Hello there, crochet buddies! In this post, we’ve attempted to answer some of the most frequently asked questions concerning our crochet patterns.
10 Things You Should Know For Beginners Crochet
If you are a novice who is still learning how to read crochet designs, hopefully this page can answer some of your issues so you can complete your project successfully! Check out some of our favorite beginner-friendly patterns at the bottom of the page!
1. Using a pattern repetition, alter your base chain
Since we produce several crochet, we realized that you might want to make another larger alternative at any time. We usually try to give you a ‘pattern repeat’ at the start of most of our patterns so you can change the pattern to whatever size you want.
We’ve also tried to do this with many of our scarf and hat patterns so you can adapt them to the person you’re creating.
If we show that the pattern repeat is a multiple of ten plus one, that means you have to multiply any number by ten (say, 9 x 10) and then add one (so your base chain is 91.)
Knitting out using a practice swatch of the design you’re creating with the yarn you’ve chosen and measuring it to calculate your base chain is the best approach to get your blanket the size you desire.
For example, if the pattern repetition is a multiple of 10, plus 1, you may build a base chain of 21, then repeat the pattern a few times.
Assume you measure the swatch and it is 5 inches broad, and your finished blanket is 40 inches wide. 40 inches divided by 5 inches is 8, so multiply 21 by 8 to get a base chain length of 168. Because 168 does not work with the pattern repeat, round up to 171, which is 17 x 10, plus 1.
The same procedure applies to patterns with no pattern repeat and where you can chain any number to produce the blanket – if you wish to make a different size, simply knit out a little sample and measure it to determine your base chain.
2. Which chain should I begin with?
After you’ve completed your base chain, turn your work and begin working back down the chain to complete your first row.
The majority of our patterns instruct you to begin by inserting your hook into the second, third, or fourth chain from the hook. Here are some examples that demonstrate what we mean:
3. There is no precise answer for determining how much yarn to purchase.
If you’re making the exact same size blanket as mentioned in our patterns, you can usually buy the recommended amount of yarn in the pattern and be OK, however we always recommend retaining your receipts in case you have leftovers you want to return.
Some people use more yarns than others because everyone crochets differently and with a different tension.
If you are modifying a pattern to a different size that we have never created before, we are unable to provide an exact amount of yarn that you will require.
When we create a blanket for the first time, we frequently have to guess how much yarn it will require; sometimes we have leftovers, and sometimes we need to acquire more.
You can, however, make educated guesses. If you wish to double the size of a pattern for a baby blanket that is 30 x 40 inches, simply double the amount of yarn the pattern calls for and you will most likely have enough.
Keeping receipts is, once again, a fantastic idea!
4. Typical crochet abbreviations
Here’s a list of the most frequently used phrases in our crochet designs!
5. How to Modify Colors
To switch colors at the end of a row, pause right before your last stitch, drop the color you’ve been working with, and pull a loop through the new color.
For example, if you’re doing a row of single crochet, you’d insert your hook, yarn over, and pull up a loop, then stop with two loops on your hook. Drop the previous yarn and pull your new color through the two loops.
Leave a six-inch tail when pulling through with the new color, and snip off the old color, also leaving a six-inch tail to weave into the blanket later. (See #8 for instructions on how to weave in ends.)
If you’re changing colors at the end of a single crochet row, your stitch should look like this:
Then, after pulling through with the new color, repeat the pattern, so for a row of single crochet, chain one with the new color and turn.
If you’re using a stitch other than single crochet, simply pull through with a new color right before finishing the stitch.
So, if I was doing a puff stitch with numerous loops on my hook, I would draw through all the loops with the new color just before I was ready to finish my puff.
6. Carrying yarn through a blanket
Carrying yarn refers to crocheting over one color of yarn so you can quickly swap colors in the middle of the blanket, a method also known as tapestry crochet that we frequently employ in our gingham blanket patterns.
It appears to be a difficult technique to crochet, but once you get the hang of it, it’s actually a very lovely and simple way to change colors. Here’s a video to demonstrate how!
7. Carrying yarn up the side of a blanket
When you have a baby blanket with tiny stripes that are evenly spaced, you can save time by carrying yarn up the side of the blanket instead of cutting it and weaving in ends.
Simply stop crocheting with the color you aren’t using and leave it until you return to that side of the blanket and are ready to resume using it.
Pick up the yarn from a few rows down and lay it straight against the side of your blanket. It will seem as follows:
When you’re finished with your blanket, you can use a lovely border to hide up the carried yarn!
8. Tie off and weave in loose ends
When you’ve completed all of the rows of your crochet item and the directions say to tie off, take the loop on your hook and pull it up until it’s approximately six to nine inches long. The loop should then be cut right at the top:
Pull away the yarn that is still attached to the yarn ball, then tighten the tail that is attached to the blanket until it forms a knot.
Then, using a big tapestry needle, weave that last tail, as well as any other tails from the beginning of the blanket or from changing colors, into the blanket. Here’s a little movie to demonstrate how it’s done!
9. Blocking a blanket
When our tension is a little uneven or the border has to be straightened up a little after finishing a blanket, we block it by getting it damp and pinning it as flat and straight as we can.
We normally wet the blanket with a spray bottle of water, then lay it down on foam board to dry and pin the borders to keep them straight.
You can also wash the blanket according to the label’s instructions before laying it out to dry on a foam board.
10. Ways to frog
The last but not least vital skill that every newbie crochet should learn is how to frog! Frogging simply means undoing your crochet work and beginning over if you make a mistake, which we almost always have to do when we produce a blanket!
The greatest approach to improve your crochet skills is to always inspect your work after every few rows and rectify any faults as soon as you see them.
Even if it is uncomfortable, it will help you become a better crochet and make you more proud of your finished work!
However, if you make a mistake that you don’t see until the end, remember that there are no crochet cops and that imperfect things can still be lovely! And there’s plenty more yarn out there for you to practice with!
Here are a few of our favorites for beginners!
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