements used around the world, Please watch the video below where I show you where to locate these details. You can also find a handy conversion chart here. In my demonstration, I am using a 5mm aluminium crochet hook.
You will also need a pair of EMBROIDERY SCISSORS for snipping your yarn (they are sharp and better for yarn) and a DARNING NEEDLE (a large sewing needle with a wide head) for sewing in your ends. STITCH MARKERS also come in handy, however they are not essential at this point.
So to recap, you will need:
- Yarn (Paintbox Simply Aran)
- Crochet hook (5mm)
- Embroidery Scissors
- Darning needle
- Stitch markers (not essential at first)
Episode Two
In this episode you will learn
- How to UK Double/US Single crochet
- How to work in rows
- How to correct your work
- How to tie off your yarn
- How to sew in your ends
In the second instalment of the Absolute Beginners Series you will learn to do a UK Double Crochet/US Single Crochet. It’s really important that you remember that there are different terms in the UK and the US. The stitches are the same, but the terminology is different. I know this can be a little confusing, but if you learn this from the start, you’re at a great advantage. You can find a great chart for the different terms HERE.
UK Double Crochet/US Single Crochet written instructions
Insert your hook into the chain or stitch, yarn over and pull through (you will have two loops on the hook) yarn over and pull the yarn through both loops on the hook.
Take a look at the videos below for the demonstration. Please make sure you are using the correct video i.e left or right handed.
Episode Three
In this episode you will learn
- How to UK Treble/US Double crochet
- How to work in rows
- How to correct your work
- How to tie off your yarn
- How to sew in your ends
In this episode of the Absolute Beginners Series you will learn to do a UK Treble Crochet/US Double Crochet. I want to reiterate again how important it is to remember that there are different terms in the UK and the US. The stitches are the same, but the terminology is different. You can find a great chart for the different terms HERE.
UK Treble Crochet/US Double Crochet written instructions
Yarn over and insert your hook into the chain or stitch, yarn over and pull through (you will have three loops on the hook) yarn over and pull through two loops (you will have two loops on your hook) yarn over and pull the yarn through both of the remaining loops on the hook.
Take a look at the videos below for the demonstration. Please make sure you are using the correct video i.e left or right handed.
Episode Four
In this episode you will learn
- How to UK HalfTreble/US Half Double Crochet
- How to work in rows
- How to correct your work
- How to tie off your yarn
- How to sew in your ends
In this episode of the Absolute Beginners Series you will learn to do a UK Half Treble Crochet/US Half Double Crochet. This stitch is smaller than a Treble (US Double) but larger than a Double (US Single). The stitch is basically an incomplete Treble (US Double) Crochet.
UK Half Treble Crochet/US Half Double Crochet written instructions
Yarn over and insert your hook into the chain or stitch, yarn over and pull through (you will have three loops on the hook) yarn over and pull through all three loops on the hook.
Take a look at the videos below for the demonstration. Please make sure you are using the correct video i.e left or right handed.
Episode Five
In this episode you will learn
- How to UK Double Treble/US Treble Crochet
- How to work in rows
- How to correct your work
- How to tie off your yarn
- How to sew in your ends
In this final episode of the Absolute Beginners Series you will learn to do a UK Double Treble Crochet/US Treble Crochet. This stitch is the largest in hight out of all of the stitches you have learned.
UK Double Treble Crochet/US Treble Crochet written instructions
Yarn over TWICE and insert your hook into the chain or stitch, yarn over and pull through (you will have four loops on the hook) yarn over and pull through two loops on the hook (you will have three loops on the hook) yarn over and pull through two loops on the hook (you will have two loops on the hook) yarn over and pull through the remaining two loops on the hook.
Take a look at the videos below for the demonstration. Please make sure you are using the correct video i.e left or right handed.
Congratulations on coming to the end of the Absolute Beginners series! I would LOVE it if you share your progress with me via social media! Follow my instagram @bellacococrochet and use #bellacococrochet
Want to keep on top of the latest Bella Coco news? The best way is to subscribe to my newsletter…you get a weekly inbox packed full of news, patterns and tips!
15 Comments
Vanessa Dixon
February 24, 2019 at 9:47 amLooking forward to this
Cheryl
February 24, 2019 at 3:27 pmIm going to share this with my neighbors gr child shes about 6 and wants to learn im afraid i cant teach her since i crochet backwards i was taught by a leftie
Gail Tait
February 26, 2019 at 12:02 pmHave always wanted to crochet but never knew where to start, these videos are brilliant. Thank you.
Bella Coco Crochet
February 27, 2019 at 2:01 pmThank you glad they have helped you.
Jennie Morgan
March 3, 2019 at 11:49 amLoving these and have shared them onto our needlework for wellbeing group ! Thankyou x
BellaCocoTeam
March 5, 2019 at 3:07 pmThank you 🙂
Susie
March 30, 2019 at 6:09 amThanks for your help, easy to understand
BellaCocoTeam
March 30, 2019 at 3:07 pmYou’re very welcome 🙂
Nasira Shammi
July 5, 2020 at 5:09 amHi,I am absolutely a new beginner for crochet but I think I will learn the crochet within a few days. Actually I just saw the videos for curicity and determined I must learn the crochet.
Thanks a lot for giving the videos for the new beginner. ❤
BellaCocoTeam
July 5, 2020 at 1:30 pmYou’re very welcome and good luck 🙂
Rebecca
July 16, 2020 at 2:12 pmI am really enjoying your videos and they have helped me as I learn to crochet.
I do have a question though (or two) one is when you are making your initial chain
of say…15 do you make one extra for when you are turning and going back the other way?
Also..I am having difficulties keeping my edges straight, they don’t look nice and square like yours do and so I try to stitch to the very last…dimple/divet (whatever), would using a stitch marker help to mark off the last corner to make my stitch be a good idea?
Lastly, I am having a real bugger of a time trying to keep my tension constant. I figured out that I simply need to hold the yarn below the needle and not really pull on it…much but the tension for yarning over is a bit trickier, what do you suggest I can do to keep the tension constant without creating sloppy stitches?
At any rate, I have seen many videos but yours are nice and detailed without being too complex.
Thank you for creating these videos, they really helped me out tremendously.
BellaCocoTeam
July 16, 2020 at 5:50 pmI’m glad you like my videos and that you’ve found them helpful When you are following a crochet pattern the starting chain will normally be worked in multiples plus extra chains ready for turning. For example, you might need to make a chain in multiples of five, plus an extra three chains at the end so that when you make your first stitch into the fourth chain, you are working at the correct height. Hope this makes sense! I think it’s always a good idea to use stitch markers to mark out stitches when you first start out. In particular, lots of people miss out the chain stitches at the end of the row so make sure you are working into this stitch if the pattern requires it. Lastly, tension is one of those things that you will find gets better with practise. I do have a video tutorial here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRVA_4uNsNw&t=1s which may help you in the meantime 🙂
Rebecca
July 16, 2020 at 8:04 pmThanks for the video however I am still a bit perplexed.
Now, for example I made a chain of twenty stitches and now I want to start doing a single crochet, before I start that, am I correct in assuming that I should add at least two more stitches regardless of the type of stitching I use?
ALSO..what sort of font do you use on your site as some of the letters looks a tad odd (only slightly).
Thank you for being so helpful and nice. 🙂
Adya
August 12, 2022 at 10:07 pmHi, I have the same question, do we always add 2 stitches?
Thank you for the videos, very simple to follow along for beginners! Looking forward to continuing this journey 🙂
BellaCocoTeam
August 15, 2022 at 6:21 pmH Adya You’re welcome, I’m so happy to hear I’m helping you along your crochet journey We add two stitches to bring us up to the correct height ready to make the first stitch (whether in the starting chain or at the beginning of a row). The number of chains will differ according to the stitch you’re going to make – you’ll chain an extra one for a double crochet, for example.