Tag: beginner crochet

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Best Crochet Projects for Absolute Beginners

Learning to crochet is exciting! Mastering how to hold your hook and yarn, getting your chain right and perfecting your tension all comes down to practice. The more you crochet, the more natural that it all feels. We all know though, that it can be daunting to only crochet meaningless swatches while practicing. Working on a project that will lead to an actual, usable, item is much more exciting. If you’re just starting out on your crochet journey, back and forth items are a great choice. Here are my favorite project recommendations!

Pot holders

Pot holders were my very first projects. I mean, I whipped up pot holders like there was no tomorrow and I still use those pot holders to this day. So, they are perfect for beginner projects but will also be very useful for years to come – even if they are a bit lop-sided! Check out this potholder pattern.

Placemats

Crochet Seaside Placemat

A placemat is something that you can make as simple, or as intricate as you’d like. The possibilities are endless. For beginner’s sake- this seaside placemat is just gorgeous and so easy to make!

table runners

Crochet Table Runner

Table runners are attention grabbers! And having a gorgeous crochet table runner will be the talk of your next get-together. But they don’t have to be limited to your dining room table: coffee tables, patio tables, dressers, islands, and night stands all could benefit from your new-found craftiness. Here is a super cute and simple table runner that I think you will love!

 dish cloths

Dish cloths are another really useful item for your kitchen that you can make multiple of in very little time. Here is the perfect crochet dish cloth pattern for you!

cup cozies

Cup cozies are one of those things that you probably never thought about until one day, in efforts to save the environment, your favorite coffee shop decided to not give you a sleeve for your cup and so you spend the next 30 minutes sipping piping hot coffee and trying to hold the cup as loosely as possible to avoid first degree burns on your hands.. sorry, personal experience. Anyways, I don’t have that problem any more- and you won’t either because you hold the skills to make your own cup cozy to keep in your bag, your car, or at home to keep your hand perfectly burn-free, while also being eco-friendly. Here is a super simple pattern for you.

 hot pads

Crochet Hot Pad

And here we are again with the burning thing except, this time you’re saving your counters from being burned. Super simple to make, in my opinion, they’re over-sized pot holders! Click here for pattern.

 hair scarves

Hair scarves are another perfect accessory. I wear these a whole lot and they save me from terrible hair days. Make them in just a few minutes! Click here for pattern!

headband/ ear warmers

Headbands and ear warmers are perfect gifts and fashion accessories. How cool is it to be able to make your own fashion pieces?! Here is the pattern for these wild-west ear warmers that are sure to be your favorite winter wears.

scarves

Crochet Scarf Pattern

Scarves are a must-have winter item, and they make excellent gifts for Christmas or winter birthdays. You can make tons of scarves with just back and forth single, half double, double, or treble crochets! Here is a the perfect beginner scarf pattern!

 baby blankets

Single Crochet Baby Blanket

Baby blankets are such a sweet gift for a new baby. They’re great to crochet as a beginner because they are a bigger finished project, but the pattern is back and forth, easy peasy! Single crochet baby blanket pattern here!

 

And that’s it, you guys. I hope you make some of these and tag me in your photos- I’d love to see them. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest @Homesweetsimpson! Until next time, happy crocheting!

The tools I use in all of my projects come from this kit that you can find on Amazon, I highly recommend!

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How to Crochet in the Round

Crocheting in the round is a method used for crocheting items such as hats, stuffed animals, granny squares, bags, and a multitude of other items. Learning how to crochet in the round will broaden your ability to create products. Many people use a magic ring to start their round, but for a beginner, it’s easier to start with a chain as your ring.

Different patterns will instruct your number of chains to be different and other type of stitches may be used as well, but the technique will still be the same.

You will need:

#4 Worsted Weight Yarn (Light in color and not textured will be the easiest to learn with)

5mm Crochet Hook

 

Start with a slip knot on your hook

 

  1. Chain 4
  2. Slip stitch into the first chain you made. This creates a circle.
  3. Chain 1. (This is to increase your height for the next row. It is not a stitch, you will not work into it.)
  4. Make 6 single crochet into your circle. *Pull your loop up through the middle of the circle, not into the chains.
  5. Slip stitch into the first single crochet that you made.

The rest will now be worked into the top of your stitches like normal.

You have just crocheted the first round! To do the second round:

  • Chain 1
  • Make 2 single crochet into every stitch around. (Total of 12 single crochet at the end of this round)
  • Slip stitch into the first single crochet of that round.

That’s it! You’ve just learned to crochet in the round. The pattern that you’re following will give you the specific number of stitches and the type of stitches to use but it will all be similar to this technique.

Happy Crocheting!!

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Beginner’s Guide to Crochet

Hello, lovely people!

It’s another gorgeous, rainy, day and I have finally gotten around to finishing a few crochet projects that I’ve been working on.

I have been crocheting since I was a wee-little 8 year old. My aunt taught me and gave me my first book on learning to crochet. Since then, I haven’t stopped. In fact, I’ve even convinced all (three) of my friends to crochet. Today, I will teach you in three simple steps.

I’m going to assume that you have just bought your first ball of yarn and hook. I’m going to explain the steps as if you have never even heard of crochet before. I will teach you how to get your yarn on the hook, a.k.a. a slip knot, how to do a foundation chain (the first stitches to start a project), and how to slip stitch.

In my next post, I will teach you the most basic stitches. Those stitches will carry you through so many projects and are virtually limitless.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves though. Let’s get down to the basics.

1. The Slip Knot

The slip knot is basically just how you get the yarn onto your hook. There’s various ways that people do a slip knot. When I first began, I would always just tie a knot around my hook and go from there. Now while that can work, you run the risk of a knot that’s too tight.

To do a slip knot, you will wrap the yarn around two fingers making a circle and pull the back of the yarn through the circle with your hook.

2. Chain

A chain, or foundation chain, will be the first step to almost all projects you will make. To do a chain, you will wrap the yarn around your hook and pull it through your slip knot. You will repeat until you reach your desired length.

3. Slip-Stitch

The slip-stitch is a type of stitch that is mainly used for connecting stitches together or going across stitches. You can use it for projects but it doesn’t build height quickly. It is still a stitch that you will use very often in projects and it will get you used to working back and fourth on your chain.

To do a slip-stitch: Complete your chain and turn so that you will be working in the opposite direction. Insert your hook into the first stitch of the chain, wrap your yarn around your hook and pull it through both loops. Think of it just like a chain except first inserting your hook into another stitch.

And BAM, just like that, you have learned the basics of crochet.

Rest assured that at first, your work may look funky. It does take practice to see your stitches look more even. A common mistake that I see beginners do is pulling your chain too tight, This creates a tension that is too tight. It will come to you as you continue to practice.

Please let me know if this was helpful to you. Please tag Home Sweet Simpson in your work on Instagram. I would love to see!

Take care, stay safe! Love you all.