Mar
okay so first thing – dishcloths are literally the easiest
I made like twelve of these in summer 2022 when I was supposed to be studying for a certification exam and just… couldn’t focus on the material anymore. Dishcloths are genuinely the most forgiving project because even if they look wonky, they still work? Like nobody cares if your dishcloth has uneven edges.
You just need one ball of cotton yarn. I used Lily Sugar’n Cream because it’s at literally every craft store and it’s like three dollars. The cotton is important though – acrylic yarn gets weird and melty if you use it with hot water or put it in the microwave which yeah, people do that to sanitize dishcloths apparently.
The basic pattern is just chain like 25 or 30 stitches (doesn’t really matter), then do single crochet back and forth until it’s square. That’s it. The thing that annoyed me was how the edges would curl up while I was working on it, so I’d think I messed up the tension but really that’s just what happens with stockinette-type stitches and it flattens out later.
granny squares but hear me out
Everyone says granny squares are beginner-friendly and they’re RIGHT but also they’re kinda tedious? I made my first ones in spring 2023 while watching that show Beef – highly recommend both the show and making granny squares simultaneously because you need something to look at or you’ll get bored.
The good thing about granny squares is you can see progress really fast. Like you make one square in maybe 20 minutes when you’re starting out. Then you can either stop there and make it into a coaster (just weave in the ends), or you can get ambitious and make like 30 of them and sew them together into a blanket which… I’m not gonna lie, I haven’t finished mine. It’s been over a year. The squares are in a bag somewhere.
For granny squares I used Red Heart Super Saver because it’s cheap and you need a lot if you’re doing a blanket. The colors are actually pretty decent – I got this color called “Monet” which is like a variegated purple-blue-pink situation.
The actual pattern: you chain 4, slip stitch to make a ring (or do the magic circle thing but honestly I didn’t learn that until like two years in). Then you chain 3, do 2 double crochets in the ring, chain 2, and repeat that three more times. That makes your first round with four corners. After that it’s just double crochets and chain spaces and it builds on itself.
scarves are obvious but there’s a catch
So scarves seem like the most obvious beginner project right? Just crochet a long rectangle. And yeah, that’s basically it, but the catch is you gotta pick the right stitch or it’ll be stiff and weird.
I made a scarf in winter 2024 using half double crochet and it came out way too dense. Like it could probably stop a bullet. It had no drape at all. My cat kept trying to sleep on it because it was basically a rigid mat at that point.
Better option: use a bigger hook than the yarn recommends and do double crochet or even triple crochet. Or do a lacy stitch with chain spaces. I redid that scarf with a pattern that was like: double crochet, chain 1, skip one stitch, double crochet in the next stitch, repeat. That made it actually wearable.
Yarn choice matters here too. I used Caron Simply Soft which is acrylic but it’s got a nice feel to it, not scratchy. The colorway was “Plum Wine” I think? Something purple because apparently I was in a purple phase.
Length-wise you want like 60-70 inches usually. I just measured by wrapping it around my neck a couple times as I went. Very scientific process obviously.
simple beanies if you can do a circle
Okay so beanies SOUND advanced but they’re actually just… crocheting in a spiral. You start with a magic circle or chain 4 and slip stitch (I did the chain method for months before figuring out the magic circle), then you increase stitches in a specific pattern until the circle is the right size for a head.
The annoying thing about beanies is you have to try them on like every few rounds to make sure they fit, which means you’re constantly taking the hook out and putting it back in and hoping you don’t lose your place. I made one in fall 2023 that ended up being too shallow so it just perched on top of my head like a tiny UFO. Had to frog it and start over.
For the increases: you generally start with 12 stitches in the first round, then increase 12 stitches every round (so round 2 has 24, round 3 has 36, etc.) until the circle measures about 4-5 inches across. Then you just crochet even without increases until it’s long enough to cover your head. Usually like 7-8 inches total height.
I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease for mine because it was on sale and it’s a wool-acrylic blend so it’s warm but also machine washable. Got the color “Fisherman” which is just white basically.
coasters are instant gratification
These take like 15 minutes max and you feel immediately productive. I made a set of six in summer 2024 when I was procrastinating on literally everything else in my life.
You can do them exactly like the dishcloths (just smaller – chain 15 instead of 25), or you can do them in rounds like a tiny granny square. Or circles. Circles are fun because you just increase until it’s the right size (usually about 4 inches across) and then you’re done.
The only thing that’s kinda annoying is weaving in the ends because the project is so small that the ends are like… a significant portion of the whole thing? So you’re there with your yarn needle trying to hide this tail that’s three inches long in a coaster that’s four inches across.
I used cotton yarn for these too – Bernat Handicrafter Cotton I think. It comes in these really saturated colors which is nice for coasters because they’re actually visible on a table.
market bags or mesh bags
These look way more impressive than they actually are to make. It’s literally just chain stitches and double crochets with spaces between them. The spaces make it stretchy so you can fit stuff in there.
I made one in spring 2024 because I was trying to be more environmentally conscious or whatever, and also because I saw someone on instagram with one and got inspired. It’s actually super useful – I use it for groceries and also for taking stuff to the beach.
Basic pattern: chain like 60 (you want it pretty long), slip stitch to join into a circle. Then you do: double crochet, chain 1, skip a stitch, double crochet in the next stitch, repeat all the way around. Keep going in rounds until the bag is as deep as you want. For handles you just chain like 30 stitches, skip a bunch of stitches on the bag, and connect back down.
Use cotton yarn for this too because it’s stronger and doesn’t stretch out as much as acrylic. I used Lily Sugar’n Cream again in “Hot Green” which is this really bright lime color that makes it easy to find in my car.
The thing that annoyed me was figuring out how long to make the handles. I made them too short the first time and could barely get the bag over my shoulder. Had to add extensions which looked kind of janky but whatever, it works.
basic headbands take like an hour
These are just long rectangles that you sew the ends together. You can make them thick or thin depending on how many stitches you chain to start.
I made a bunch of these in winter 2023 as gifts because I ran out of time to make actual scarves or blankets or anything ambitious like that. Chain like 10-15 stitches, then crochet in rows until it’s long enough to go around your head (measure as you go), then sew or slip stitch the ends together.
You can use any yarn really but something soft is better since it’s going on your head. I used Caron Simply Soft again in various colors. The “Strawberry” color was really popular with people for some reason.
Pro tip: if you do single crochet through the back loop only, you get this ribbed texture that looks more professional and also makes the headband stretchier. Didn’t figure that out until I’d already made like five of them the regular way though.
water bottle holders or cup cozies
Okay this sounds weird but they’re actually practical and really easy. It’s just a rectangle that you sew into a tube, or you can work in rounds like a beanie but shorter and without the top.
I made one in summer 2022 for my water bottle because I kept burning my hands on the metal when it sat in my car. Just measured around the bottle, chained enough to go around it, then did single crochet in rounds until it was tall enough. Used Red Heart Super Saver because I had a bunch left over from the granny squares.
The annoying part was making sure it was tight enough to stay on the bottle but not so tight that I couldn’t get the bottle in and out. Had to frog it once and start over with one more stitch in the starting chain.
scrunchies if you want something actually useful
These are SO easy and people always want them. You literally just crochet around a hair elastic. Get one of those thick hair elastics (not the tiny ones), and do single crochet around it until it’s completely covered. The elastic should be stretched slightly as you work.
I made like twenty of these in fall 2023 while watching TV – I think it was The Great British Baking Show or something equally mindless. Each one takes maybe 10 minutes once you get the hang of it.
You can use any yarn but thinner yarn looks better in my opinion. I used some random acrylic yarn from Walmart in their “Colorworks” line I think? They had these really pretty pastel variegated colors.
The trick is to make sure you’re crocheting tightly enough that the elastic doesn’t show through, but not so tight that the scrunchie is stiff. It should still be scrunchy.
bookmarks are good for using up scrap yarn
Just chain a long strand (like 30-40 chains) and then do one row of single crochet back down, or leave it as a chain. Add a tassel on the end if you’re feeling fancy. That’s it.
I’ve made probably fifty of these just because I always have little bits of yarn left over from other projects and it feels wasteful to throw them away. Takes like five minutes and then you have something to give people who mention they like reading.
Any yarn works for this. Literally any. I’ve used everything from chunky wool to thin crochet thread.
You can also do a slightly wider version – chain 6 or 8, then do rows of single crochet until it’s long enough. Makes it more substantial and less likely to fall out of a book.
pot holders but make them thick
These are basically dishcloths but you gotta do them double thickness or they won’t protect your hands. Either crochet two squares and sew them together, or use a really thick yarn and a tight stitch.
I made some in spring 2023 and the first batch were too thin and I burned my hand taking a pan out of the oven. Not recommended. The second batch I used two strands of yarn held together which worked way better.
Cotton yarn only for these – Lily Sugar’n Cream or Bernat Handicrafter Cotton. Acrylic will melt which is… bad obviously. Make them at least 7×7 inches so they actually cover your hand properly.
Do single crochet or half double crochet for a dense fabric. The tighter the better for pot holders. And add a little loop in one corner so you can hang it up.
