Crochet

Explaination

Crochet is the process of creating textiles by using a crochet hook to interlock loops of yarn, thread, or strands of other materials.[1]

Tools Needed

For a beginner, only two items are required.

1. Crochet Hook

Crochet hooks come in sizes[2], generally separated by .25 to .5 mm. Big box craft stores sell individual sizes or kits with hooks ranging from 2mm to 7mm. Most patterns will tell you what size hook to use or if you are just testing out and learning, the yarn you pick up should have a suggested hook size on the label.

2. Yarn

Yarn comes in many different weights ranging from lace weight to super chunky.[3] When one imagines yarn, the weight that likely comes to mind is 4 - Medium, "worsted weight." For beginners, we suggest using a small package of yarn that is not fluffy and easily visible without magnification. This should help to make the stitches easily visible so that the learner is able to understand and correct any mistakes as they occur.

How to...

Beginner

This section describes processes that build upon the ones that come before it. As the list goes on, we may assume that the reader is familiar with the steps that come before it and will refer to the steps by name but may not necessarily repeat all the steps in each section. We recommend looking back at previous steps when a refresher is needed.

Slip Knot

A slip knot is simply an overhand knot with one end going back through the center of the knot[4]. This is the very first item that most crochet projects start with. The following method is presented to ensure that you have a grasp of the concept before continuing to other methods.

1. Take a few inches of one end of the yarn and fold it back on itself.
2. Pass the tail under the length it was folded back upon.
3. Fold the tail back upon the length of the yarn so that there is a turn on either side of the tail.
4. Pass the tail over both sections of yarn treated by the loops.
5. pass the tail behind the top section of yarn and through the circle that has been created.
6. Pull the tail to tighten the loop into a knot.
7. Place the crochet hook through the remaining loop and pull the section that goes to the skein of yarn to tighten it around the hook.

Holding the Crochet Hook

There are many different ways to hold the crochet hook, however, there are two methods that are most commonly used.

the pencil grip, with the hook going over the crotch of the thumb, resembling a pencil.
the knife grip, with the hook under the palm of the hand, resembling a knife held when held overhand[5].

Feel free to play around and find what is most comfortable.

Holding the Yarn

When holding the yarn, the intention is to wrap your fingers in such a way as to control the tension to keep the stitches uniform. One such method is as follows:

1. bring the yarn up behind your hand and wrap it once around your pinky taking the yarn down the front and up the back ending with the yarn in front of your hand.
2. bring the yarn in front of your ring and middle fingers before passing it to the back of your hand.
3. bring the yarn over your index finger and to the hook.
Note: This is the method that I developed for myself. I can grip the yarn with my pinky to keep it from moving and adjust the tension with my index finger. ~Minion0ne

Yarn Over

Also called "Yarn Over Hook" and abbreviated as "yo" or "yoh", this is the method used to catch the yarn with the crochet hook and is a building block of many stitches. you are essentially just wrapping the yarn once around the hook in preparation to create a new loop.

1. Begin with a loop on the crochet hook.
2. Bring the hook down, away, up, towards, and down.
3. The yarn should now be wrapped around the hook and ready to be pulled through the existing loop.

Chain

Abbreviated as "ch", the chain is the most basic loop or stitch created with crochet[6].

1. Yarn Over (yo) and pull the captured yarn through the existing loop, ensuring that the new loop created slips onto the shaft of the hook.
2. Pull the tensioned yarn slightly to shorten the new loop to match the diameter of the hook.
3. Continue to step 1 until the chain is of the desired length, adjusting where the chain is held as needed for comfort.

When a pattern specifies a certain number of chain stitches, stitches, start with only your slip stitch on your hook. This is stitch zero. the loop that is on your hook is not counted. When examining your chain, you will notice that it seems to be made up of three strands. Moving forward, the chain should be oriented so that 2 strands face up and one strand faces down. The following stitches in this tutorial assume this orientation.

Single Crochet

Abbreviated as "sc", this is the first stitch that will be used to add mass to your project.

1. Slip the hook under the top two of the three strands that make up the last stitch in your chain.
2. Yarn Over (yo) and draw the yarn through. This should result in having two loops on your hook.
3. Yarn Over (yo) and draw through both loops on your hook. This should result in a single loop on your hook.
4. You are now ready to return to step one.

Florilegium

NOTE: Due to the website no longer being maintained, all files in this section are copied from Stephan's Florilegium and hosted by Encyclopedia Newbica. All files are as close to the original upload as possible, having been edited where needed to maintain the integrity of links and images. Please keep in mind that the "home" button at the top of the HTML files points back to Florilegium.org

Tips and Tricks

Do not try to keep your loops tight to the hook you are using, as this makes it difficult to pull the yarn through the loops. Instead, allow a little extra slack in your loops, making it much easier to pull your thread. In turn, this will allow you to gain speed as you go. ~Minion0ne

References

1. Wikipedia Crochet
2. Wikipedia Crochet Hook and Knitting Needle Sizes
3. Wikipedia Yarn
4. Wikipedia