Chapter 1: Get a Grip
You’ll need an account to download the PDF version of Crocheting 101. Don’t worry, it’s totally free!
Already have an account? Login
Overview
Holding your yarn and hook correctly is one of the most important aspects of crocheting. Bad habits can make even the most simple stitch look sloppy. So, before we get started, let’s cover some basic tips on handling your tools.
What you'll learn
What you'll need
Cotton Yarn
Any color
Crochet Hook
Size G6 / 4.00mm
The Lesson
Note:
These boxes are checkboxes
- (07:45)
These time codes correlate to the video for this lesson
01
Holding the Hook
- (00:31)
There are two basic ways most people hold crochet hooks, we’ll be calling them the “Spoon Grip” and the “Pencil Grip” because you hold them like a spoon and a pencil!
• The Spoon Grip
My personal preference, the spoon grip, is great for things like amigurumi, aka small stuffed crocheted creatures. In this position you get the best range of movement with your wrist and also get more strength so pulling yarn through tiny stitches is easier as well. I would suggest beginners start with this grip.
• The Pencil Grip
My personal preference, the spoon grip, is great for things like amigurumi, aka small stuffed crocheted creatures. In this position you get the best range of movement with your wrist and also get more strength so pulling yarn through tiny stitches is easier as well. I would suggest beginners start with this grip.
Note:
With that in mind, I’ll be using the Spoon Grip for Crocheting 101.
02
Holding the Yarn
- (01:45)
I’ll be honest, learning to hold the yarn is a bit more difficult than holding the hook. The most important part is controlling the tension of the yarn, which in turn controls how tight you make the stitches. A classic mistake most beginners make is that they crochet too tight, so try holding it loose if you can. Learning to control yarn is something that only comes with practice and time, so be patient.
A lot of people have different ways they hold their yarn, here’s how I do it:
With your non-dominant hand, hold the yarn with your bottom three fingers (1), and wrap the yarn around your index (2). This gives your index and thumb access to being able to pinch and hold your work (3), and allows your bottom three fingers (middle, ring, and pinky) to grip the yarn, letting you more easily control the tension of the yarn.
Continue to Chapter 2...
This chapter will teach you the techniques you need to get started crocheting. You’ll learn how to make the starting knot (slip knot), how to hook and pull the yarn (yarn over), and how to make your first stitch, the chain stitch (ch)!!
Hello,
It doesn’t actually say how to do the pencil grip?
“The Pencil Grip
My personal preference, the spoon grip, is great for things like amigurumi, aka small stuffed crocheted creatures. In this position you get the best range of movement with your wrist and also get more strength so pulling yarn through tiny stitches is easier as well. I would suggest beginners start with this grip.”
It just repeats the instructions for spoon grip.
Hello there! I believe the pencil grip is the same way we hold a pencil, but even so, everyone holds a pencil their own way. Sorry for the late reply, and have a great day!!
I couldn’t control tension with three fingers (middle, ring and pinky).
What is working for now, is holding the yarn between the middle and the pointer.
As I’m left-handed, I’m testing which hand is less unconfortable haha
The hook has not been a problem, but how to hold the yarn… is still complicated….
I found the spoon grip more comfortable . I been searching on utube for someway of learning but could not get it at first but by joining this club I now have made my first chain,
I wrap my yarn around my arm under my pinky and between my pointer and middle finger and I hold my hook like a spoon.
I hold my yarn the following way: over pinky, under ring and middle fingers, and over index finger! I use my the middle two fingers to control tension. So cool how everyone does things a little differently!
I know right?! I started to teach my girlfriend to crochet and she’s a knitter so she held the yarn and hook both in the right hand! It was super weird but it totally worked!! Gonna have to figure that one out..
Got a question? Like the course? Let me know!