Crocheting is a wonderful way to slow down and be more mindful, and it feels good to make something beautiful for you or your home. I love sitting down each night and crocheting – it’s relaxing and soothing. After a crazy day when nothing seems to have gone right, it feels good to crochet and succeed at making something real.

I recommend taking your time when learning how to crochet and investing in your learning experience. Crocheting is a lifelong skill that you can use forever, it’s important to learn easily and in a way that suits you.

Learning to crochet with “normal” sized yarn and crochet hooks is fiddly and painful, and I can understand if you’ve tried and have been frustrated – this is not what crocheting is all about. I’ve been crocheting for many years and have talked with lots of crochet students, and to help you I’ve put together my top tips for learning to crochet the easy way.

what to use – yarn and hooks

I highly recommend learning to crochet with chunky yarns and chunky crochet hooks – they’re easier to hold, see and use. This is important when you’re doing something for the first time.

Chunky crochet always looks amazing, the big stitches have an amazing texture that will have everyone amazed that you made it, especially when you’ve just learnt.

The added bonus of chunky crochet is that it’s quick to make – the big yarn and stitches work up very quickly and it’s possible to crochet a chunky scarf in a day. This is so much better than it taking weeks, or even months!

To make learning to crochet even more enjoyable:

• Use a soft, natural fibre yarn – these feel amazing to use, and will make your crochet look so much better than using an acrylic yarn. Look for a chunky yarn with twist in it because this means it won’t pill excessively and leave fluff all over you. I love using Homelea Bliss chunky yarn.
• Use a bamboo crochet hook with double indents – it’s important that your crochet hook is easy to hold, and it’s light. The double indents means the crochet hook fits neatly and comfortable in your hand, and the bamboo wood is light and feels lovely to hold.

how to learn

There are lots of different ways to learn how to crochet. I recommend trying a few different methods of learning to crochet to find out what works best for you. Also, try making different kinds of things as this is a great way to learn and improve your crochet skills.

• family and friends – If you have a friend or family member that can crochet ask them if they’ll teach you. They’ll be able to sit beside you and show you what to do.
• workshops – These are classes that you can go to and learn to crochet with a group of people. You’ll generally all make the same thing, and you many meet some lovely people at the same time. Your local yarn store will generally run learn to crochet workshops.
• online classes – Learning to crochet via online classes is great because you can do it whenever it suits you and you can do it from home. Make sure the online classes you do have detailed video tutorials because this is just like the teacher is sitting beside you showing you what to do. You can then play the same section over and over until you understand exactly what to do. Also, look for an online class that has an online community with live calls.
• YouTube videos – There are lots of videos available online for learning to crochet. Keep searching until you find one that’s easy to follow and understand.
• kits – Chunky crochet kits are a great way to learn to crochet as they come with everything you need. Look for one that’s suitable for beginners and includes yarn, hook, stitch markers, pattern and online classes.

what to make

When learning to crochet I recommend making something that is done in long rows. This means you’ll practice the same stitch over and over again, and develop your muscle memory so that crocheting becomes automatic. Make a simple scarf or blanket with only a few different kinds of stitches.

Traditionally, crocheting has been taught by making granny squares. Stay away from these when learning to crochet because it involves lots of different stitches and going in rounds which can be confusing and difficult to master.

my top recommendations to learn how to crochet

As a crochet teacher and expert, I recommend learning to crochet with the following methods because they involve soft, natural fibre yarns, bamboo crochet hooks with double indents and exceptional patterns:

• Chunky Scarf Crochet Kit – an easy way to get a taste of crocheting, and with 5 different patterns to choose from, there will be one (or more) that you love making and wearing.
• Warm Heart Blanket Kit – this is a comprehensive way to learn how to crochet and practice the same stitches over and over again. It includes all of the materials you need, as well as detailed video tutorials where I show you exactly what to do.

It won’t be long and you’ll be crocheting each night to relax and become more mindful, and you’ll fill your home with beautiful crocheted blankets, scarves and cushions.