8 Beginner Crochet and Knit Helpful Hints

Here are some basic helpful crocheting and knitting hints for beginners and some reminders for those who are more experienced.

Read the Pattern

Before starting your project, read the entire pattern through from beginning to end. Make sure you understand all the terminology used in the pattern. If you don’t understand something, now is the time to figure it out. Do not wait until you are part way through creating your project and could become frustrated.

If the pattern is from a website that allows comments, read the comments. This lets you find out if others have had issues or confusion with the pattern as written. It may explain wording or possible fixes the pattern before you start the project. You do not want to be halfway through a project and find out there was a typo in the pattern back on the second row. Someone could have posted a comment with a correction saving you from having to start your project over from scratch.

Here are links to lists of the most frequently used terms and acronyms for crocheting and knitting

• Knitting terms *TBD
• Crocheting terms *TBD

Gather your Materials

Running out of yarn before completing your project can be a nightmare. Make sure you have as much as required by the pattern. I like to have a little extra just in case, as dye lots and availability could be an issue if you need to find more of that specific yarn. I keep a project bag with all my project yarn, needles, scissors, and the pattern together in one place. This allows for easy access and stowing away between creative sessions.

If you are using a much older yarn and buy new yarn of the same brand and color to go with it for your project, be aware that they will sometimes not quite match in color and/or thickness.

Wind Your Yarn

When working on a large-scale project, I highly recommend winding your skeins into balls, cakes, or on to cones. The center snarl of a skein can slow you down, as well as the end of the skein tangle. There will be some skeins that fully cooperate, but others will be nightmares – so I prepare for the worst and wind them.

To save time from winding yarn manually, you can buy yarn winders at hobby shops and online. They range from basic to “fancy” where you can twist multiple yarns into one. Yarn bowls to keep your ball from rolling also come in handy. You can use whatever you have on hand like an ice cream bucket. You could also buy an actual one online that range from plastic to elaborate hand carved decorative bowls.

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Check your Gauge

This one is a big one. Even the pros sometimes slack on checking their gauge and it comes back to haunt them. When you are making a doll or something where size really doesn’t matter, it’s not that big of a deal. Not checking your gauge on a clothing pattern could mean your beanie hat could be used as a skirt (yes, I did this – but made it into a drawstring bag.).

Your gauge will vary depending on your tension, the size of the needle, and weight of the yarn. Even as you become more seasoned, it’s still a good practice to keep. Make up a quick swatch with the size needles it recommends and the yarn you’ll be using. If you find yourself consistently moving to a smaller or larger needle, then start with what typically matches with that pattern’s suggested needle size. Measure your swatch and if the size matches the gauge listed in the pattern, you’re good to go. If your swatch is smaller, you will need to move up to a larger needle size. If your swatch larger, then move down to a smaller needle size. Make a note of this change on the pattern to save time in the future if you ever remake the same pattern.

Count Your Stitches and Rows

Most patterns have stitch counts at the end of every instruction line. Check these frequently to make sure they match up with your work. I recommend using a row counter, marking rows with stitch markers, and mark starting stitches in rounds with specific colored stitch markers. Make note of where you put them and the color of the stitch marker. Whether this be on the pattern itself or a note inside your project bag.

Complete Rows or Rounds

Unless it’s impossible to do so, always try to complete a row or a round before taking a break and stopping your work. Stopping mid-row/round can lead to losing your place in the pattern and lots of frustration figuring out where you left off or pulling apart work to get to a fixed point to start back up again. Mark your stopping point in your pattern with a paper clip, pen, sticker, tape, post-it, etc. so you know right where you can pick it back up at.

Don’t Be Afraid to Rip it All Apart

If you find a mistake, don’t be afraid to rip it apart and go back a row (or 4) or even start completely over. Once you have more practice you may learn ways to compensate for small mistakes, but many times missing a stitch somewhere or an extra stitch sneaking in can throw the whole pattern off. This could result in your project not turning out as you had planned. Accidental increases or decreases can have a multiplying effect as you continue on, so it’s best to catch them early on before it’s too late.

Always More to Learn

Whether you are a beginner or a pro, you can always continue learning. It could be tips and tricks or new stitches or accessories. Yarn crafts are very versatile and be applied for so many different things – from every day useful to completely decorative or cosmetic.