Crochet ideas for beginners: 6 simple projects to try

A blanket is a common first crochet project, and a slow one: hundreds of rows of the same stitch before you see a finished piece, with any early mistake carried all the way through. The six ideas here are small on purpose. Each adds a single technique to what the previous project taught, starting with flat rows on a cotton dishcloth and ending with a stuffed ball shaped by increases and decreases. Every entry lists the yarn weight, hook size, approximate yardage and complete stitch counts, so you can check your work at the end of each row or round instead of guessing.

Four of these projects share one shopping list: worsted weight (#4 medium) cotton and an H-8 (5 mm) hook, the size recommended for cotton such as Lily Sugar'n Cream. Two or three 120 yd (109 m) balls cover all four. The basket needs super bulky (#6) yarn, and the ball a little worsted acrylic, a smaller hook and fiberfill.

The Craft Yarn Council's yarn weight system pairs worsted with I-9 to K-10 1/2 (5.5 to 6.5 mm) hooks, so every hook here sits at or below the standard range for its yarn. When you compare crochet patterns for beginners, check the skill level too: the council's project levels start at Basic, for projects using basic stitches that may include basic increases and decreases. All six here fit that level. Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Walmart and Amazon stock the yarns and hooks, plus the locking stitch markers and blunt tapestry needle used throughout.

Flat projects worked in rows

Flat projects are worked back and forth: you finish a row, turn the work and crochet back across the stitches you just made. A short turning chain at the start of each row lifts the yarn to the height of the next stitch. These three projects use single crochet and half double crochet, the two shortest common stitches.

1. A single crochet dishcloth

Use worsted cotton, which absorbs water better than acrylic, and the H-8 hook. The cloth takes about 65 to 80 yards (59 to 73 m), less than one ball. Stitches: chain (ch) and single crochet (UK: double crochet), abbreviated sc.

Chain 27. Work 1 sc in the second chain from the hook and in each chain across: 26 sc. Every following row: ch 1, turn, 1 sc in each stitch, still 26 sc. After roughly 28 rows the piece is square, about 8 inches (20 cm) on each side. Cut the yarn, leaving a 6-inch (15 cm) tail, pull it through the last loop and weave in both ends.

The ch 1 does not count as a stitch, so the first sc of each row goes into the very first stitch, at the base of that chain. The last stitch sits tight against the edge and is the one beginners skip: count to 26 at the end of every row.

2. A half double crochet jar sleeve

A sleeve turns a straight-sided glass jar into a pencil cup. Use worsted cotton, the H-8 hook and about 35 yards (32 m). Stitches: ch, half double crochet (UK: half treble crochet), abbreviated hdc, and slip stitch (sl st).

Chain 14, then work 1 hdc in the third chain from the hook and in each chain across: 12 hdc, a strip about 3 3/4 inches (9.5 cm) wide. For each hdc, yarn over, insert the hook, pull up a loop, then yarn over and pull through all three loops on the hook. Every following row: ch 2 (not a stitch), turn, 12 hdc.

The rows run up and down the jar, so you fit the sleeve by adding rows, not stitches. Stop when the strip is about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) shorter than the jar's circumference: that negative ease, a piece slightly smaller than what it covers, makes it grip instead of sliding down. Slip stitch the two short ends together through both layers.

3. A drawstring pouch with eyelets

Use worsted cotton, the H-8 hook and about 60 yards (55 m), cord included. Stitches: ch and sc, plus a whipstitch seam sewn with a tapestry needle. The new skill is the eyelet, a hole made by chaining over a skipped stitch.

Chain 17. Row 1: sc in the second chain from the hook and in each chain across: 16 sc. Rows 2 and 3: ch 1, turn, 16 sc. Row 4 (eyelets): ch 1, turn, sc in the first stitch, (ch 1, skip 1, sc in the next stitch) 7 times, sc in the last stitch: 9 sc and 7 chain-1 spaces, still 16. Row 5: ch 1, turn, sc in each sc and each chain-1 space: 16 sc. Rows 6 to 31: sc. Row 32: repeat the eyelet row. Rows 33 to 35: sc.

The strip measures about 10 inches (25 cm). Fold it so the eyelet rows line up at the top, giving a pouch about 4 1/2 by 5 inches (11 by 13 cm), and whipstitch both sides through both layers. Chain a cord about 22 inches (56 cm) long, weave it through all 14 eyelets and knot the ends. Skip a stitch for every chain in the eyelet row, or the row grows by one stitch per eyelet.

Projects worked in the round

Working in the round means crocheting in circles instead of turning at the end of each row. To keep a circle flat, each round adds a fixed number of stitches: 6 for single crochet and 12 for double crochet are the standard counts. Rounds are either joined with a slip stitch or worked as a continuous spiral.

4. Round double crochet coasters

Use worsted cotton and the H-8 hook: about 15 yards (14 m) per coaster, 60 yards for a set of four. Stitches: ch, sl st and double crochet (UK: treble crochet), abbreviated dc. For each dc, yarn over, insert the hook, pull up a loop, then yarn over and pull through 2 loops, twice.

Chain 4 and slip stitch into the first chain to form a ring. Round 1: ch 3 (counts as the first dc), 11 dc into the ring, sl st into the top of the ch 3: 12 dc. Round 2: ch 3, 1 dc in the same stitch, 2 dc in each stitch around, join: 24 dc. Round 3: ch 3, 2 dc in the next stitch, (1 dc in the next stitch, 2 dc in the next) 11 times, join: 36 dc. Round 4: ch 3, 1 dc in the next stitch, 2 dc in the next, (1 dc in each of the next 2 stitches, 2 dc in the next) 11 times, join: 48 dc. Fasten off. The coaster measures about 4 inches (10 cm) across.

Unlike the turning chains in the flat projects, this ch 3 counts as a stitch. Join each round into its top chain, not into the first real dc beside it: a join one stitch off adds or loses a stitch, and the circle starts to ruffle or cup.

5. A super bulky storage basket

Use about 90 to 110 yards (82 to 101 m) of super bulky acrylic or wool blend and an M/N-13 (9 mm) hook, the smallest size in the council's range for this weight, so the fabric is stiff enough to stand. Stitches: sc in a continuous spiral from a magic ring, plus one round in the back loop only. Add a locking stitch marker.

For the magic ring, lay the tail across your palm and wrap the working yarn once around your index and middle fingers so it crosses the tail in an X. Slide the hook under the tail strand, catch the working yarn, pull up a loop and chain 1; that chain is not a stitch. Round 1: 6 sc into the ring, working under both the loop and the tail, then pull the tail to close the center. Do not join; place the marker in the last stitch and move it up at the end of every round. Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch: 12 sc. Round 3: (1 sc in the next stitch, 2 sc in the next) 6 times: 18 sc. Add one plain sc between increases each round: round 4 has 24 sc, round 5 has 30, round 6 has 36, round 7 has 42 and round 8 has 48. The base measures about 7 inches (18 cm) across.

Round 9 turns the wall: 1 sc in the back loop only of each stitch, the loop farther from you: 48 sc. Worked through both loops, the side would curve up gradually instead of turning a crisp corner. Rounds 10 to 18: 1 sc in each stitch, 48 sc. Slip stitch into the next stitch to smooth the step a spiral leaves, then fasten off. The basket stands about 4 inches tall.

6. A stuffed amigurumi ball

Amigurumi, the Japanese term for small stuffed knitted or crocheted figures, starts with this shape. Use about 20 yards (18 m) of worsted acrylic, polyester fiberfill and a G-6 (4 mm) hook, below the council's worsted range so the stuffing does not show between stitches. Stitches: sc, increase (inc, 2 sc in one stitch) and invisible decrease (dec).

Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring. Round 2: inc in each stitch: 12 sc. Round 3: (1 sc, inc) 6 times: 18. Round 4: (2 sc, inc) 6 times: 24. Round 5: (3 sc, inc) 6 times: 30. Rounds 6 to 10: 1 sc in each stitch: 30. Round 11: (3 sc, dec) 6 times: 24. Round 12: (2 sc, dec) 6 times: 18. Round 13: (1 sc, dec) 6 times: 12. Stuff firmly. Round 14: dec 6 times: 6. Thread the tail on a tapestry needle, run it through the front loop of each of the last 6 stitches and pull tight. The ball measures about 2 inches (5 cm) across.

For the invisible decrease, insert the hook into the front loop only of the next stitch and then of the stitch after it, yarn over and pull through both front loops, then yarn over and pull through the 2 loops on the hook. It leaves a smaller gap than a standard sc2tog (single crochet two together).

Frequently asked questions

Is crochet easier to learn than knitting?

Many beginners find crochet quicker to start because only one loop sits on the hook at a time, so a stitch that slips off is easy to catch again, while a dropped knitting stitch can run down several rows. Crochet also uses more yarn for the same area and makes a thicker fabric.

How long does it take to learn to crochet?

Many people can chain and work single crochet in a first sitting of an hour or two. Even tension and reliable stitch counts usually take a few weeks of regular practice. A dishcloth makes a good benchmark: when one comes out as wide at the top as at the bottom, the basic motion has settled.

Why are my crochet stitches so tight?

Tight stitches usually come from forming loops on the narrow neck of the hook instead of its full-width shaft, or from gripping the working yarn too hard. Slide each new loop up onto the shaft before the next yarn over. For a tight foundation chain, make the chain with a hook one size up, then switch back for row 1.

Can you crochet left-handed?

Yes. Left-handed crocheters can hold the hook in the left hand and work from left to right, which mirrors a right-handed piece. Written patterns read the same; only charts and photo tutorials appear reversed, and a small mirror held beside a photo flips it for you. Stitch counts, yarn and hook sizes stay the same.

Do you need a gauge swatch for beginner projects?

Not for the six projects here, because none has to fit a body. Gauge, the number of stitches and rows in 4 inches, matters for garments and anything with a set finished size. For a dishcloth or basket, a different gauge only changes the size and yardage a little, and the jar sleeve is fitted against the jar.

How do you weave in ends so they stay put?

Leave tails at least 6 inches long. Thread each one onto a blunt tapestry needle and run it through the backs of stitches for about 2 inches, then turn and work back for another inch, which locks it in place. On cotton pieces that go through the wash, such as dishcloths and coasters, change direction twice before trimming.

The six projects cover turning rows, counting stitches, eyelets, joined rounds, spirals, back loop rounds, increases and decreases. The next step is a project that combines several of them without a new stitch. A round-bottomed pouch works well: start with the basket's spiral base in worsted cotton on the H-8 hook, stop increasing at 36 stitches, then work plain single crochet rounds straight up for about 4 inches. Finish with an eyelet round of (sc, ch 1, skip 1) all the way around and a chained drawstring, as on the flat pouch. It is the first project you size yourself, so write your stitch counts down as you go and you can make a matching second one.