10 Essential Crochet Resources for Beginners

The popularity of crochet is booming, driven by a shift toward more contemporary designs and its therapeutic aspects. With the plethora of options for yarn, hook sizes, pattern abbreviations, and techniques, it can be hard for beginners to find a comfortable starting point. Fortunately, we are blessed with the digital age, and along with it comes an abundance of helpful resources to get you started and guide you on your crochet journey. Here, we will explore 10 crucial resources across five categories to set you up for your first stitch and guide you through a completed project.

YouTube Channels for Visual Learners

The majority of individuals practicing yarn crafts learn visually rather than reading confusing pattern instructions.  YouTube is the top resource for beginners and individuals alike, and the best part is that it’s free.

Bella Coco Crochet: Hosted by Sarah-Jayne, this channel is known for high-quality videos and her soothing demeanor. The video tutorials will guide you through the essentials, like holding your hook correctly, controlling tension, and your fundamental stitches. A standout feature is that the tutorials are available in both US and UK terms.

The Crochet Crowd: A well-established site on YouTube and other platforms, the Crochet Crowd has a tab called Courses that offers a series of short videos on getting started with other beginner tutorials. There is a wealth of crochet-along videos to work on your first projects.  Hosted by Michael Sellick, who has a kind and gentle demeanor.

TL Yarn Crafts: Hosted by Toni Lipsey, this channel is fantastic for modern makers. This site focuses heavily on yarn reviews to help you choose different yarns for various projects. It also features Tunisian crochet and beginner-friendly accessory patterns. Tori provides plenty of encouragement with an enthusiastic demeanor that makes more complex stitches and projects more approachable. 

Comprehensive Pattern Databases

Once you are confident in creating basic stitches, you are ready to start making actual items. These platforms offer vast repositories of inspiration at all levels.

Ravelry: Perhaps the most comprehensive database for knitters and crocheters alike. It features an advanced filtering system above other platforms. Beginners can filter search results for terms like “free patterns” and “beginner difficulty,” and search for specific tools and materials. It acts as both a library and a personal project tracker.

LoveCrafts: This combination pattern library and online retail shop allows you access to thousands of beginner patterns, and on the pattern page, you can download it and also see the list of required tools and materials, and purchase them on the spot to save time and ensure a successful outcome. They also have step-by-step, highly informative blog guides.

Digital Tools and Mobile Apps

The digital age has done wonders for yarn crafters with tools that help you keep track of your project’s progress. There are also apps that feature step-by-step patterns to complete a new project. 

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My Row Counter:  One of the most common mistakes and sources of frustration for beginners is losing track of which row they are working on.  This can cause the whole project to come out mishapen. My Row Counter is an app that lets you upload your PDF patterns. From there, you are able to highlight text and mark rows by tapping on your screen. Another feature of the app is the ability to mark off rows by voice control. This prevents you from needing to interrupt your work.

Amigurumi Today: For crochet enthusiasts who enjoy working with amigurumi, this app is dedicated to this style of crochet. It offers a library of free step-by-step instructions, along with interactive checklists to track your increases and decreases. This is a great way for beginners to learn how to make cute little stuffed animals. 

Educational Blogs and Reference Sites

There are a couple of sites worth mentioning that provide educational resources for learning industry terminology, browsing stitch dictionaries, and viewing charts. 

Craft Yarn Council (CYC): This site is the universal standard for yarn crafts of all kinds. It has all of the standard charts that pattern designers use worldwide. It is also a reference for understanding the standard yarn weight symbols, label icons, and includes sizing charts for body measurements. 

Crochet 365 Knit Too: A website hosted by Cheryl Bennet features a blog that thoroughly analyzes stitches. One example is the breakdown of how to correctly match the pattern gauge. Cheryl produced a masterclass that saves beginners countless hours and frustration due to sizing errors.

All-In-One Beginner Kits

Buying a kit for your beginner projects not only gives you all the materials and tools needed to complete a project, but also includes patterns and videos to ensure your success.

The Woobles: This company offers amigurumi kits designed specifically for beginners, and some include a pre-started project so users can focus solely on the stitches. The kits come with custom-made yarn, designed not to fray or split, and an ergonomic hook. The kits include access to meticulous instructions that walk you through every stitch.

3 Golden Rules for Crochet Beginners

Following these three essential rules while you work on your starter crochet projects will help keep frustration from spoiling your experience.

1. Count Your Stitches Religiously: Adding or dropping a stitch is commonplace for even advanced crocheters. Before you get too far before realizing something is not right with your project, count your stitches at the end of each row before proceeding.  This will ensure your stitch count will match the pattern. 
2. Choose Light-Colored, Smooth Yarn: Using dark colors or specialty yarns (such as boucle or faux fur) makes it extremely difficult to find the V-shapes at the tops of stitches. Therefore, it’s recommended that you choose a light colored yarn in a medium weight of acrylic or cotton when you are a beginner. 
3. Embrace the “Frog”: It is an unavoidable practice in every crocheter’s journey, where you will need to rip out your work to correct a mistake. The crafting community calls this action frogging. Do not consider yourself a failure if you find yourself frogging at some point. It happens to everyone at some point and is a normal part of the learning process.

Conclusion

As you start out with crochet, remember that everyone who crochets starts out exactly like you, unsure of how to hold a hook properly, how to turn a chain into a cohesive design. Using the resources listed in this article, from video channels to specialized mobile apps and relying on pattern databases, will help you avoid some ot the common mistakes people make and help you get a foot up on learning the basics, then moving forward. 

Exclusive Pre-Release Offer for My Readers!

My new book, The Hook & Loop Strategy: Mastering the Art, Science, and Studio of Professional Crochet, officially launches on August 28!

To celebrate, I’m giving away free digital advance copies to my blog readers before it officially goes on sale. All I ask in return is that you leave an honest review when it launches. If you want to get an early look and master the business and craft of professional crochet, I’d love to send you a copy.

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