Crochet is a very old and traditional art among artisans. But even so, there are always new ones interested in learning how to do this wonderful manual work! Although it looks complicated, crochet can be amazing! However, what else comes up when we are learning something? Doubts, of course!

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Crochet for beginners

If you’re looking for crochet tips for beginners and need to get some fleas out of the back of your ears, don’t be shy, this moment is all yours!

Read our post, clarify some questions, and if you want to ask us anything else, just write here in the comments when you’re done reading! Prepared? So here we go!

 

What materials do I need to start crochet?

We could say that only thread and needle. But, we also recommend that you have a stitch marker and scissors on hand.

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If you want to know more about these products, just click on each of the images.

The thread and needle are the north of your work. But, as no one is perfect, especially those who are just starting, it is very common for some unforeseen events to happen, such as knots in the yarn, or you need to undo a row so much to redo it, that the yarn loses its quality.

The scorecard is also important in cases where you need to have control of when a career starts and ends, especially on round pieces and amigurumis.

Don’t know what Amigurumi is? Calm down, let’s get there!

What are the basic crochet stitches?

Among the basic crochet stitches are the famous little chains, the high crochet, the low crochet and the very low crochet.

With these stitches you can create almost everything in crochet. Most pieces are a great combination between all of these!

We have two posts that will help you learn these points in practice. Just click here, here or play the videos below.

What are fancy stitches?

There are no specific crochet stitches for beginners and for professional crocheters. Since the beginning of crochet work, the artisan has contact with all the possibilities, which will vary according to the mastery of the technique and the combination of certain stitches.

The fancy stitches are combinations between the stitches that already exist in crochet, but which, together, were a different design, such as stars, pineapples, popcorn, etc. We have a really cool post about very traditional fancy stitches here.

• crochet for beginners
• Click on the photo to access the recipe!
• crochet for beginners
• Click on the photo to access the recipe!

What are raises?

Imagine the following situation: you have made a career with six high points. When starting a new career, instead of making the same six stitches you just made, you will make 12 stitches. Like? We explain: Instead of making a single stitch over the base point of the previous row, you will make two stitches, in that same base point. With that, your piece will increase.

Raises are not necessarily double the previous row. Sometimes they are interspersed. You make two raises, two normal stitches, plus two raises, and so on until the end of the career.

This is for you to develop your piece. You keep increasing until you reach the desired size. Just watch out for the amount of raises you make. Follow the recipe guidelines very well, or your piece may smudge or smudge.

No idea what I’m talking about? Read on and you’ll find out.

What are decreases?

Decreases are opposite to increases. Here we go: imagine a situation again.

You started making a pencil skirt. You did the waist stitches, then you had to do some in-creases for the hips, and now you go to the leg part and you need to finish. This skirt model is very waisted and follows the curves of the body, being well glued to the legs. So, you need to start “shrinking” your piece, so that it will be very tight.

To make a decrease, it’s like you “eat” a stitch. This will make your piece shorten, or thin.

Again, downgrades don’t necessarily happen over an entire career. They can be merged too. And, done incorrectly, they can also compromise the result of your work.

Now that you know what increases and decreases are, see in practice how to do both in your work. Just play the video below!

In the case of amigurumumis, the decreases are a little different. See the video below for how to make a perfect reduction!

What are charts and recipes? How do I read this?

Do you know a cake recipe? Crochet pieces also have recipes. In addition to bringing a list of materials you will need, they also teach you how to do the work. Some magazines, or step by step (which we usually call PAPs), have the written recipe in full. But, others will ask you at some point to read the chart.

The graphic is nothing more than the drawing of the structure of the part, but with symbols.

crochet for beginners

In crochet, each stitch has a symbol. And a graphic is a combination of symbols that form a drawing, which is your piece. Reading graphics requires attention, but it’s not difficult.

We have a post here on the blog that teaches you what each symbol means and also how to read a graph. Read here.

What is a square?

Squares are a type of crochet design that are popularly called “squares”. With a (almost always) square shape, they are like canvases, a painting, and on them you can make any drawings you want. They are usually very colorful and form patterns that look like flowers.

Here comes the cool thing about squares: to make a piece with them, you just have to mend one another. Generally, squares are used to make large pieces such as blankets and towels, but they can be used in small pieces as well.

Some artisans like to make a single full-size copy to make a single piece out of it, like a cushion cover or table runner.

We also have a post here on the blog that explains more about this pattern and brings several models of parts for you to train. Just click here.

And down here, a video that teaches you how to make an amazing blanket just by joining different squares. Check out our YouTube playlist about the Pôr do Sol blanket.

What are amigurumis?

This is the cutest question in our post! Amigurumis (ami = knit and nuigurumi = stuffed doll) are like stuffed animals, but crocheted or knitted. They are three-dimensional, cuddly, and cute! There are versions of amigurumis for almost anything you can imagine, as this fashion is very old!

We, who are the biggest fans of this Japanese technique, created here in Brazil the first thread exclusively for this practice, and the family has already grown! For more information about each yarn, just click on the images below. Amigurumi Soft is a new release, so you’ll be able to learn more about it soon!

We also develop complete kits, so you can make your own dolls to give away or sell, and also themed handouts to stimulate your imagination.

What is finishing off and how do I do it in my piece?

Every time you go to finish a piece, you need to ensure that it stays in one piece, without falling apart. For this, the finishing is done. And not only in crochet, in simple sewing, which we do at home, too. The finish is that neat little knot we do at the end of each job.

In crochet, what is usually done is the finishing, leaving a little bit of yarn as a leftover. Because then, instead of cutting your thread very close to the knot and running the risk of this knot unraveling, during a wash, for example, you take what’s left and hide it between the stitches of the piece. Some people also like to use Cola Pano to ensure the knot won’t come loose. Just click on the image below to learn more about this product.

crochet for beginners

See how to make an incredible finish in practice!

What is a magic ring?

The magic ring, often used to make amigurumis, is a device we use to start a play. It’s called a ring because it’s really round.

It is generally used to start rounded pieces. You can use magic ring to start squares too.

Once you’ve made the ring, you pull the little thread that’s left out of the work, and it magically closes. Then, just follow the work normally, weaving your stitches and increases. Want to understand better? So, just play the video below!

I want to market my work. How much to charge for a piece?

Many artisans start working with art because they want to make money. Although possible, this path is not always so simple, because there are several variables that contribute to the pricing of craft work.

To help you understand this better, we suggest two materials that are sure to expand your horizons!

Just click here to access the blog post, or on play below to see a very explanatory video.

What is the right crochet hook?

This question is certainly among the ones that bother the beginning crocheter the most. Knowing which is the right needle, among the plethora available on the market, is quite confusing, but we guarantee that it is not difficult.

At first, what you have to think about is that any recipe you follow will already show you a thread and an appropriate needle numbering to work with that thread.

After that, you start worrying about needle materials. This question is very personal and depends on the taste of each artisan. Only time will help you decide what kind of needle you like to work with.

An advice? Test.

Only then will you know for sure what is best. And this question will not always have a single answer. The ideal needle may depend on the type of work you are doing, the yarn you are using, and the size of your garment.

Want to know a little more about needles? So, click here and read our post.

What is the best yarn for crochet?

One more question that doesn’t have a single answer, since the best yarn to crochet will depend a lot on the situation. That’s right, it depends on the type of work you’re going to make, the season of the year, what you consider a nice touch for fashion pieces, what’s tough enough for decorating work, and so on.

For beginners, we recommend thicker threads, that is, with higher tex. They ask for a slightly larger needle and also make it easier to see the stitches.

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To find out more about each yarn, just click on the images.

What do the terms ripple, capsize, drool, and sink?

These terms may seem quite complicated, but know that they are present in the artisan life of those who have some experience in the subject as well.

Dull or capsize: Do you know when your round mat starts closing, and rising, or falling, and there’s nothing you can do to get the piece straight again? When this happens, it may be due to the increases, either because you may have used a thinner line than requested in the recipe, or because of very tight stitches.

To solve this problem, it’s no use trying to stretch the piece. You need to increase it a little more. Put more stitches, or use a needle with a larger number than indicated in the recipe.

Ripple or swell: Ripple happens in a subtle, light, kind of curve, or ripple, in a generally rounded piece. Now, the frill is something much more expressive, with subsequent and apparent waves that totally compromise the development of the piece. When this happens, the reason is usually that there are too many points in the career, more than necessary. To resolve this issue, you need to increase less, or interval increases between single points.

Remember to make sure you are using the correct materials in your recipe: needle and thread. Also check if the stitches are too loose or too wide. If so, decrease the needle numbering.

Sometimes it also happens that a straight piece, which seems super easy, becomes crooked. Want to know how to solve? Just play!

How do I wash crochet pieces?

Washing crochet pieces can be done normally, in the way you see fit. But, in order for them to last longer, it is recommended that the washing be done only by hand, with neutral soap, liquid or bar, with a rinse in running water, without leaving the garment to soak.

Oh, don’t use chlorine bleach and don’t wring the piece. If you prefer, centrifuge in a delicate process. Do not hang the work to dry, place it horizontally, supporting it on some surface, such as a table or a clothesline on the floor.

If placed on the table, place it on a towel, preferably the same color as the piece, so that there are no problems with stains or hairs.

We have a really cool primer on this on our website. Click here to access!

Can I replace wires in recipes? How to do this?

First, using one yarn or another is a matter of style. Sometimes you don’t really like the option given in the recipe.

Then, in this case, if you want to change the thread, you need to keep an eye on the needle number indicated on the label, so that you don’t compromise the result of the work.

Now, if you like the yarn, want to use it, but you can’t find it on the market at all, you can follow this tip: base it on the tex of each yarn. But important: choose a yarn of the same composition as the yarn you are going to replace. For example, if you are having trouble finding a cotton thread, look for another cotton thread as well.

Here’s where the magic comes, get this: let’s say you can’t find Anne yarn, which is 100% cotton. You can use two strands of Cléa yarn, which is also 100% cotton, and has exactly half the tex of Anne.

So, with 2 cables from Cléa, you reach Anne’s tex 295, and then it’s as if you were using the same yarn, without compromising your result in any way. Want another example? So, here we go: The tex of Duna yarn, 100% cotton, is 590. But you, unfortunately, cannot find this yarn on the market. So, what you can do is the following: take the Anne yarn, which is also 100% cotton and has 295 tex, join two cables, and the result is a yarn with 590 tex. Easy, right?