May
Just Start With a Dishcloth Honestly
okay so the first thing everyone’s gonna tell you is to make a scarf and I’m telling you right now that’s actually kind of annoying because scarves are LONG and you’re just doing the same stitch forever and you get bored. I made my first dishcloth in spring 2022 when I was stuck at home with covid and honestly it was way better because you can finish it in like two hours and actually feel accomplished.
The pattern I used was literally just a square. You chain like 25 or 30 stitches (doesn’t matter exactly) and then single crochet back and forth until it’s square-ish. That’s it. I used Lily Sugar’n Cream cotton yarn in that yellow color, the one that’s called “Yellow” because they’re not creative with names. Got it at Walmart for like $2.50.
What You Actually Need to Buy
Don’t go crazy at the craft store. You need:
- One hook – size H/8 or 5mm is good for starting
- Cheap cotton yarn for dishcloths OR cheap acrylic for literally anything else
- Scissors
- That’s actually it
I see people buying those huge sets of hooks and stitch markers and yarn needles and row counters and it’s just… you don’t need that yet. I used kitchen scissors for the first six months. The yarn needle is helpful eventually but you can weave in ends with your hook if you’re patient.
For yarn brands that are actually at normal stores: Red Heart Super Saver is at every craft store and it’s scratchy but it’s like $3 for a huge skein. Caron Simply Soft is nicer and still cheap. Big Twist from Joann’s is fine. Bernat blanket yarn is really chunky and forgiving if you want to make something fast but it’s harder to see your stitches when you’re learning which is—actually maybe skip that one at first.
The Dishcloth Thing Again Because It’s Important
I’m serious about starting with cotton dishcloths. The pattern that’s everywhere is called “Grandmother’s Favorite” and it’s just single crochet in rows but you change colors every two rows. Looks fancy, isn’t fancy. I made probably eight of these before I tried anything else.
What annoyed me was that every pattern assumes you know what “chain 2 does not count as stitch” means and they just throw that in there like it’s obvious. It’s not obvious. Basically at the end of a row you chain 2 to turn your work around, but when you count your stitches you don’t count those chains as a real stitch. You skip them and go into the first actual stitch. Took me forever to figure out why my squares kept getting smaller.
Free Patterns That Don’t Suck
YouTube is better than written patterns when you’re starting. I know people love Ravelry but honestly the search on that site is confusing and half the patterns are written in like… code? Just weird abbreviations everywhere.
Actual good free beginner projects:
- Simple granny square (the classic one, not the fancy variations)
- Basic beanie using half double crochet
- Scarf if you really want but make it skinny so it doesn’t take forever
- Amigurumi sphere which sounds complicated but it’s just increasing and then decreasing in rounds
The granny square is good because once you know how to make one you can make a million and sew them together into a blanket. I did this in summer 2024 while watching all of The Bear and it was actually pretty mindless in a good way. Used Red Heart Super Saver in like six different colors that were all slightly ugly but together they looked okay.
About Following Patterns
Written patterns are gonna look like this: “Ch 20, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc across, turn. Ch 1, sc in each st across. Repeat row 2 until piece measures 8 inches.”
Breaking that down:
- Ch = chain
- sc = single crochet
- st = stitch
- 2nd ch from hook = skip the chain closest to your hook, go in the next one
The “skip first chain” thing is because that first one is basically just taking up space where your hook is. If you don’t skip it your work gets all wonky.
Video patterns are easier because you can just watch someone’s hands and copy them. Bella Coco on YouTube explains things pretty clearly without being condescending. I also learned a lot from just random people’s Instagram tutorials even though they’re short.
When Stuff Goes Wrong
Your first projects are gonna look bad and that’s fine. My first dishcloth had like 30 stitches on one side and 22 on the other because I kept missing the last stitch of the row. Happens to everyone.
Common problems:
- Work keeps getting narrower – you’re missing the last stitch of each row, count more carefully
- Work keeps getting wider – you’re probably adding extra stitches somewhere, maybe crocheting into the turning chain when you shouldn’t
- Edges look weird and loopy – tension issue, try holding the yarn tighter or looser
- Can’t find the right stitch – cotton yarn shows stitches better than acrylic when you’re learning
The thing that annoyed me most was tension. Like everyone says “keep even tension” but nobody explains how. You’re supposed to wrap the yarn around your pinky and over your finger or whatever but honestly I just… held it weird for months until my hands figured it out. There’s no shortcut, your hands just need practice.
Actual Specific Patterns to Search
If you search these on YouTube or Ravelry you’ll find free versions:
Simple single crochet dishcloth: Literally any video that says “beginner dishcloth” will work. They’re all the same. Chain 25-30, single crochet in rows until square. Done.
Classic granny square: This one’s magic circle in the center (or chain 4 and join) then you do clusters of double crochets with chains between them. Sounds complicated, looks impressive, actually pretty easy once you do one.
Moss stitch washcloth: This is single crochet and chain 1 alternating and it makes a nice texture. Good for using up ugly yarn because the stitch pattern makes it look more interesting.
Simple beanie: You need to know magic circle and how to increase/decrease but there’s a pattern called “30 Minute Beanie” or something that uses super bulky yarn and a big hook. I made one with Bernat Blanket yarn in like… teal? During the winter when my cat kept sitting on my lap and making it hard to see what I was doing.
Yarn Weights Are Confusing
Okay so yarn comes in different thicknesses and they have numbers:
- 1 is super thin (don’t start here)
- 2 is sport weight (still pretty thin)
- 3 is DK weight (good for lightweight stuff)
- 4 is worsted/medium (THIS IS WHERE YOU START)
- 5 is bulky (also fine for starting, works up fast)
- 6 is super bulky (chunky blanket yarn)
- 7 is jumbo (absolutely massive)
Most beginner patterns use worsted weight which is the #4. The yarn label will tell you what weight it is and what hook size to use. Red Heart Super Saver is worsted. Caron Simply Soft is worsted. Lily Sugar’n Cream is worsted but it’s cotton so it feels different than acrylic.
Acrylic vs cotton: Cotton doesn’t stretch much and shows your stitches really clearly which is good for learning but bad because you can see all your mistakes. Acrylic is more forgiving and softer but it’s literally plastic so it doesn’t breathe. For dishcloths use cotton obviously. For everything else acrylic is fine when you’re starting.
The Magic Circle Debate
Some patterns start with a magic circle (also called magic ring) and some people find it really hard. I avoided it for like eight months because the videos made it look confusing. Then I tried it and it’s actually—well it’s still kind of annoying but it’s not that hard.
Alternative: just chain 4 and join with a slip stitch to make a ring. It leaves a small hole in the center but for most projects that’s fine. I still do this sometimes when I’m being lazy.
Free Pattern Sources
Places to actually find patterns:
- YouTube – best for video tutorials, search “beginner crochet” plus whatever item
- Ravelry – huge database but overwhelming, filter by free patterns and easy difficulty
- Pinterest – links to blogs that have patterns, hit or miss quality
- Yarnspirations website – free patterns from the companies that make Red Heart, Caron, Bernat
- AllFreeCrochet – specifically free patterns, organized by category
Honestly YouTube is gonna be your best friend. Written patterns are useful once you understand the abbreviations but when you’re starting you need to SEE someone do it.
What to Make After Dishcloths
Once you’ve made a few dishcloths and you’re comfortable with basic stitches, try a scarf or a small blanket. Baby blankets are good because they’re smaller than regular blankets but still feel like a real project.
I made a baby blanket for my friend in summer 2024 using the moss stitch and it took like three weeks of working on it while watching TV. Used Caron One Pound in gray because I needed a lot of yarn and that comes in huge skeins. The edges were a little wavy because my tension still wasn’t great but whatever, babies don’t care.
Amigurumi (stuffed animals/toys) seems hard but it’s actually just working in rounds and knowing how to increase and decrease. The problem is you need to stuff them and sew pieces together which is a different skill set. I made a really ugly sphere that was supposed to be a… I don’t remember, maybe a ball? It looked terrible but I learned how increasing in rounds works.
Stuff Nobody Tells You
Your hands will hurt at first. Like actually hurt. Your wrist, your fingers from holding the hook weird, your shoulder from hunching over. Take breaks. I got a weird repetitive strain thing in my thumb from gripping the hook too hard.
Counting stitches is annoying but necessary. Count every row when you’re starting or you’ll end up with a triangle instead of a rectangle. Put a stitch marker (or bobby pin or paperclip) in the first and last stitch of the row so you know where to start and stop.
Frogging means ripping out your work and yes you’ll do this a lot. The yarn gets kinky and annoying after you rip it out but you can still use it. I’ve frogged entire projects that I worked on for hours because they looked wrong and it’s frustrating but that’s just part of it.
Weaving in ends is the worst part of crochet and anyone who says they enjoy it is lying. You’re gonna have yarn tails hanging off your work and you have to thread them through stitches to hide them and it’s tedious. Some people weave as they go but I always forget and end up with like 30 ends to weave in at once.
Gauge Is Important But Also Skip It For Now
Patterns will say “gauge: 16 stitches and 12 rows = 4 inches” and this matters if you’re making clothing that needs to fit. For dishcloths and scarves and blankets? Doesn’t matter. Your dishcloth can be 7 inches or 9 inches, who cares.
If you eventually want to make a sweater you’ll need to care about gauge but that’s a problem for future you.
Just Pick Something and Start
The hardest part is actually starting. You’re gonna look up patterns and get overwhelmed by options and yarn choices and then not do anything. Just pick literally any simple dishcloth pattern, buy one skein of Lily Sugar’n Cream at Walmart or Target, get a size H hook, and make the thing.
It’ll probably look weird. The edges might be wonky. You might drop stitches or add extra ones. That’s fine. Make another one. And another one. By the fourth or fifth dishcloth you’ll actually understand what you’re doing and then you can move on to other stuff.
I still make dishcloths sometimes when I want a project that doesn’t require thinking. They’re useful, they’re fast, and you can give them away as gifts that people actually use instead of just being polite about.
