My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Discover knitting, crochet, scrapbooking and art and craft ideas on this forum.

Arts and crafts

Crochet for beginners...

233 replies

CouthyMow · 28/05/2013 04:06

I'm desperately trying to learn to crochet. I want to be able to do Granny squares.

I can make a foundation chain, I can do double and triple, but after that I just end up in a knotty mess!

I have two crochet books, both of which are meant to be from the basics onwards. Neither of which seemingly explain it in a way that makes sense to me...

Can anyone help me to crochet a granny square?!

OP posts:
Report
cantreachmytoes · 28/05/2013 04:21

This best thing next to having someone show you in person is to look at videos on you tube. Check how they count stitches as that can be confusing at first. Worth noting for anything you look at online that the US and UK names differ for stitches, but just getting the idea of how it's done "live" can be useful.

Google too images of the stitches you're doing so you get an idea of what they look like in different yarns, which makes it easier to recognise your own. Search "double crochet UK" for example, to make sure it's the UK version (assuming that's what you're using).

I learned by doing this online and am relatively proficient now, so don't give up, it's possible!

Report
CouthyMow · 28/05/2013 05:51

I will give that a try, it's driving me bonkers as conkers!

I never mastered knitting or crochet as a child, despite coming from a family of knitters and crocheters.

I have had to put away my cross stitch for a number of reasons, and I need a new craft to fill that spot, that I can pick up and put down IYSWIM.

I want that to be crochet!

And I've got a gorgeous graduated colour wool waiting for me to be able to use it...

OP posts:
Report
yellowsnownoteatwillyou · 28/05/2013 07:01

Go on YouTube and search granny squares mikey. I've found he's the best to copy.

Report
bluecarrot · 28/05/2013 07:15

I second mikey. He walks you through the whole piece in most of the videos I've watched.

Report
Mhw02 · 28/05/2013 09:24

I only learnt how to crochet about a month ago, and now I'm getting obsessed. I tried working from a foundation chain first, but yes, just ended up in a knotty mess! I'd try crocheting in the round - you're crocheting into big gaps rather than single stitches so it's much easier! It also means you automatically get a square, rather than having to measure after you've done a certain number of rows.

The one trouble with crocheting in the round is the teeny tiny circle you have to crochet into when you join your initial chain four; I stick a hair pin in there before the joining slip stitch so I can find the circle, which I find really helpful - but that might just be me!

I tried lots of videos on youtube, but this one was the only one I managed to follow (now that I've got the basics I can follow other videos, but I found this one great to start with).

Report
SallyBear · 28/05/2013 11:55

I learned last week and I've done about 8 granny squares now. I want to do enough to make a blanket. The thing I've struggled with is to hide your ends into the crochet. Tricky when you're using 9 different colours!! Anyway I'm really enjoying it, as I'm creating something quickly (spot the impatient one!) and its also saving me from snacking......Shock

Report
TheNinjaGooseIsOnAMission · 28/05/2013 12:12

youtube is great Smile You can also try googling photo tutorials, I like attic24 there's some patterns on there like like the granny stripe and simple ripple that are pretty straight forward

Report
EllenJanesthickerknickers · 28/05/2013 14:59

Mhw02, that tutorial is in American terminology, which will might be confusing for a beginner.

Report
Mhw02 · 28/05/2013 15:19

Yes, I realised that, Ellen; was going to mention it in my post, but then forgot! Grin

It seems to me though like most of the videos on YouTube are in American terminology; as I didn't know anything about crochet terms at all I decided just to learn in American and then learn the conversion terms once I'd got the idea of what I was meant to be doing. But, yes, I can see if someone already knows the UK terms it would make it confusing...

Report
EllenJanesthickerknickers · 28/05/2013 15:26

Yes, I've been looking for some British ones since posting. I can remember someone recommending a British one, but can't find the thread. I guess we are still a bit behind the US with our YouTubing!

Report
EllenJanesthickerknickers · 28/05/2013 15:57

Agree with ninja, attic24 is lovely.

Report
SallyBear · 28/05/2013 18:27

Ninja has told me in the past that you do gorgeous stuff Ellen!

Report
JollyOrangeGiant · 28/05/2013 18:30

Which books do you have? I found Crochet Unravelled very useful.

There's a facebook group called Crochet Geek too which is full of helpful people with useful tips :)

Report
EllenJanesthickerknickers · 28/05/2013 18:42

Thanks! Blush Though, I have to say, ninja makes some lovely things and I really like her eye for colour. Hark at us, the mutual SN appreciation society. Grin And I hate sewing in the ends...

JOG, I started with the Happy Hooker, which is in American terminology, but explains the difference between American and British really clearly.

Report
marissab · 28/05/2013 18:48

Ok so a double in US = triple in uk. So you wind your yarn round once before you put the hook through. Yes to youtube and attic 24. Honestly, i would only do granny sq in the round. Really simple then. I thought happy hooker was a goody. It got me started. Grin

Report
marissab · 28/05/2013 18:50

Tried to join crochet geek. Says i don't have permission to join Sad

Report
alemci · 28/05/2013 19:07

yes definitely Attic 24.

For granny squares I have found the following often the case but I could be wrong.

always chain 4 and then join to make a circle your starting point.

Next row is usually chain 3 to start off instead of a treble crochet then usually 2 more trebles then a chain to make space.

I didn't really understand the significance of the Chain 3 and the chain spaces to start with.

I have been going a year and it is wonderful. Don't give up.

Report
alemci · 28/05/2013 19:08

Attic 24 has good tip for ends BTW.

Report
RenterNomad · 28/05/2013 19:58

How nice to have a newbie thread! I'm a bit scared of the "Hotel Crochetfornia"! Blush

I've borrowed the Happy Hooker from the library, along with another (not so snappily titled one). I've also downloaded Crochet for Dummies and somehing else (again, less snappily titled) to my ereader, so I have them to refer to while out and about!

A timely reminder for me, about the bloody US/UK different terminologies!

Report
SallyBear · 29/05/2013 08:11

I've made 10 six inch squares so far. I feel the need to keep going until I've run out of wool! No idea how many squares I will need to cover a single bed yet. I'm also planning to do plain colours as well as the mixed square and stripes. Then there will be the labour intensive job of hiding ends and putting them all together!

What would people suggest that I do - hook them together or see them together. What looks neater?

Report
SallyBear · 29/05/2013 08:12

See? Sew! iPhone!

Report
TheNinjaGooseIsOnAMission · 29/05/2013 10:08

ellen, you say that but you haven't seen the radioactive pink I managed to order yet Grin

attic24 again sallybear for hooking together but there are many ways of doing it, this one gives you an almost hidden join but you might want the feature of joining visible as they do on the big woolly hugs. Personally I sew mine together but it's whatever gives you the finish you like. You can hide the ends when you join it all together although I do like to sew a knot in the end of mine as I'm paranoid about it all unraveling. I also hate sewing in the ends!

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

EllenJanesthickerknickers · 29/05/2013 10:55

I've been crocheting some squares with some very zingy colours lately!

SallyBear, have a look at some completed Woolly Hugs. They have a ridged join which is a nice effect, by joining with DC. Or you can hook a more subtle join as in ninja's link.

I have to sew in the ends for each square as soon as I've completed it otherwise the job is too daunting at the end!

Report
CouthyMow · 29/05/2013 11:33

Right. The books I have are 'The Crochet Bible' by Sue Whiting, and 'Crochet Workshop' by Erika Knight.

I can do a foundation chain fine. I can do one row of double, then I don't know what to do next.

My trebles don't seem to look like they should.

And I don't really 'get' how you crochet in the round...

OP posts:
Report
CouthyMow · 29/05/2013 11:35

The pattern I have says to start with a chain of 3, then I get lost. I can't seem to follow the pattern. Confused

OP posts:
Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.