Apr
Starting With Dishcloths Because They’re Actually Useful
Okay so first project you’re gonna want to try is a dishcloth because honestly if you mess it up it doesn’t even matter, it’s just gonna scrub dishes anyway. I made like six of these back in spring 2022 when I was stuck at home with nothing to do and my sister kept borrowing mine which was annoying.
The pattern is literally just single crochet in rows. You chain like 25 stitches (or however wide you want it), then single crochet back across, chain one, turn, and keep going until it’s square. That’s it. I used Lily Sugar’n Cream cotton yarn because it was at Walmart for like three dollars and it holds up really well in the wash. The “Hot Green” color is surprisingly nice actually.
What annoyed me about dishcloths though is that cotton yarn splits SO easily when you’re learning. Like you’re trying to insert your hook and suddenly you’ve speared through the middle of the yarn strand instead of going under the whole stitch. Super frustrating. But also it taught me to pay attention to where my hook was going so maybe that’s good?
Granny Squares Are Everywhere For A Reason
Everyone’s gonna tell you to make granny squares and yeah they’re right. The traditional granny square is actually pretty forgiving because it’s all double crochet and chains, so it works up fast and you can see what you’re doing.
I made a whole blanket out of these during summer 2024 while watching The Bear (which got way too stressful honestly but I kept watching). Used Red Heart Super Saver in like eight different colors because I was trying to use up yarn I already had. The “Coffee” and “Buff” colors are really nice neutrals if you don’t want it looking too rainbow.
The basic pattern: chain 4, slip stitch to form a ring. Chain 3 (counts as first double crochet), then 2 more double crochets in the ring. Chain 2, then 3 double crochets, chain 2, and repeat that three more times. You end up with four groups of 3 double crochets with chain-2 spaces in the corners. Slip stitch to the top of your starting chain-3.
For round 2: slip stitch over to the first corner space, chain 3, and in that same corner space do 2 double crochet, chain 2, 3 double crochet. That makes a corner. Then chain 1, and in the next corner space do the same thing. Keep going around.
You can keep adding rounds forever basically. Each round you’re putting corner clusters in the corner spaces and regular clusters (3 double crochet, chain 1) along the sides between corners.
Joining Squares Is Its Own Annoying Thing
Nobody tells you that joining granny squares takes almost as long as making them. I used the “join as you go” method for some and just whip stitched others together later while watching TV. Both work fine. The whip stitch thing is easier to explain – you just line up two squares and sew through the back loops with yarn and a tapestry needle.
Simple Scarves When You Want Something Long
Scarves are good because you can just keep going until you run out of yarn or get bored. I made one in like 2021 or maybe early 2022? sometime around then… anyway it was just single crochet rows again but I used this chunky yarn from Loops & Threads (the Charisma line I think?) in a purple color.
You chain however wide you want the scarf – like 15 to 20 stitches usually. Then single crochet in the second chain from the hook and across. Chain 1, turn, single crochet back. Repeat until it’s long enough to wrap around your neck a couple times.
The annoying thing about scarves is they can start looking wonky if you’re not consistent with your tension. Like one end might be wider than the other because you were crocheting tighter at the beginning when you were paying more attention. Happens to everyone though.
Beanies Are Easier Than They Look
I was scared of making hats for a while because working in the round seemed complicated but it’s actually not bad. Made my first one late 2023 for my nephew and he actually wore it which was cool.
The easiest way is to start with a magic ring. You make a loop with your yarn, then crochet into the loop, and pull it tight. There’s videos everywhere showing how. In that ring you do like 12 double crochets, then slip stitch to join.
For round 2: chain 2, then do 2 double crochets in each stitch around. You’ll have 24 stitches. Round 3: chain 2, double crochet in first stitch, 2 double crochets in next stitch, repeat. So you’re increasing every other stitch. Keep increasing each round but spacing them out more (every 3rd stitch, then every 4th, etc.) until the circle is as wide as you want the hat to be.
Then you just stop increasing and crochet even rounds (same number of stitches each round) until it’s deep enough to cover someone’s head. I used Bernat Softee Chunky which worked up fast and was soft enough that it wasn’t itchy.
Measuring Is Annoying But Kinda Necessary
You gotta measure the circle part to make sure it fits a head. Like 6 inches across for a small adult, 7-8 inches for average. I just held it up to my own head honestly instead of using a tape measure every time.
Coasters Are Quick Wins
If you need to make something fast, coasters are perfect. Takes like 20 minutes each once you get the hang of it. I made a set as a gift last year and used Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Cotton yarn (yeah I know, Hobby Lobby, but the yarn’s actually decent and cheap).
Same concept as the dishcloth but smaller. Chain 15, single crochet back and forth until you have a square about 4 inches on each side. You can add a round of single crochet around the edge to make it look more finished if you want.
Or do a circle version: magic ring, 8 single crochets in the ring, then increase every stitch for round 2, then every other stitch for round 3. You’ll figure out when it’s big enough.
Baby Blankets When Someone’s Pregnant
Everyone you know is eventually gonna get pregnant and you’ll want to make them something. Baby blankets are good because they don’t need to be huge – like 30×30 inches is plenty.
I made one in spring 2024 using just half double crochet in rows. Chain like 90 stitches (use a stitch marker or write it down because you need to do the same number for every row), then half double crochet across. The half double crochet stitch is faster than single but not as holey as double crochet, so it’s good for blankets.
Used Caron Simply Soft in “Soft Pink” and “White” and did stripes by changing colors every 4 rows. My cat kept attacking the yarn ball while I was working on this which made it take way longer than it should have.
Weaving In Ends Is The Worst Part
Nobody mentions how much you’ll hate weaving in ends. Every time you change colors or start a new ball of yarn, you have ends to deal with. Get a tapestry needle and thread the yarn tail through it, then weave it through the back of your stitches for a few inches and trim. It’s tedious but if you don’t do it, the blanket will literally fall apart.
Market Bags Are Actually Practical
Made one of these summer 2023 and I still use it for groceries. You need cotton yarn because acrylic stretches too much when you put weight in it. I used Lily Sugar’n Cream again, the “Jute” color which is like a tan/beige.
Pattern is basically a granny stitch (double crochet, chain 1, double crochet) repeated around in the round. Start with a chain of like 60 stitches, join to make a circle, then work granny stitch clusters around for like 10 inches. The chain spaces make it stretchy so it can hold more stuff.
For handles you can either crochet them separately and sew them on, or do a row of chains at the top where you want handles. I did chains – like when you get to where a handle should be, chain 30, skip a bunch of stitches, and continue around. Next round you crochet into those chain stitches to make the handle sturdier.
The annoying thing here is making sure both handles are the same length and in the right spots. I didn’t measure carefully and one handle ended up longer so the bag hangs crooked. Still works though.
Headbands For When You’re Bored
These take like an hour max. Chain enough to go around your head (try it on as you go), then single crochet back and forth for like 3-4 inches until it’s as wide as you want. Sew the ends together.
Or you can do a twist version where you crochet a long strip, twist it once, then sew the ends together. Looks fancier but it’s the same amount of work.
I made like five of these one weekend when I was avoiding doing laundry. Used random leftover yarn – some Red Heart, some Caron, whatever was in my stash. The nice thing about headbands is you only need like 50 yards of yarn so they’re perfect for using up scraps.
Washcloths vs Dishcloths (Same Thing Really)
Okay so technically these are the same as the dishcloths I mentioned earlier but some people get weird about using the same one for dishes and for your face. Whatever. Use cotton yarn either way.
You can do different stitch patterns to make them more interesting – like a waffle stitch which is just double crochet and front post double crochet alternating. Or a moss stitch which is single crochet and chain 1 alternating. Both have good texture for scrubbing.
Potholders Need To Be Thick
Similar to dishcloths but you want them thicker so they actually protect your hands from hot pots. Either use two strands of cotton yarn held together, or make two squares and crochet them together.
I made a set using Peaches & Creme cotton (another cheap Walmart brand) and did double thickness. Just made two squares with single crochet, then put them together and did a round of single crochet around the edge, crocheting through both layers at once. Added a chain loop in one corner for hanging.
What’s annoying is making sure both squares are exactly the same size so they line up when you put them together. I’m not great at this and they usually end up slightly off but again, they still work fine.
Where To Find Free Patterns
Ravelry has like a million free patterns if you search for “easy” or “beginner” in the filter. YouTube is honestly better for learning though because you can see exactly what the person’s hands are doing.
I learned most of this stuff from random YouTube videos, not from written patterns. Once you understand the basic stitches you can kinda make up your own patterns anyway or modify existing ones.
The Spruce Crafts website has good photo tutorials for basic stuff. AllFreeCrochet sends out emails with free patterns but half of them aren’t actually that easy even though they say they are.
Yarn Weight Actually Matters
Worsted weight (the medium thickness) is easiest to learn with. It’s labeled as “4” on yarn labels. Bulky yarn (5) works up faster but can be harder to see your stitches. Fingering or sport weight (1-3) is too small and fiddly when you’re starting out.
I pretty much only use worsted weight or chunky for everything. Red Heart Super Saver is the classic cheap acrylic that everyone uses – it’s scratchy at first but softens up after washing. Caron Simply Soft is softer but splits more easily.
Hook Size Is On The Yarn Label
The yarn label tells you what hook size to use. For worsted weight it’s usually H/8 (5mm) or I/9 (5.5mm). Just use whatever it says and you’ll be fine. I have like three hooks total and use the same ones for everything basically.
Aluminum hooks are cheap and work fine. Ergonomic ones with rubber grips are more comfortable if your hands hurt after crocheting for a while but they’re more expensive. I started with a cheap set from Amazon and still use those.
Tension Gets Better With Time
Your first projects are gonna look kinda wonky and that’s normal. Your stitches might be too tight or too loose or inconsistent. You’ll get more even with practice – it’s just muscle memory.
I still sometimes crochet tighter when I’m stressed or watching something intense on TV. Like my stitches were definitely tighter during the stressful episodes of The Bear versus the calmer ones.
Don’t rip stuff out and restart constantly. Just keep going and finish the thing even if it’s not perfect. You’ll learn more from finishing a wonky dishcloth than from starting over five times and never completing anything.
