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Crochet Help Page

Anatomy of a pattern

We're going to start super simple here. There are two ways to crochet, in rows and in "the round." The former is just lines going back and forth, the latter goes in a spiral. Unless otherwise stated, your spiral is going in one direction for the entire project. Personally, I think rows are easier, but everyone's different. Don't be afraid to try something new.

Most patterns will start with a short description, a photo and a list of materials. Hook sizes come in letters and milimeter sizes. Here's a handy conversion chart. Yarns come in various weights, but sometimes the patterns will list specific brands and colors. Brands and colors aren't important unless you want an exact replica of something. Yarn weight effects the size of your project and which hooks you can use, so it's more important. But, honestly, an H hook and some worsted weight yarn are a good starting point. Lots of projects use those.

After you've got your materials, the pattern begins. If it has multiple pieces, it will tell you how many to make (example: Sleeves [make 2] means do the pattern twice). If it's a single piece, it will just start the pattern. If you've never crocheted before, it might look like code, but it's actually pretty simple if you have a glossary.

Crochet Glossary

ch - chain stitch

tr - triple OR treble (UK