Learn to Crochet
By
User:limia @timeAndDate(1296228413)
Before you embark on your crocheting adventure, you're going to need to pick up a few necessary supplies.
Crochet Hooks
Crocheting differs from knitting in that it uses one needle, called a needles. Crochet needles have hooks at the end which are used to draw pieces of yarn through loops. Like knitting needles, they come in multiple sizes. Finding the right size crochet hook can be difficult as sizes often differ based on the material and brand. Typically, steel hooks range from size .75 to 3.5 millimeters (US sizes 14 to 00), while aluminum hooks range from 2.25 to 19 millimeters (US sizes B to S).
You can find hooks made from a number of materials.
There are a quite a few different types of crochet hooks. Regular crochet hooks were designed to be used with a wide variety of yarns, from the finest silk to the roughest rug yarn, and they can be easily found at most arts and crafts or knitting stores. Some crochet projects, however, call for the use of specialized hooks.
Here are a list of the different types of some special crochet hooks.
Yarn
Yarn is a staple of many arts and crafts projects. Depending on what you are making, different types of yarn may be necessary.
Yarn also comes in six weights that should be noted.
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Lace weight yarn is the smallest size of yarn available. As its name implies, it is widely used to make highly detailed and intricate lace patterns.
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Super fine weight yarn is often called sock, fingering, or baby weight. It's used to make projects that require very fine material, such as socks and baby items.
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Fine weight yarn, also called sport or baby weight, is a thin yarn. Like super fine weight yarn, it can be used to create items suitable for infants.
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Light weight yarn or DK (double knitted) and light worsted weight is suitable for making items for babies as well as light sweaters, cardigans, or throws.
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Medium weight yarn is the most common weight you will encounter. Also referred to as worsted weight, Afghan weight, or Aran weight, it can be used to create almost anything: scarves, mittens, blankets, throws, sweaters, hats, etc.
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Bulky weight yarn, also called chunky, craft, or rug weight, is a thick yarn. It works quickly on larger crochet hook sizes and is a good choice if you want to create something thick and warm (like a blanket or afghan).
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Craft Yarn Council has a table detailing different yarn sizes in relation to gauges and crochet hooks.
Patterns
Getting Started
Crochet uses a number of techniques and here are a few to get you started. Practice these techniques and you'll be crocheting in no time.
The following images are from
StitchDiva.com, a knitting and crochet website.
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