Introduction To Crochet

In this post I wanted to give you an overview of the equipment and terminology that are used in crochet so you can get started.

What will I need?

Not much! One of the many great things about crochet is you really do not need a lot of expensive equipment to beginning (also very handy to put in your handbag to do when out and about!)

Yarn - DK weight yarn is a good starter

Crochet Hook - a 3.5mm is great for with DK yarn

Scissors - small scissors are great to reduce the risk of accidently cutting your work

Yarn needles - these have an eye large enough to fit most yarns (though not the thicker weights)

A Bit More Information On Yarn:

I mentioned earlier that DK was a good starter yarn for crochet projects and to using a 3.5mm hook works great with it. What is DK yarn I hear you ask and how do I know what weight my yarn is? Yarn comes in several weights, which is determined by how many ply it is. The higher the number of ply, the thicker the yarn. 

• 4 ply - Sock, fingering, baby.
• 5 ply - Sport, baby.
• 8 ply - DK (double knit), light worsted.
• 10-12 ply - Aran, worsted.
• 12-14 ply - Chunky, bulky, craft.
• 14-16 ply - Super chunky, super bulky, roving.

Once you have purchased your yarn, reading the label band will give your further information.

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Most yarn bands will give the following information

• Washing instructions - it is really important following these so you do not ruin what you have made.
• Recommended needle size - this is normally given for knitting needles, your crochet hook size will be within 0.5mm up, or down, of this.
• Knitting gauge: this tells you who many stitches and rows you will get from knitting this yarn over a 10x10cm square.
• Fiber content: some yarns can be a single fiber source, such as 100% acrylic, or a multiple sources, such as 75% acrylic and 25% wool.
• Approximately yardage/meterage: this will vary from brand to brand. Not all 100g balls in different ranges will be the same!
• Grammage.
• Company details and barcode.
• Shade and dye lot: very useful information to keep if you plan on using more than one ball. The dye lot number will enable your work to be the same over multiple balls. Even though you may be using the same shade, there will be differences over different dye lots.

Buying Your Crochet Hook:

Crochet hooks come in a range of designs, and prices! You can purchase the plain metal hook, or try one with a comfort grip (which are especially good if you hold your hook very tight or have a tight tension). 

Holding Your Hook:

You now have you equipment and you are desperate you have ago... but how do you even hold the hook? How do you hold the yarn? When starting out, try different holds of the yarn and hook and find out works for you. 

The two main ways of holding your hook are known as the PENCIL HOLD or the KNIFE HOLD. The pencil hold means you will hold the hook between your right thumb and finger, as if holding a pencil. The knife hold means you will hold the whole of the hook, with the back of the hook in the palm of your hand.

Whilst holding your hook, you will need to have hold of your yarn to ensure you keep a consistent tension. This helps your piece work up evenly. The TRADITIONAL way of holding you yarn means it will be in your left hand with the piece of crochet you are working on, and your hook in the right hand. The ONE-HANDED method is great for those converting from knitting, as you hold the yarn in the right hand with your hook and crochet work on the left. The yarn is then wrapped over one or two of your fingers 

US Terminology vs UK Terminology:

Now you have your yarn and hook, and ready and raring to go by learning some different stitches. But wait... there seems to be TWO double crochet stitches? This is because of the US version and the UK version of crochet having different names for the same stitches.

Commonly Used Terms and Abbreviations:

So now you have your head around the difference between UK and US terminology, there are some other common terms and abbreviations to understand.