Welcome
Welcome to Crochet Coach.
You are seriously about to change your life. Once you start (or skill up!) crocheting, it will stay with you forever. You can make beautiful handmade gifts, be super productive in front of the TV at night and have a practical hobby that produces gorgeous things to give, wear and use. Are you excited? I am!
Crochet is calming, it’s therapeutic, it’s versatile and it’s perfect for people who want a portable and affordable hobby.
Crochet Coach is a place for learning, re-learning and improving your skills. If you’re a beginner, I’ll teach you the things you need to know to get started crocheting. You’ll learn basic stitches, how to make a granny square and how to make two different styles of scarf using your granny square skills.
If you’re more advanced, I’ve got a library of patterns to keep you busy as well as live lessons and skill challenges that will be released every month.
You’ll be churning out designer scarves, slippers, beanies and blankets in no time.
Mentally Preparing Yourself to Learn to Crochet
I’m not going to lie – learning to crochet is a bit of a struggle. You’re not sure what to do with your hands, you can’t get your tension right and you’ve had to re-do the same row four times. It’s perfectly normal and I promise you’ll be out of the beginner phase sooner than you think. Here are a few things to keep in mind to tide you over until then.
1. You will never stop frogging
‘Frogging’ is what yarn artists call the process of undoing their work. It’s called frogging because you ‘rip it, rip it, rip it’ and it sounds like a frog. Are we all dying of adorable? Cuteness aside, no one loves frogging but it’s a very normal part of the crochet process and even the most experienced crocheters frog often. I literally just frogged four rows of a Tunisian crochet shawl I’m working on and I’m a crochet teacher. So get used to that!
2. It won’t ‘click’ right away
Don’t expect to pick up a crochet hook and be crocheting away like a professional. It’s most probably not going to happen that way. Pick a simple project, like the Origami Shoulder Cosy pattern and commit to completing it. The first half will feel really weird but eventually you’ll get the hang of it. It’s just like a riding a bike, soon you won’t even be thinking about it.
3. It’s supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable
Make sure you keep in mind that crocheting is a hobby and it’s supposed to be fun. No one is grading you on your work so if you miss a stitch, don’t sweat it. And if you’re the type of person who can’t stand the thought of a skipped stitch, have a positive attitude and go back and do it again.
Tip: Try very hard not to frog whole projects in front of other people. They can’t help but say things like ‘Oh my goodness! You’re undoing THE WHOLE THING???’ Or ‘How did you not notice that mistake SOONER?’ which is extremely unhelpful, especially if they’re not crocheters.Avoiding Frustration
It’s totally okay to throw your project across the room. It won’t break and sometimes it just makes you feel that little bit better.
Here are a few things you need to consider to keep your frustration under control – especially if you’re crocheting for stress relief!
1. You won’t recognise what stitches look like straight away
When you first start crocheting and following along in lessons and you hear the instructor say something like ‘Can you see how this stitch looks different to this stitch?’ you probably won’t have any idea what they’re talking about. You will learn eventually, I promise. I was crocheting for three years before I could recognise the difference between the ‘right’ side of crochet and the ‘wrong’ side.
2. Counting stitches is difficult when you first start
You’re not sure what counts as a stitch and what doesn’t and sometimes turning chains can look like stitches. My tip is only count actual stitches unless otherwise told to.
3. You probably won’t be able to watch TV or talk to someone when you’re first learning
When you start out, take some time to learn your stitches quietly and without distractions, then once you’re in a rhythm you should be able to do it anywhere.
4. Come to terms with the fact that everything you make will look rubbish for a while
It just will. I’ve got a few beginner projects in here that will easily hide beginner mistakes but honestly, just embrace it. Grab some inexpensive yarn, play around with it and don’t expect everything to look perfect straight away.
Taking Proper Breaks
Crochet is addictive. Seriously addictive. I only started crocheting very seriously about 3 years ago and how I barely leave my house without a crochet hook. It’s so important to take care of your neck, body, hands and brain when you’re learning to crochet.
- Stretch regularly
- Stay hydrated. Crocheting can be very distracting and you can end up forgetting to drink water.
- Get up and move around. Crocheting is extremely sedentary (one of it’s only drawbacks!) so be aware of how much time you’re spending sitting down. I make a rule that I’m only allowed to crochet if I’ve done 10,000 steps or gone to the gym.