Choosing your 1st crochet project

Choosing your first crochet project can be a daunting task and is often the first hurdle to trip people up. Choosing the wrong project can lead to a lot of frustration or worse still feeling that you will never get the hang of it and giving up. Taking the time to ask yourself a few questions first can avoid a lot of frustration.

Do repetitive tasks bore or annoy you?

There is a lot of repetition in crochet but fear not some projects are more repetitive than others if the thought of spending hours, weeks or even months making 1 type of stitch for hours on end makes your toes curl . Then you would probably be best choosing either a small project like a simple beanie which should only take you a few hours Or a sampler afghan that has a variety of stitches every few rows if you want a longer project.

If you find repetative tasks enjoyable then a never ending granny square or corner to corner blanket might be the project for you.

Do you want quick results?

If you want a completed project in a short space of time look for projects that use a chunky yarn and a larger hook like this Chunky infinity scarf or look at very small projects like these very simple flowers which take minutes to make.

How adventurous are you?

If you thrive at jumping in at the deep end and want to learn as many stitches as possible over the course of one project then a CAL or Crochet Along might be your ideal starting point. These are often large complex projects where the pattern is released in sections over a set number of weeks. The main benefit of learning this way is there will usually be a large group of people working on the project at the same time so help and support is never far away. Mandala Madness has been very popular this year although it has now been fully released there are many people still working on it, with youtube videos as well as a written pattern for guidance this may be the project for you.

some extra tips

Avoid size sensitive projects
keeping your tension even takes practise so it's best to avoid items of clothing until you can produce consistently even stitches or your sizing will be off.
Use smooth yarns.
Fashion yarns can be beautiful and very tempting but can be a nightmare even for more experienced crocheters to work with.
samples
If your trying a larger complex project and come across a stitch you find daunting make a small practise piece to perfect your stitches if needed.
YouTube
All the project links in this article are to tutorials found on YouTube. Watching videos is a great way to learn in your own time without having to simultaneously learn how to read a pattern.

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I am a self taught crochet enthusiast, designer and yarn artist you can follow me on Twitter or read some of my previous steemit articles to find out more.

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Steemits first crochet pattern
Grab a seat in the cosy corner while I introduce myself
Why I refuse to crochet blankets for the homeless