Long associated with handcrafted home décor, hats, and scarves crochet has made a significant impact in a contemporary way. In 2023 crochet appeared on the catwalks of Milan and Paris, sidewalks of New York and Los Angeles, and beaches of Miami. Even the most foundational basic of crochet, the granny square, is incorporated into youth fashion.

Whether you are interested in creating traditional crochet pieces like hats, scarves, sweaters and blankets or cutting-edge fashion, basic skills is the starting point. Crochet skills are accessible to anyone with the ability to tie knots and interest, desire, and attention to follow through. Children through senior citizens can master the skills to create pieces they can be proud of from soft toys to evening gowns.

How to get started

Good instruction
Depending on one’s learning style and experience, developing crochet skills is straightforward. It is easy to learn stitches and the basics such as yarn gauge from exceptional books or videos available on YouTube. I learned when I was in elementary school from grandmothers who were both accomplished in different styles of crochet. No matter what your individual learning style, it is possible to learn everything you need to know.

Tools
There are a variety of tools available to crocheters. The primary tool is the crochet hook, made of various materials such as wood, aluminum, plastic, or soft grip. But beginners will get everything they need from a $5, 14 hook set. As they develop their skills or focus on working with certain types of yarns, crocheters can add the hooks easily.

Patterns
Many patterns are available: including basic, free patterns (available online or at craft stores), complex patterns from books, and pattern designs by experienced crocheters. Patterns are available from physical or online stores are categorized based on difficulty so it is important to select the right pattern to encourage crocheters to complete projects and not get discouraged.

Yarn or Thread

Three types of yarn are used for crochet: wool, cotton, acrylic, and crochet thread. Wool is resilient makings it good for practicing stitches (it is easy to correct mistakes without damaging the fabric. Cotton is not very flexible, so it is good for projects where it is important to hold their shape. It is also good for lightweight clothing as is not as heavy as wool. Acrylic is lightweight, inexpensive, and comes in many colors. Sometimes the cheapest acrylic yarn splits apart making cotton a better choice. Crochet thread is better for more delicate work and is more difficult to work with than yarn.

Regardless of your experience and goals with time and patience, crochet is for all.