Materials & extras
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Handouts, flashcards, and note cards from your instructor — print any of them.
HandoutHandout 1: Supply & Shopping List
Handout 1: Supply & Shopping List
You do not need a lot to start. That's the truth, not a sales pitch. Get the budget column and you're in business. Everything else is stuff you can add later once you know you like this.
The Basics (Budget Tier)
- One aluminum crochet hook, size H (5mm). Learn on a cheap one. There's no reason to spend money on a nice hook before you know how to hold it. A three-pack from the craft aisle is fine.
- Worsted weight cotton yarn, one or two skeins. We're making washcloths first, and a washcloth is a working object, so it needs working yarn. Acrylic doesn't absorb water and it'll melt if it ever gets near a hot pan — I've had that conversation with more than one student who didn't believe me until it happened.
- Scissors. Any scissors. Kitchen ones are fine, nobody's checking.
- A tapestry needle (the big blunt one with the big eye) for weaving in ends. Sometimes sold in the same bag as the hooks.
That's it. That's the whole list. Fifteen dollars, maybe less if you catch cotton yarn on sale.
Nice-to-Have Tier
- An ergonomic hook with the fat rubber-ish handle. Once your hand knows what it's doing, these are genuinely easier on the wrist. I switched a few years ago after fifteen years of holding the hook like a pencil and I'll admit it helped. Your mileage may vary. Don't buy the forty-dollar set until you know you're sticking with this.
- A little zip pouch or bag to keep your project in. Mostly so it doesn't end up loose in your purse collecting crumbs and hair ties. Ask me how I know.
- Stitch markers, the little plastic rings or safety pins. Handy, not required. A bent paperclip does the same job.
- A second color of yarn, once you're past the first washcloth and want variety.
Shopping Notes
Macey's and Walmart both carry cheap worsted cotton in the craft section, usually a brand with "cotton" right in the name, and that's exactly what you want. Don't overthink the label. If it says 100% cotton and it's worsted weight, buy it.
Costco does not reliably carry crochet cotton, so don't make a special trip. If you're headed there anyway for the usual reasons, fine, but don't plan around it.
If you want a bigger selection of colors, there are craft stores over toward Orem and up in the Provo area, but for this class you genuinely don't need more than one or two colors to start. I've made whole afghans out of whatever was on the clearance table. Nobody's grading your color choices.
Estate sales and thrift stores are a great source for hooks and yarn if you're patient. I found a wooden yarn winder at one up past the point of the mountain for three dollars once, and I was so pleased with myself I called my son to brag about it. He did not understand why this was exciting. That's fine. Not everybody needs to.
One Thing I'll Say Plainly
Don't buy a big yarn stash yet. I have a whole room of yarn I call "the situation," and it did not happen on purpose. Get enough for this class, see if you like it, then go from there.
Bring your supplies to Lesson 2. If you show up with nothing, I'll have loaner hooks and a little yarn, so don't let that stop you from coming.
HandoutHandout 2: Cheat Sheet — Stitches, Terms, and Settings
Handout 2: Cheat Sheet — Stitches, Terms, and Settings
Keep this in your bag. Pull it out when you lose your place, which you will. Everybody does.
Basic Stitches (US terms — that's what we use in this class)
Abbreviation Stitch Notes ch chain Your foundation. Not too tight, not too loose. sl st slip stitch Mostly for joining, not for building height. sc single crochet Short, dense. Good for washcloths. hdc half double crochet One step taller than sc. dc double crochet Taller, faster to work up. yo yarn over Wrap the yarn over the hook before you pull through. If you ever see UK terms in an old pattern (a lot of the internet is British), know that their "double crochet" is our single crochet. It's confusing and I don't have a fix for it except to check which country wrote the pattern.
Hook Sizes We're Using
- H (5.0mm) — our class hook, good for worsted weight cotton.
- Cheap aluminum is fine to learn on. The ergonomic handles are genuinely easier on your hands once you've got the motion down, but don't buy a forty-dollar set for your first washcloth.
Yarn
- Cotton for washcloths. Always. Acrylic doesn't absorb water and it melts if it gets near a hot pan on the stove. A washcloth is a working object — use working yarn.
- Worsted weight (labeled #4) is what we're using in class. Easiest to see your stitches in while you're learning.
Reading a Pattern Line
Row 1: Ch 21. Sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across (20 sc). Ch 1, turn.Break it down: - Chain 21 to start. - Skip the chain closest to your hook, single crochet in the next one and every one after. - You should have 20 stitches when you're done. Count them. (You will be off by one or two at first. That's normal, not failure.) - Chain 1, turn your work, start the next row.
Gauge
For a washcloth, don't worry about it. If it comes out bigger than you expected, congratulations, you have a bigger washcloth. Gauge matters more on something fitted, like a hat or a sweater. We'll talk about it again if we ever get there as a class.
When You Mess Up
You will drop a stitch, add a stitch you didn't mean to, or lose count entirely. This is the whole skill, not a sign you're bad at this.
Frog it. That means pull your work back out to before the mistake and redo it. I'd rather you rip out ten rows and fix them than carry a mistake for the rest of the project, looking at it every time, letting it bug you. It will bug you. Just fix it.
Things I Do Differently Than the Books
- I don't do magic rings. Never could get them to behave. I chain 4 and join with a slip stitch for anything worked in the round, and I teach it that way too. If somebody explains magic rings to you better than I can, more power to you.
- I read written patterns, not the little symbol charts. If a pattern only comes as a chart, I go looking for the written version instead. My eyes never got along with those diagrams.
One Rule That Isn't on Any List
Hold the hook however keeps your hand from hurting. Pencil grip, knife grip, doesn't matter. I switched after fifteen years and my wrist thanked me. Your mileage may vary, but don't suffer for tradition.
WorksheetHandout 3: Your Stitch Checklist
Handout 3: Your Stitch Checklist
Print this out. Bring it every week. Check things off as you actually get them, not as we cover them — those are two different things, and dang it, everybody wants to check the box early.
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Before You Start Each Project
- [ ] I have the right hook size for my yarn (check the label)
- [ ] I know which end of the skein to pull from so it doesn't turn into a rat's nest
- [ ] I've made a slip knot without help
- [ ] I can name what's in my hand: hook, working yarn, tail
The Chain (foundation row)
- [ ] I can chain 10 stitches without losing count
- [ ] My chain isn't twisted
- [ ] My tension is even-ish (not white-knuckle tight, not floppy loose)
- [ ] I know how to count my chain when I'm done, so I actually know what I've got
(You will lose count at least once. Everybody does. Just stop, count again, and stop being mad about it.)
Single Crochet
- [ ] I can work a row of single crochet into the chain
- [ ] I know where to put my hook (both loops, top of stitch) without asking
- [ ] I can turn my work and start the next row
- [ ] My rows are staying roughly the same width — not creeping wider or narrower every row
Reading Your Own Work
- [ ] I can find my last stitch in a row without counting from the beginning every time
- [ ] I can spot a skipped stitch
- [ ] I can spot an extra stitch I accidentally added
- [ ] I have ripped out at least one row on purpose because something looked wrong
That last one isn't optional. If you haven't frogged anything yet, you haven't really learned the skill. Ripping back is not a punishment, it's just part of it.
Finishing
- [ ] I can fasten off without the whole thing unraveling
- [ ] I've woven in at least one yarn tail
- [ ] I know what my project's actual finished size is, and I'm fine with it either way
For a washcloth, if it comes out bigger than the picture, that is not a mistake. That's a bigger washcloth. Gauge matters a lot more once you're making something that has to fit a person or a couch. It does not matter here.
Notes to Myself
Use this space for whatever you actually need reminding of. Not what you think you should write down. What you'll forget by Tuesday.
``` Row count where I keep losing track: _______________
Which loop I keep forgetting (front/back): _______________
The stitch that still trips me up: _______________
Yarn/hook combo I liked: _______________ ```
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A word on all this. I had my mother-in-law hand me a steel hook and ugly gold acrylic and tell me to keep my hands busy in Relief Society, and forty-some years later I'm still at it. Nobody checked a box for me. But I also didn't have anybody telling me it was fine to rip out a bad row, so I babied mistakes for years longer than I needed to.
Don't do that. Check the boxes, especially the frogging one, and bring this sheet back next week so we can see where you actually are, not where you hoped you'd be.
HandoutHandout 4: Troubleshooting Guide
Handout 4: Troubleshooting Guide
Something will go wrong. That's not pessimism, that's just crochet. Here's the greatest hits list — find your problem, fix it, keep going.
1. My work is getting wider every row (the trapezoid problem). You're picking up extra stitches at the end of a row, probably by accidentally working into the same stitch twice, or crocheting into the turning chain when you shouldn't. Count your stitches at the end of every row until this stops happening automatically. (My first project was a scarf shaped like a trapezoid. I wore it a whole winter and called it "modern." Don't do what I did — count.)
2. My work is getting narrower every row. Opposite problem — you're skipping the last stitch in the row, or missing your turning chain. Same fix: count. Every row. It feels tedious for about two weeks and then it's automatic.
3. I can't tell where my stitches start and end. Very normal. Turn on a bright light and slow way down. It gets easier once your hands learn the shape of a stitch, which takes actual repetition, not cleverness. Give it a few more rows before you decide you're bad at this.
4. My tension is too tight and my hands hurt. Loosen your grip on the yarn, not just the hook. A lot of beginners white-knuckle the whole thing like it's going to escape. Also try the knife grip on your hook instead of holding it like a pencil, if the pencil grip is what's cramping you. I switched after fifteen years of pencil grip and my wrist thanked me. Felt disloyal to my mother-in-law doing it, but there you go.
5. My tension is too loose and everything looks sloppy. Give the yarn a little more control as it runs through your fingers — wrap it, don't just drape it. And relax about "sloppy." A washcloth doesn't have a gauge requirement. If it comes out a little loose and floppy, congratulations, it's a floppy washcloth. Still works.
6. I lost my place and don't know what row I'm on. Use a stitch marker (a bobby pin works fine) at the start of each row until you trust yourself. When in doubt, count your rows against the pattern rather than guessing.
7. I made a mistake six rows back and it's driving me crazy. Frog it. Pull it out back to the mistake and redo it. I once ripped out an entire afghan because of one bad row way down and Ronald thought I'd lost my mind. I hadn't. Babying a mistake for the rest of the project bugs you a lot longer than fixing it does.
8. I can't find the last stitch of the row (the dropped-stitch-at-the-end problem). Check your turning chain — a lot of patterns count it as the first stitch, some don't, and beginners lose stitches here constantly. Whatever the pattern says, do the same thing every single row so you're consistent, even if you're consistent-wrong at first. Consistency you can fix. Random you can't.
9. My yarn keeps splitting. Cheap acrylic splits less than you'd think, actually — it's more often your hook catching a strand instead of going clean through the loop. Slow down and watch the hook tip going in. Splitting gets much better once your hands know what they're doing.
10. I dropped a stitch and didn't notice for a while. Everybody does this. It's not a sign you shouldn't be crocheting, it's a sign you're crocheting. Go back, find it, frog to it if you have to, and move on. Don't spiral about it.
If none of this covers your specific dang mess, bring it to class. I'd rather look at it in person than have you guess for a week.
FlashcardsPrintable flashcards — Beginner Crochet
Print it, fold it, stick it on the fridge.
Beginner Crochet — Flashcard Set
Cutting instructions, from Marilyn: Cut along the lines, punch a hole in the corner if you want, and put them on a book ring. Keep them in your project bag, not in a drawer somewhere being organized. Flashcards you can't find are just paper. Quiz yourself while you're waiting for something else — that's the whole method of this class anyway.
FRONT BACK What do you actually need to buy for your first project? A hook (H or I size), a skein of light-colored worsted cotton or acrylic, and scissors. That's it. Skip the kit with fourteen hooks and a case — you don't know your size preference yet. Two ways to hold the hook — which one is right? Neither. "Pencil grip" and "knife grip" both work. Try both for ten minutes each and use whichever one doesn't make your hand cramp. What is a slip knot, and what's it for? The loop that goes on your hook first. It's not a stitch — it's just the starting knot. Tighten it enough to hold, loose enough to slide. How do you count a chain without losing track? Count the V-shapes, not the loop on your hook. That loop isn't finished yet — it doesn't count. Where does the hook actually go into a stitch? Under both loops at the top of the stitch, unless the pattern tells you otherwise. If you can see two little "legs" at the top, go under both. What does "turn" mean at the end of a row? Flip your work over (or spin it, doesn't matter which way, just be consistent) so you can work back across. Do it every row unless told otherwise. Why did my first scarf come out a trapezoid? You picked up or dropped a stitch at the edge without noticing. Count your stitches at the end of every row until this stops happening to you. What's a practice square, and why bother? A small square, no pattern, just single crochet rows back and forth until it looks like a square and not a parallelogram. It's not for keeping. It's for learning. What does "ch" mean? Chain. What does "sc" mean? Single crochet. What does "sl st" mean? Slip stitch — used to join or move across without adding height. What does "st(s)" mean? Stitch(es). What does "rep" mean? Repeat — usually followed by what to repeat and how many times. How do you read a pattern row without getting lost? Read the whole row silently first, then do it out loud to yourself as you work it. Don't try to hold six instructions in your head at once — you'll drop one. What is gauge, and do I need to worry about it? Gauge is how many stitches per inch you make. For a washcloth, no, don't worry about it. For a garment that has to fit a human body, yes, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. Why do you use written patterns instead of symbol charts? Because I learned on written patterns and I'm not relearning a new language at my age. Charts are fine if you like them. I don't, so I don't teach them. Why cotton, always, for a washcloth? It holds up to hot water and scrubbing. Acrylic melts a little and gets slick. Cotton is the only sensible choice and I won't pretend there's a debate. How do I "cast on" and set the width of my project? Crochet doesn't cast on like knitting — you chain the number of stitches you want, plus turning chain if the pattern calls for it. That starting chain sets your width for the whole piece, so count it twice. How do I work the body of a piece without losing count? Count stitches at the end of every single row, out loud if you have to. Don't wait until the end to check — you can't fix a mistake ten rows back without ripping out ten rows. How do you fasten off and finish an end? Cut the yarn with about six inches left, pull it through the last loop, then weave that tail through several stitches with a yarn needle so it won't work loose in the wash. How do you spot a mistake before it's six inches down? Count your stitches at the end of every row. Every row. Not every few rows — every row. That's the whole trick. What is "frogging," and why do it? Ripping out your work — "rip it, rip it" — frog it. Do it the moment you spot a mistake instead of finishing the piece and hating it forever. A ripped-out row costs you ten minutes. A finished project you're ashamed of costs you the whole thing. How do you pick your stitches back up after ripping out? Pull back to one row below your mistake, find the loops across the top, and put your hook through them left to right (or however your pattern's been running) before you start again. When do you fix a mistake, and when do you let it go? Fix it if it's in the first few rows, if it throws off your stitch count, or if it's going to bother you every time you look at it. Let it go if it's small, it's not affecting the shape, and nobody's going to notice but you. Most people can't afford to be that picky and still finish anything. Why do you chain 4 and join instead of using a magic ring? Magic rings and I don't get along — my hands don't like pulling that center loop tight, and half the time it comes loose anyway. Chain 4, slip stitch to join, and move on with your life. How does a granny square work, round by round? Round 1 goes into the center ring. Each round after that works into the chain-spaces (not the stitches) of the round before. They're fussy about where the hook goes — that's just the nature of the thing. How do you change colors without a mess? Work the last stitch of the old color until two loops are left on the hook, then finish that stitch with the new color. The join happens inside the stitch, not in a knot on the outside. How do you join granny squares for a blanket? Line them up the same direction (check your corners), then either single crochet or whip-stitch through matching stitches on both squares. Plan your layout before you start joining — unpicking a full blanket seam is not an evening's work. ---
I still check my stitch count at the end of every single row, and I've been doing this forty years. It's not a beginner habit you graduate out of — it's just the habit. The women who skip it are the ones who show me a trapezoid and ask what happened.
Memory helpsMnemonics & memory helps
Print it, fold it, stick it on the fridge.
Mnemonics & Memory Helps
Beginner Crochet — Marilyn Bolander
I am not a poet. Some of these are corny enough that I apologize in advance, but they're the ones that stuck in my own head for forty years, so they're the ones you're getting. If you invent a better one, tell me. I'll steal it and give you credit maybe.
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1. "Hook, Hook, and a Blanket to Hide the Mistakes"
Unpacks: What you actually need to buy, and what you don't.
You need a hook, some worsted-weight cotton or acrylic, and scissors. That's it. You do not need the yarn bra kit, the stitch markers shaped like little strawberries, or the ergonomic hook with the gel handle, though if somebody gives you one, use it and enjoy it.
The "blanket to hide the mistakes" part is a joke about how eventually you'll have a UFO pile — unfinished objects — that you cover with an afghan when company comes. Get used to the idea now. It saves grief later.
I still buy too much yarn. The mnemonic does not cure the disease, it just names it.
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2. "Pencil or Knife — Pick Your Fight"
Unpacks: The two ways to hold the hook.
Pencil grip: hold it like you're about to write your name. Knife grip: hold it like you're about to butter toast, fist over the top.
Try both for five minutes each. Whichever one makes your hand cramp less, that's yours. There is no correct one, no matter what your cousin on the internet says. I hold mine like a knife. My mother-in-law held hers like a pencil. We both made blankets.
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3. "Loop, Pull, Snug — Not Tight"
Unpacks: The slip knot and your first chain.
Loop the yarn, pull the tail through, snug it up to the hook — not tight, snug. A slip knot cranked down like a noose means your first ten chains will fight you the whole way. The knot should slide on the hook, not choke it.
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4. "Chain Like You're Counting Sheep, Out Loud, Every Time"
Unpacks: Counting chains without losing your mind.
Say the number out loud as you make each chain. Not in your head — out loud, or at least mouthing it. The second you start thinking about what's for dinner, you lose count, and you will not notice until row three when things don't line up. Counting out loud feels silly in a room full of people. Do it anyway. I still do it under my breath and nobody's said anything to my face.
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5. "Under the Chin, Not Down the Throat"
Unpacks: Where the hook actually goes.
For a basic stitch, you're going into the "V" of the chain or stitch — the two loops sitting on top, like a little chin. New crocheters shove the hook straight down into the guts of the stitch instead, which is why their edges get thick and lumpy and their stitch count creeps up. Look for the V. Go under the chin.
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6. "Turn Your Back on the Row You Just Finished"
Unpacks: Turning at the end of a row.
When you get to the end, you chain up (however many your pattern says — usually 1 for single crochet, 3 for double) and then you physically turn the work over, like you're turning your back on the row you just did. New crocheters sometimes just start working back across without turning, and the fabric spirals instead of stacking. If your rectangle is turning into a Pringle, you skipped the turn.
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7. "Count Before You Turn, Every Single Row, I Mean It"
Unpacks: Keeping your edges straight — or, why my first scarf was a trapezoid.
At the end of every row, before you turn, count your stitches. Every row. Yes, every row, even row 40. My first scarf gained a stitch every four or five rows without my noticing, and by the end it was wide enough at one edge to use as a bath mat. A trapezoid, not a scarf. Nobody caught it because nobody counted, including me.
If the number's off, find the mistake now, not six inches from now.
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8. "Slip Stitch Says Goodbye, Doesn't Stay for Dinner"
Unpacks: Fastening off and weaving in ends.
The last stitch — the slip stitch that closes things up — just says goodbye and leaves. It doesn't build height like the other stitches, it just closes the loop. New crocheters try to treat it like a regular stitch and wonder why their edge puckers. It's a goodbye, not a guest.
For the tail: weave it in, don't just trim it and hope. Hope is not a finishing technique.
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9. "One Loop Left Means You're Home"
Unpacks: Reading a row and doing what it says, plus general stitch mechanics.
Almost every basic stitch ends the same way: you work your yarn-overs and pull-throughs until there's exactly one loop left on the hook. That one loop is "home" — that's the stitch, finished. If you've got two or three loops sitting there and you don't know why, you stopped too early. Go back and finish the stitch before you panic.
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10. "Gauge Swatch: Do As I Say"
Unpacks: Gauge, and why I'm not going to lie to you about it.
I am supposed to tell you to make a gauge swatch before every project to check your stitches-per-inch match the pattern. I don't, most of the time, for a washcloth — it doesn't matter if it comes out slightly bigger or smaller, it still washes a dish. For anything with actual sizing, a sweater, a garment, something with sleeves, you make the swatch. Don't be like me. I've frogged whole sweater backs because I skipped this step out of laziness, not confidence.
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Bonus, Because You'll Need These Too
"F for Frog, Rip It and Start Fresh" — When a mistake's more than a couple rows back, you frog it (pull the hook out and yank the yarn — "rip it, rip it," like a frog croaking, that's the joke, I didn't invent it but I use it constantly). Don't try to fix a mistake by fudging the next four rows around it. It never actually disappears, it just moves.
"Fix the Foundation, Forgive the Middle" — When to fix a mistake and when to let it go: if it's in your first few rows or along a visible edge, fix it. If it's one stitch, buried in the middle of a busy pattern, and you're the only one who'll ever find it — let it go. Nobody grades a washcloth.
"Ring Around, Then Ring's Gone" — For the granny square center: chain 4, join with a slip stitch to form a ring, work your first round into that ring, done. I skip the magic ring entirely. Some people love it. I have never once gotten it to stay closed, and life's too short to fight your own hook.
I promised somebody a genuinely useful memory trick for every hard part, and I think I delivered eight or nine. If "chin, not throat" is the one that finally makes it click for you, my work here is done.
Cheat sheetOne-page note card — Beginner Crochet
Print it, fold it, stick it on the fridge.
Beginner Crochet — Fridge Card
Tape this by your chair. You won't need the binder after week three.
What to Buy (and Skip) - Hook: one H/8 (5.0mm), aluminum, not the fancy ergonomic kind yet - Yarn: worsted weight cotton, light color so you can see your stitches - Also: scissors, a yarn needle. That's the whole list. - Skip the hook set, the stitch markers, the blocking mats. You'll know if you want them later.
Holding the Hook — Pick One - Pencil grip: hold it like you're writing. Good control. - Knife grip: hold it like a butter knife, overhand. More speed once you're comfortable. - Try both on your practice square. Whichever one your hand stops fighting by row three, that's yours now.
Slip Knot & First Chain Slip knot goes on the hook — that's not a stitch, it's just your starting loop. Yarn over, pull through. That's one chain. Keep going, don't yank tight, don't leave it loose enough to see the moon through it.
Counting Chains Count from the hook back, and the slip knot never counts. Lay the chain flat on your knee to count it — don't count while it's dangling, you'll lose your place and start over out of spite. (I still lay mine flat. Every time.)
Where the Hook Goes Under both loops at the top of the stitch, unless your pattern says "back loop only" or "front loop only." If it doesn't say, it means both.
Turning Chain 1 (single crochet) or chain 2 (half double) or chain 3 (double) at the end of a row, then turn your work like a page in a book. That turning chain usually counts as your first stitch going forward — check your pattern, they're not all consistent about this and neither am I.
Straight Edges Count your stitches at the end of every single row for the first two weeks. This is not optional. My first scarf was a trapezoid because I skipped this exact step for a whole ball of yarn.
The Abbreviations, Plain English
Abbrev Means ch chain sc single crochet hdc half double crochet dc double crochet sl st slip stitch (joining, mostly) st(s) stitch(es) rep repeat sk skip Reading a Row "Sc in each st across" means one single crochet, in each stitch, all the way across. It is not fancier than it sounds. Read the whole line before you start it, not stitch by stitch — you'll see the shape of what you're doing.
Gauge I'm not going to pretend gauge matters for a washcloth. It doesn't. For a blanket, it matters some. For anything with sleeves, it matters a lot, and we are not doing anything with sleeves for a good long while.
Written Patterns vs. Charts I read written instructions and skip the symbol charts entirely. If you're a visual person the charts might click for you — but learn written patterns first, because that's what you'll find most places.
Why Cotton for a Washcloth It holds up to scrubbing and hot water. Acrylic goes strange and pills. Cotton is also honest about your stitches — it shows every mistake, which is annoying and also exactly how you learn.
Practice Square, Start to Finish Chain 21. Single crochet across (20 stitches). Chain 1, turn, repeat until it's square. Fasten off. That's the whole class in one object.
Casting On & Width Your starting chain sets your width for the whole project. Count it twice before row one. Fixing width on row one is easy. Fixing it on row twelve is a whole afternoon.
Working Without Losing Count Count your stitches at the start of a row, the middle, and the end — three checkpoints, not one. If the number's wrong, stop there. Don't finish the row hoping it fixes itself. It won't.
Fastening Off & Weaving In Cut the yarn, pull the tail all the way through the last loop, snug it down. Then weave the tail through several stitches on the back side, going a couple directions, not just a straight line. A straight line pulls out.
Spotting a Mistake Early Count your stitches at the end of every row (see above — I mean it). If your square's growing a wing, stop right there. Don't wait until it's six inches down to deal with it. It doesn't get better on its own.
Frogging (Ripping It Out) "Rip it, rip it" — that's why they call it frogging. Pull the working yarn and it comes out fast. Do this the moment you spot trouble. It feels like defeat. It is actually the whole skill.
Picking Stitches Back Up Rip back to a full row, put your hook into the last real stitch, and count the loops across before you do one more thing. If the count's right, carry on. If it's not, rip back further.
When to Fix It, When to Let It Go One wonky stitch six rows down on a washcloth — let it go, nobody's grading you. A miscount that's changing your width — fix it, always. Ask: will this bother me in a year? If no, keep going.
Starting a Round (Chain 4 and Join) Chain 4, join with a slip stitch to the first chain to form a ring. I don't get along with magic rings — they're fussy and mine come loose. Chain-4-and-join is not as tidy but it holds, and holding is the whole point.
Granny Squares, Round by Round Each round is clusters of 3 double crochet, chain 1, in the spaces — corners get an extra chain-2. Join each round with a slip stitch, chain up, turn or don't (your pattern will say). They are fussy. Everyone's first one is a little lopsided. Keep it anyway.
Changing Colors Finish your last stitch of the old color on the final yarn-over — pull the new color through instead. Do the color change on the last pull, not before. Much less mess, no knot showing on the front.
Joining Squares Lay them all out on the floor first before you sew a single one together. Whip stitch or slip stitch through matching loops, one seam at a time. Planning the layout first saves you from finding out square fourteen doesn't match anything at the end.
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None of this is hard. It's just fussy, and fussy takes patience, not talent. I still check my stitch count at the end of every row, forty years in. That's not me being careful — that's just what actually works.
From your classmates
Recipes, cheat sheets, and notes that class members typed up and shared.
Cheat sheetcrochet-cheat-sheet-mineshared by Carly Johnson
CROCHET SHORTHAND (so I sotp texting Gracie every five minutes asking what things mean)
BASIC STUFF
ch = chain. the foundation row. if this is uneven your whole project is uneven, ask me how I know
sl st = slip stitch. barely a stitch at all, mostly for joining or movnig arcoss without adding height. I kept doing this too tight at first
sc = single crochet. short and dense. this is the one I actually like doing, feels productive
hdc = half double crochet. in between sc and dc. I don't reach for this much yet
dc = double crochet. taller, goes faster, looser fabric. good for blankets when you don't want to be there all night
inc = increase. two stitches in the same spot. makes things wider (this is how you turn a flat circle into a bowl shape, took me two tries to get that)
dec = decrease. combine two stitches into one. makes things narrower. I definitely decreased when I meant to increase on the coaster project and ended up with a Pringle shape instead of a circle
st(s) = stitch(es), just the general word
rep = repeat, as in "rep from * "
MY OWN MISTAKES, WRITTEN DOWN SO I REMEMBER
- I coutn my starting chain wrnog basically every time. recount twice before starting row 1, not after
- I lose track of which lopo I'm supposed to go into (front vs back vs both), both loops unless the pattern specifically says otherwise, Carly
- turning chain is NOT a stitch, stop counting it as one
- tension too tight when I'm half paying attention during Grace's swim lessons, too loose when I'm actually relaxed and watching my hands. for sure for sure need to just watch my hands
Notes to self: the granny square is basically ch, dc clusters, ch, repeat. once that clicked everything else calmed down.
Recipecrochet-washcloth-pattern-cardshared by Kellie Peterson
my basic washcloth pattern (from beginner crochet class)
this is the pattern we learned in class, writing it down here the way i actually did it at home so i don't lose it. sharing in case anyone in community-ed wants to try it too. it's forgiving, bless, so don't stress if it looks a little wonky the first time. mine did.
what you need worsted weight cotton yarn (i like the stuff from michaels but hobby lobby has good colors when it's on sale, wait for the 40% off coupon) size h/8 hook scissors yarn needle for weaving in ends
pattern
row 1: chain 30. (this makes your washcloth about the right size, not too small. i tried 25 once and it came out more like a coaster lol)
row 2: single crochet in 2nd chain from hook, and in each chain across. turn. (you should have 29 stitches. count them. i didn't count the first time and ended up with 27 and could not figure out why)
row 3 through however many: chain 1, turn, single crochet in each stitch across.
keep going until it's square-ish. fold the corner over to check - if the folded edge lines up with the side edge you're done. this took me forever to understand until rebecca showed me in person, some things you just need someone to show you
last row: finish your last single crochet, then chain 1 and pull the yarn through to fasten off. cut yarn leaving a tail.
weave in ends with the yarn needle, both the beginning tail and the end tail.
margin notes: - tension matters more than anything else, mine was too tight for the first two weeks of class - cotton yarn only, it holds up in the wash. learned that the hard way with some acrylic i had leftover - teacher said single crochet washcloths are the "gateway" project and then you move on to a dishcloth with a shell pattern. not their yet - made three of these so far, one for us, one for sierra, one just because it was relaxing to do while watching tv
anyway. simple pattern, good for beginners, good for anyone who wants something to do with their hands in the evening. ❤️ ❤️
Zoom dial-in transcripts
We run an optional Zoom Q&A between classes — join by computer or dial in by phone. Transcripts are auto-generated, so forgive the mess.
Zoom transcriptZoom dial-in Q&A — week 2 (transcript)
Auto-transcript from the weekly Zoom dial-in, lightly cleaned up. Mistakes, tangents, and all.
MARILYN: —can everybody see my hands okay or is it just the top of my head again
CARLY: it's the top of your head
MARILYN: oh for heaven's sake. Okay hold on.
[7:01 PM]
MARILYN: how's that
TONI: better, we got hook now
MARILYN: good enough. Okay so welcome, this is week two dial-in, I know not everybody comes to these, that's fine, this is just for questions on the— we did single crochet last week, we're supposed to be moving into the, the front loop back loop business and starting to think about tension. So who's got something, don't be shy, I taught junior high kids for a while in the office and none of them were shy so.
KELLIE: I have a question but can everyone hear me okay, I feel like my mic
MARILYN: you're fine Kellie go ahead
KELLIE: okay so the front loop back loop thing, I watched it like four times on the recording and I still don't— which one's the front
MARILYN: okay so. The loop that's closest to you, like closest to your face when you're holding it normal, that's your front loop. The other one, the one kind of laying back away from you, that's back. And it matters because if you go under both, which is what most people do without thinking, you get the regular fabric we did last week. If you only go under the front one, you leave that back bar showing and it makes a ridge. Back loop only makes a different ridge. They stack up into these little horizontal lines.
KELLIE: okay so for the washcloth do we
MARILYN: for the washcloth this week we're doing both loops still, I'm not making you do front-loop-only yet, that's more of a— that's a texture thing for later. This week's still just about keeping your tension even. Don't get ahead of yourselves.
CARLY: Marilyn my tension is so bad, like every row gets tighter and tighter and by the end it's like a hockey puck
MARILYN: [laughs] okay that's actually really common, that's not just you. What's happening is you're probably pulling your yarn tight after every stitch instead of during. Let it be a little loose. You want to be able to slide your hook back into the stitch below without fighting it. If you have to yank, it's too tight.
CARLY: okay
MARILYN: also how are you holding the yarn, are you wrapping it around your finger a bunch of times
CARLY: like twice around my pinky
MARILYN: try once, or even just draping it over. You'll get more even tension with less wrapped around because your finger's not doing a death grip.
[7:06 PM]
APRIL: sorry — can I ask, sorry I'm coming in late, what did I miss, sorry my kid had a thing
MARILYN: no you're fine April, we're on front loop back loop, tension, that kind of thing, nothing you can't catch on the recording
APRIL: okay thank you sorry
MARILYN: it's fine, it's fine, this isn't school, nobody's getting a tardy slip. Well I mean I used to write those but not for this.
TONI: [laughs]
TONI: Marilyn can I ask something dumb
MARILYN: there's no dumb ones, go
TONI: when you count your stitches at the end of a row I keep getting one less than I started with, every single row
MARILYN: okay that's the classic one, that's almost always the very first stitch or the very last one. A lot of people forget to count the turning chain as a stitch, or they skip the first real stitch because it looks like it's already used up by the chain. Are you doing a chain-one to turn?
TONI: yeah
MARILYN: okay so with single crochet your chain-one at the start doesn't count as a stitch, that's different from double crochet where the chain-three does count, so don't put a stitch in that first chain space, but you do need to put your first single crochet into the very first actual stitch, not skip it. That skip is where people lose one.
TONI: oh my gosh that's exactly what I'm doing
MARILYN: yeah there you go. Count as you go, don't wait till the end of the row, count every few stitches so you catch it early.
CARLY: is that a dog
[a dog barks, somewhere]
MARILYN: that's not mine, is that somebody's
COLETTE: sorry that's Gus, hold on— GUS. sorry. he does not respect Wednesdays
MARILYN: he's fine, dogs don't know it's craft night
COLETTE: [crosstalk] no he doesn't— sorry go ahead
MARILYN: no go ahead Colette did you have a question
COLETTE: yeah um, so I'm doing okay with the stitches themselves I think but my edges, like the sides of my washcloth, they're not straight, they kind of go in and out like a wave
MARILYN: oh yeah, that's a really common one, that usually means you're either adding a stitch or dropping one at the ends without meaning to. It happens a lot at the very last stitch of the row because it can be hard to see, it kind of hides. Or the opposite, people accidentally crochet into the same stitch twice at the beginning of the row because they can't tell where the turning chain ends and the real stitch starts.
COLETTE: yeah probably that
MARILYN: what you can do is literally count your stitches across every row for a while, like an obnoxious amount, until your eye gets trained. I still count sometimes and I've been doing this since— gosh, since before some of you were born probably, no offense
COLETTE: none taken
[7:12 PM]
KELLIE: sorry can I circle back, when you said the ridge from front-loop-only, is that like the rib pattern I see on scarves
MARILYN: sort of, yeah, that ridge stitch is part of how you get that ribbed look, exactly. We're not doing it this week but next week or the week after once your tension's more consistent we'll play with it. It's actually a nice one to trick people into thinking you did something fancy when really it's the same stitch just going in a different spot.
KELLIE: okay good, I wanna do the ribbed thing eventually
MARILYN: you will, don't rush it though, tension first.
MARILYN: okay is everybody's weather as gross as mine, it was so humid today, American Fork does not usually do this to me
CARLY: it's so gross, my kids were inside all day
TONI: we had the AC on already and it's not even July
MARILYN: [laughs] well anyway, back to it before we go too far down that road
[phone dial-in]: [inaudible] —can't really—
MARILYN: is somebody on the phone line, I'm getting some crackling
PHONE VOICE: sorry, this is April's mother, I'm calling in on the— [inaudible] —can you hear
MARILYN: oh, hi, um, I can hear you a little, you're pretty broken up, is that a landline
PHONE VOICE: [inaudible] —trying to see the stitches but
MARILYN: I don't know that we can really do visual stuff over just the phone line, but stick with us for the talking part at least, and April can maybe show you her washcloth after
APRIL: yeah I'll help you Mom after, hang on
MARILYN: okay. Where were we, tension, edges. Anybody else got something before I let you all go make dinner
CARLY: my daughter has a recital this weekend so I'm probably not gonna get much practicing in before Wednesday, is that bad
MARILYN: no it's fine, we're not in a race, bring whatever you've got, half a washcloth, three rows, it doesn't matter
CARLY: okay good
TONI: is there homework for next week or just practice the loops
MARILYN: just practice, try to get one full washcloth done with even tension if you can, that's really the goal, everything after this builds on that
MARILYN: okay I'm getting the signal from my kitchen that dinner— alright, see everybody
Zoom transcriptZoom dial-in Q&A — week 5 (transcript)
Auto-transcript from the weekly Zoom dial-in, lightly cleaned up. Mistakes, tangents, and all.
MARILYN: —no, I can see you fine now, it's just the sound was doing that thing.
CARLY: Can everyone hear me okay? I had to switch to my phone, my internet's been garbage since the storm.
MARILYN: We hear you, Carly.
TONI: You're a little echoey but it's fine.
MARILYN: Okay well while we're all landing here, let me just — I'm gonna keep crocheting during this if that's all right, I've got the situation to get through, but I'm listening, so.
APRIL: What are you working on right now?
MARILYN: Oh, just a granny square, nothing, it's mindless, don't worry about me. Okay who's got questions from Wednesday. We did the shell stitch and I know for some of you that was the first time you did anything with more than one stitch type in a row so.
KELLIE: [7:01 PM] That's — yeah, that's me. I got home and I tried to redo it and it just does not look like yours.
MARILYN: Okay, what's it doing.
KELLIE: It's kind of... it's not laying flat? It's cupping a little.
MARILYN: That's a gauge thing, or it's a count thing, one of the two. Are you doing five double crochets into the same stitch for each shell?
KELLIE: I think so, let me — hold on, I have it right here, my cat is sitting on it actually, sorry.
MARILYN: Take your time.
KELLIE: Okay. Yeah, five. But then I skip two before the next one, is that right?
MARILYN: Depends which shell pattern we did, but for the one Wednesday, yes, skip two, single crochet in the third, skip two again, next shell. If you're not skipping enough it bunches up and cups on you, that's exactly what that is.
KELLIE: Okay so I'm probably skipping one instead of two.
MARILYN: Probably. Count it out loud next time, I know it feels silly but I still do it forty years in.
CARLY: [inaudible] —sorry, my audio's cutting, can you say the skip count again?
MARILYN: Skip two, single crochet, skip two.
CARLY: Skip two, got it.
TONI: I have a dumb question.
MARILYN: There's no dumb questions, there's only people who didn't bring a hook to class, which, we've had that too.
TONI: [laughs] Okay so the shell stitch, when you get to the end of the row and you turn — the thing you do with the, when the edge curls up on me, is that the same issue?
MARILYN: Not the same issue, no. That's a turning chain problem usually. How many chains are you doing to turn?
TONI: Um. Three?
MARILYN: For shell stitch you actually want more like three, so that's — three's right for a double crochet row generally, but if the edge is curling that's usually tension. Are you pulling tight on that last stitch of the row?
TONI: Maybe. I don't know, I'll have to look at my hands doing it, I don't watch my hands.
MARILYN: Well start watching your hands. [laughs] I'm serious. Half of this is just watching what your fingers are doing instead of staring at the yarn like it's gonna do something on its own.
[crosstalk]
APRIL: Sorry, go ahead Colette.
COLETTE: Oh, I was just gonna say hi, I'm here, sorry I'm late, I was dealing with my son's baseball thing, what'd I miss?
MARILYN: We're on shells. Skip two, single crochet in between, watch your tension so the edge doesn't curl.
COLETTE: Okay. Got it. Thank you.
MARILYN: How was the baseball thing.
COLETTE: They lost but there was a good hot dog stand so.
MARILYN: Priorities.
APRIL: Marilyn, can I ask about the yarn itself, not the stitch. I bought that variegated stuff for my shell practice and it's doing this weird pooling thing where the colors clump up in blotches instead of striping.
MARILYN: Yeah, shells are actually bad with variegated yarn for exactly that reason, the stitch width changes how the color repeats hit and you get pooling. I probably should've said that Wednesday, that's on me.
APRIL: Oh, okay, so it's not something I'm doing wrong.
MARILYN: No, it's the yarn fighting the stitch. If you want stripes to behave, do a plainer stitch, single crochet, something even. Save the variegated for your washcloths later.
APRIL: Okay good, I thought I broke it.
MARILYN: You didn't break it. You can't really break yarn, you can only break your own patience with it. [dog barking] Somebody's dog agrees with me.
KELLIE: That's Winston, sorry, he hears the word "break" and thinks it's time for a walk, hold on.
MARILYN: Go take care of Winston, we'll wait.
[pause]
TONI: While we're waiting can I ask, is it supposed to rain again this weekend? I heard something about another storm coming through.
CARLY: I heard Saturday, not Sunday.
APRIL: My weather app says Sunday.
MARILYN: I don't know, I'll find out. [laughs] I'm not your weatherman, I'm your crochet lady.
TONI: Fair.
KELLIE: Okay I'm back, Winston's out back, sorry about that.
MARILYN: No worries. Okay so before we lose everybody, let's talk about next week because week six is our last one and I want you all coming with your shell practice actually finished, even if it's ugly, because we're gonna build the washcloth border off of it.
CARLY: Wait, you're muted I think — no, there you go, we can hear you now.
MARILYN: Sorry, I bumped something. I said — bring your shell swatch even if it's ugly, because next week's border technique builds right on top of it.
COLETTE: What if mine is, like, really ugly. Like structurally concerning.
MARILYN: Bring it anyway. I've fixed worse in a parking lot before class started, this is nothing.
COLETTE: [laughs] Okay, good to know.
KELLIE: Should we bring a different hook size or the same one?
MARILYN: Same one, same yarn weight if you can, I don't want six different projects going six different directions on me the last week.
APRIL: Makes sense.
MARILYN: Any other Wednesday stuff before I let you go, I know it's dinnertime for some of you.
TONI: I think I'm good, I just need to practice the counting out loud thing.
MARILYN: Do it, it feels dumb for about three days and then it's automatic.
KELLIE: I'm good too, thank you.
CARLY: [inaudible] —thanks Marilyn, sorry my phone's dying anyway so—
MARILYN: Go charge your phone, Carly, we'll see you Wednesday.
CARLY: [crosstalk] —see you—
MARILYN: Okay I'm getting the signal from my kitchen that dinner— alright, see everybody Wednesday, bring your shells.
Around the web
Sites we keep coming back to — some picked by your instructor, some shared in class.
- YarnSub ↗shared by Kellie Peterson
Type in a yarn you can't find, it suggests substitutes. Genuinely useful little site.
- Moogly ↗shared by Carly Johnson
Good video tutorials when my in-class demo goes by too fast. Her stitch guides are clear.
- Attic24 ↗
Lucy's blog. The color combinations alone are worth the visit, and her tutorials are gentle.
- Ravelry ↗
Free patterns beyond counting. Make an account, search 'beginner washcloth', thank me later.
- Granny square (Wikipedia) ↗
Our week 4 project has its own encyclopedia page, which I find delightful.
- Crochet (Wikipedia) ↗
For when someone at dinner claims crochet and knitting are the same thing. Show them this.
Practice corner
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Open the practice corner →