Weaving in ends so they never work loose
Most people weave in ends by threading the tail onto a blunt needle and running it straight through the middle of the fabric for an inch or two, then trimming flush. It seems right because it's what a…
Basics
Basics
newest on topWhat beginners need to know before picking up a hook
The hook you buy first is not the hook you will use at six months. Hook sizing has settled into a reasonably stable standard in the United States, which means the label on a skein and the label on a h…
Fastening off crochet without a loose tail
The two workable finishes are the standard pull-through-and-weave and the invisible join, and for almost every project I would pick the invisible join when the tail sits on a visible edge, and the pla…
The double crochet stitch, step by step
"How do I do a double crochet, and why does mine look like a slanted mess instead of a straight column?" The slant is normal and it is the stitch working as designed. What most people are actually ask…
Changing colors mid-project in crochet
The cleanest way to change colors mid-project is to complete the last stitch of the old color only up to its final "yarn over and pull through," then drop the old strand and pull the new color through…
Working the half double crochet stitch
"How do you half double crochet without it looking like a mess of holes?" The honest answer is that half double crochet isn't a looser single crochet or a tighter double crochet - it has its own mecha…
The magic ring in crochet
The chain-start circle and the magic ring both produce a center you can work into, and the difference is what happens to the hole. A chain start leaves a gap you close by tugging a slip knot after the…
Crocheting a flat circle
The mistake is working the increase in the same stitch you just increased into, or spreading increases randomly around the round because the circle "looks about right." Both produce the same result: a…
Starting a crochet chain
You've got a ball of worsted-weight yarn and a hook, you've watched someone do it, and now the loop on your hook keeps sliding loose before you can pull the next one through. Nearly every crochet proj…
Making a granny square step by step
You've chained four stitches, joined them into a ring, and now you're staring at a loop of yarn that looks less like the start of a blanket and more like a knot with ambitions. The pattern says "work …
Learning the basics of crochet
What has changed is that the internet no longer teaches crochet in the order that actually builds skill. Video tutorials now dominate, and a beginner can watch someone work a stitch at full speed, rew…