Feb
Throw Pillows Are Actually The Easiest Start
So throw pillow covers are honestly where I’d tell anyone to start because you can mess up and it still looks intentional? Like that chunky textured look everyone wants anyway. I made my first one in January 2023 when I was basically living on my couch binge-watching The Last of Us and needed something to do with my hands that wasn’t scrolling.
You’re gonna want bulky yarn for this. I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in like a grey color because it works up fast and you don’t have to sit there for weeks finishing one pillow. Get a 10mm hook, maybe 12mm if you want it really chunky. Just chain enough to match the width of whatever pillow insert you bought from Target or wherever.
The basic pattern is literally just single crochet back and forth. Make a rectangle that’s twice the length of your pillow insert, fold it in half, and seam up the sides. Leave one side open obviously so you can actually put the pillow in. Some people get fancy with buttons or a hidden seam but I just whip stitched mine closed and called it done.
Wall Hangings That Don’t Look Like Your Grandma Made Them
Okay so wall hangings were having this huge moment and I kept seeing them everywhere on Instagram. The thing that annoyed me SO much about making these is that you need a dowel rod or a stick or whatever to hang it from, and I spent like three days looking for the right stick in my backyard before just buying a wooden dowel from the craft store for $4.
For a basic modern wall hanging you want cotton yarn because it drapes better. Lily Sugar’n Cream is cheap and comes in a million colors. I also really like We Are Knitters cotton but it’s pricey and honestly for a first attempt maybe don’t.
Start with a foundation chain the width you want. Then you’re basically making a long rectangular panel but here’s where you can get creative – mix up your stitches. Do a few rows of double crochet, then some rows of half double, throw in a row of single crochet. The different heights create texture without you having to follow some complicated pattern.
Add fringe at the bottom by cutting a bunch of yarn pieces twice as long as you want the fringe to be, fold them in half, and pull them through the bottom edge with your hook. My cat destroyed half of my fringe the first night I hung it up so maybe consider pet-proofing your placement.
Basket Situation For Every Room
Baskets are actually super practical and I use mine all the time now. I keep one by the couch for remotes and random stuff, one in the bathroom for towels, one in… you get it.
You work these in the round starting with a magic circle. If you don’t know how to do a magic circle just YouTube it real quick because it’s hard to explain in text. Then you spiral up using single crochet or half double crochet, increasing on every round for a bit to make the base, then stop increasing to make the sides go straight up.
I used Bernat Blanket yarn for my first basket because it’s thick and sturdy. The basket holds its shape pretty well without being stiff. You want something that has body to it – don’t use Red Heart Super Saver or anything too soft because your basket will just flop over.
The annoying part is you gotta decide how big to make it before you start and if you mess up the math you end up with either a tiny basket or like a storage bin. I made one that was supposed to be medium and it turned into this massive thing that now lives on the floor holding blankets.
Table Runners But Make Them Not Boring
Table runners are cool because they’re narrow so they don’t take forever but they look impressive when people come over. I made one in winter 2023 during… well, during a not great time, and it was actually nice to have something with a clear start and end point.
Measure your table first obviously. Then chain that length plus like 10-15 inches for overhang on each side. Work back and forth in rows until it’s wide enough – maybe 12-14 inches.
For yarn I’d say go with cotton again. Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK is good if you can find it. Or honestly any cotton worsted weight works fine. You want something you can potentially wash because tables get dirty.
Try a simple stitch pattern like moss stitch or linen stitch for texture. These are just combinations of single crochet and chains that create a nice woven look without being complicated. The moss stitch is single crochet and chain-1 alternating, and you stagger them on the next row so the single crochets go into the chain spaces. It sounds confusing but once you do one row you’ll get it.
Plant Hangers That Actually Support Plants
So macrame is technically different from crochet but you can make plant hangers with crochet stitches and they work fine. I use cotton rope or really thick cotton yarn – the Premier Home Cotton stuff is good if you can find it.
You need to make four long chains that are all the same length. I usually do like 36-40 inches depending on where I’m hanging it. Then you gather all four chains at the top and tie them together or use a ring. The bottom parts need to come together to cradle your pot.
The thing is you gotta know some basic knots too because pure crochet doesn’t give you the structure you need or… actually you know what, you can just crochet thick straps and tie them together. I’m overthinking this.
Coasters That People Actually Use
Coasters are fast and you can make a set in an evening. They’re also good for using up scrap yarn. Cotton yarn only though – anything else will get gross when it gets wet.
Make a magic circle, then do like 8 single crochets into it. Next round do 2 single crochets in each stitch around. Keep increasing every round until your coaster is the size you want – usually 4-5 inches across.
I made a set using Knit Picks Dishie yarn which is literally meant for dishcloths but works perfect for coasters. It comes in good colors and it’s cheap. You can also do square coasters which are even easier – just chain like 15 and work back and forth in single crochet until it’s square.
Blanket For The End Of Your Bed
Not a full blanket because those take approximately one million years, but a throw blanket for the end of your bed or couch is doable. This is more of a commitment though.
I like doing these in stripes because then you don’t have to look at the same color forever. Pick 3-4 colors that go together and alternate every few rows. Caron Simply Soft is my go-to for blankets because it’s soft and machine washable and not expensive.
Chain like 120-150 stitches depending on how wide you want it. Use half double crochet for the whole thing because it works up faster than single crochet but isn’t as holey as double crochet. Just go back and forth until it’s long enough.
The border matters on blankets. Do at least one round of single crochet around all the edges at the end to make it look finished. You can also do a shell stitch border if you wanna get fancy but honestly a simple sc border is fine.
Garland For Parties Or Whatever
I made bunting garland for a friend’s baby shower and it was actually cute. You make a bunch of little triangles and string them together.
Chain like 15, then decrease on each row by skipping the first and last stitch until you end up with a point at the top. Make like 20 of these in whatever colors. Then get some ribbon or crochet a long chain and sew or tie the triangles onto it spaced out evenly.
You could also do circle garland or flower garland or whatever shape. The concept is the same – make a bunch of small flat shapes and attach them to a string. Good for using up scraps.
