How to Crochet for Beginners: A Complete UK Guide

If you've typed 'how to crochet for beginners' into Google, chances are the first few results have left you more confused than when you started - because most of them are written in American crochet terms, and those don't match what's on a UK pattern or what you'll hear in a UK class. A 'double crochet' in an American blog post is not the same stitch as a 'double crochet' in a British one. And if you spot the term 'single crochet' anywhere in a pattern, that's an instant giveaway you're looking at an American one - it isn't a UK term at all. What Americans call 'single crochet' is simply called 'double crochet' here. Confusing? Yes. Sortable? Also yes - and that's what this guide is for.

We'll take you through exactly what you need, the UK terms you'll actually come across, and your very first stitches, step by step.

What you need to start crocheting

Crochet has one of the lowest barriers to entry of any craft - you genuinely only need two things to begin:

• A crochet hook. For your first project, a 4mm hook is the sweet spot: easy to hold, easy to see your stitches on, and the right size for the yarn below.
• Yarn. Choose a double knitting (DK) weight yarn in a light, plain colour to start - pale colours make it much easier to see where your hook needs to go, and a plain yarn (no fluffy or flecked textures) means you can actually see your stitches while you're learning. A smooth acrylic or acrylic-blend DK is ideal: forgiving, inexpensive, and easy to unpick when (not if!) you need to start again. Our Stylecraft Special DK is perfect.

A few extras make life easier but aren't essential on day one: sharp scissors or snips, a yarn/tapestry needle for weaving in ends, stitch markers for keeping your place, and a tape measure.

You can pick up a hook, yarn, and everything else above from our Knitting and Crochet Supplies category or the wider Crafts & Creativity collection in-store or online.

A quick note on hook sizes

Crochet hooks are sized in millimetres (the diameter of the hook), and the size you need depends on your yarn weight. As a rough guide:

Always check the yarn label first - most give a recommended hook size, and that's the best starting point.

UK vs US crochet terms (the bit that trips everyone up)

This is genuinely the single biggest source of confusion for new crocheters, so it's worth getting straight before you pick up a hook. UK and US crochet use the same stitch names for different stitches - the UK system names a stitch after how many loops are on your hook, while the US system names it after how many times you wrap the yarn round the hook (a 'yarn over'). Here's the full conversion:

Chain stitch (ch) is the same in both systems, thankfully.

Why this matters: if you follow a US pattern using UK stitches (or vice versa), your project will come out a completely different size and texture - sometimes unrecognisable. Every guide, video, and pattern in this post uses UK terms throughout. If you're ever working from an American pattern or YouTube tutorial, just run it past the table above first.

Your first four stitches

Almost everything in crochet builds on a small handful of stitches. Learn these four, in this order, and you'll be able to follow the vast majority of beginner patterns.

1. Slip knot - Your starting loop on the hook. Make a loop with your yarn, pull the working end through it, and slide it onto your hook, snug but not tight.

2. Chain stitch (ch) - The foundation of almost every project. Yarn over the hook (wrap the yarn from back to front) and pull it through the loop already on your hook. That's one chain. Repeat to build your foundation chain - most patterns will tell you how many chains to start with.

3. Double crochet (dc) - The most-used stitch for beginners, and the best one to practise first. Insert your hook into a stitch, yarn over and pull a loop through (you'll now have 2 loops on your hook), yarn over again and pull through both loops. One stitch done.

4. Treble (tr) - A taller stitch that works up quickly, useful once double crochet feels comfortable. Yarn over the hook before you insert it into the stitch, insert into the stitch, yarn over and pull through (3 loops on your hook), yarn over and pull through 2 loops (2 left), yarn over and pull through the last 2 loops.

A slip stitch (ss) is the one you'll use to join rounds or finish off neatly: insert your hook into the stitch, yarn over, and pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook in one go.

Putting it together: your first row

1. Make a slip knot and chain 15.
2. Miss the first chain from your hook (this is your 'turning chain') and double crochet into each chain across.
3. At the end of the row, chain 1, turn your work, and double crochet into each stitch of the row below.
4. Repeat step 3 until your piece is the size you want, then fasten off: cut the yarn, yarn over, and pull the tail all the way through the last loop.

Congratulations - that's a crochet swatch, and the exact technique behind coasters, dishcloths, and granny squares.

Common beginner mistakes (and easy fixes)

• Stitches getting tighter and tighter as you go. Very common in your first few rows - try holding the yarn a little more loosely, or go up half a hook size while you find your tension.
• Losing count of your stitches. Use a stitch marker on your last stitch of each row, and count before you turn.
• Skipping the turning chain, or crocheting into it by mistake. This is what causes wonky, slanted edges - miss the first chain when starting a row, and remember your turning chain counts as a stitch on the next row.
• Picking a yarn that's too dark, too fluffy, or too textured to start with. It sounds minor, but it's the single biggest reason beginners give up - you genuinely can't see what you're doing. Stick to a plain, pale DK for your first few projects.

Learn crochet in person at Bibelot

Reading through the steps above is one thing - having someone correct your tension in real time is another. We run in-person crochet workshops at our shop in Leek, Staffordshire, including our regular 'Learn to Crochet' class with Pebbles Crochet, where you'll leave with the basics under your belt and a project on the go. See our Craft Workshops page for upcoming dates and booking.

Ready to get started at home first? Pick up everything you need - hook, yarn, and a beginner-friendly kit - from our Knitting and Crochet Supplies collection, or browse the full range of yarn and craft supplies in our Crafts & Creativity collection. And if you'd rather pick it up in person and ask us anything along the way, we're at 2 Sheep Market, Leek ST13 5HW - pop in any time.