Back at the beginning of high school, I picked up crocheting during a particularly boring spring break, and up until today, it’s still one of my favourite hobbies. What began as a way to keep myself entertained turned into something that I have used to take my mind off school, express my inner creativity, and challenge the artistic side of my brain. Whether I’m making gifts for friends or just keeping my hands busy while watching TV, crocheting has become my go-to way to unwind and stay creative amid the stress of school. From my years of experience, here is a brief guide for anyone interested in this hobby.
Photo by Srozan Nadzmi on Unsplash
What You Can Make
One of my favourite things about crocheting is how versatile it is. I’ve made cozy sweaters and hats for the winter, tiny plushies that live on my bookshelf, keychains for my bags, and even pillows to decorate my room. I’ve been crocheting for years now, but I haven’t even scratched the surface of all the different projects I could make. When I first started, the easiest projects were scarves, wash cloths, headbands, or coasters, since they are all just rectangles/squares, which are the easiest shapes to make. However, as I mastered the simple projects, I moved onto more exciting ones, like hats, bags, and various plushies (pictured are a few of my creations!)
Materials Needed to Get Started
You really don’t need much to begin. When I first started, I bought one crochet hook, a ball of cheap yarn, and a pair of scissors (the basics). Over time, I added a few other tools, like a sewing needle for attaching things together, and plastic eyes for crochet plushies. There are a lot of different types and brands of each of these items, but for beginners, here are my recommendations for affordable and reliable crochet hooks, yarn, craft scissors, yarn needle, and plushie eyes.
As I’ve become fully committed and obsessed with crocheting, I’ve branched out and have had a lot of fun experimenting with different hook sizes and yarn types/weights, but to start, the simple hook, yarn, and scissors will be enough for many projects.
Finding Tutorials and Patterns
When I was learning to crochet, I relied heavily on YouTube tutorials. Channels that focus on beginner-friendly projects helped me understand the basics way better than reading written instructions alone. Once I got more comfortable with the basics, I started exploring crochet blogs and Pinterest for more advanced projects (check out my favourite YouTube channel and two favourite blogs in the quick resources below!).
Crocheting has become my mental escape amid the chaos of university life. It’s something creative that doesn’t require a big time commitment; I can work on a project for ten minutes between classes or for hours on a free weekend. Plus, it feels great to make something with my own hands. For anyone looking for a new hobby, I would highly recommend grabbing a hook, some yarn, and giving crochet a try!
Quick Resources
My favourite YouTube channel for beginners:
- https://www.youtube.com/@bellacococrochet
My favourite crochet blogs with cute patterns:
- https://hayhaycrochet.com/
- https://mahumcrochets.blogspot.com/
