Crochet Starter Checklist

1. Gather your supplies

• A medium crochet hook
• A skein of soft yarn
• Scissors
• A yarn needle

2. Your first project

3. Your first month, step by step

• Week 1: Get comfortable holding the hook and yarn, and practice making a slip knot and a long row of chain stitches. Do not worry about it looking perfect, just aim for an even, relaxed rhythm. Use a light-colored worsted yarn and a 5mm (H) hook so the stitches are easy to see.
• Week 2: Learn the single crochet stitch and work back and forth in rows until you have a small square. This is the foundation of almost everything. Count your stitches at the end of each row so the edges stay straight rather than slanting.
• Week 3: Finish your first real project: a simple dishcloth or washcloth in single crochet. Completing something useful is a huge confidence boost, and the repetition cements the stitch in your hands.
• Week 4: Make your first granny square. It introduces working in rounds, double crochet, and changing direction. Stitch a few squares and you are on your way to a blanket, one square at a time.

4. Mistakes to avoid

• Crocheting with tension that is too tight, which makes it hard to get the hook into stitches and leaves your hands aching. Relax your grip and let the yarn flow. Go up a hook size if needed, and remember the hook should glide in easily, not fight you.
• Miscounting stitches, so your work slowly grows or shrinks without you noticing. Count your stitches at the end of every row or round, and place a stitch marker in the last stitch as a checkpoint.
• Accidentally adding stitches at the end of each row, giving your piece slanted, growing edges. Make sure you work into the correct last stitch and never into the turning chain by mistake. Count to confirm the same number every row.
• Skipping the very first or last stitch of a row, which makes the edges pull in and shrink. Identify exactly where the first and last stitch sit before you start, and use markers on both end stitches until it becomes automatic.
• Ignoring gauge, then being surprised when a hat or sweater comes out too big or too small. Make a small gauge swatch first and compare it to the pattern. Change hook size up or down until your stitch count matches.
• Splitting the yarn with the hook so stitches look fuzzy and ragged. Use a hook with a smooth, slightly rounded tip and insert it fully into the stitch rather than catching only a few strands.