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Get Started
Crochet
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LONDON, NEW YORK, MUNICH,
MELBOURNE, DELHI
Project Editor Shashwati Tia Sarkar
Senior Art Editor Alison Shackleton
Managing Editor Penny Warren
Senior Jacket Creative Nicola Powling
Jacket Designer Rosie Levine
Senior Pre-production Producer Tony Phipps
Senior Producer Alex Bell
Art Director Jane Bull
Publisher Mary Ling
DK Publishing
North American Consultant Jenn Wendell
Editor Margaret Parrish
Senior Editor Shannon Beatty
DK India
Editor Ligi John
Assistant Editor Neha Ruth Samuel
Senior Art Editor Ira Sharma
Art Editor Anjan Dey
Assistant Art Editor Pallavi Kapur
Managing Editor Alicia Ingty
Managing Art Editor Navidita Thapa
Pre-production Manager Sunil Sharma
DTP Designers Rajdeep Singh, Anurag Trivedi
Consultant Susie Johns
Contains material first published in the United States
in Crochet Step by Step, 2013
This edition first published in 2014 by DK Publishing,
4th floor, 345 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
14 15 16 17 18 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
001—196193—Jan/2014
Copyright © 2014 Dorling Kindersley Limited
All rights reserved
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part
of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a
retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior
written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher
of this book.
Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited.
A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
ISBN 978-1-4654-1581-3
DK books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk for
sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. For details,
contact: DK Publishing Special Markets, 345 Hudson Street, New York,
New York 10014 or [email protected].
Printed and bound in China by Leo Paper Products Ltd.
Discover more at
us.dk.com/crafts
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Contents
Build Your Course 6 • Essential Equipment 8 • Buying Yarns 16 • Understanding Gauge 18
Choosing Colors 20 • Crochet Abbreviations and Terms 22
1 2 3
Start Simple Build On It Take It Further
KEY TECHNIQUES KEY TECHNIQUES KEY TECHNIQUES
Make a Slip Knot 26 Crochet Flat Circles 78 Work Around the Post 132
Hold the Yarn and Hook 28 Make Granny Squares 84 Crochet Openwork 136
Make Chain Stitches 30 Join Colors in Granny Crochet Color Patterns 152
Make Slip Stitches 32 Squares 87 Crochet Motifs 160
Work Single Crochet 34 Work Single Crochet Crochet Edgings 168
Join in New Yarns Increases 90 Work Step Decreases 174
and Colors 38 Work Single Crochet Work Step Increases 175
Work Half Double Crochet 42 Decreases 92
Join with Seams 46 Work Double Crochet
STITCH GALLERIES
Work Double Crochet 52 Increases 98 Filet Stitch Patterns 140
Work Treble Crochet 60 Work Double Crochet Openwork Stitch Patterns 146
Work Double Treble Crochet 63 Decreases 100 Colorwork Stitch Patterns 158
Identify Parts of Stitches 66 Measure Gauge 102 Motif Patterns 161
Work Simple Variations Block Crochet Pieces 103 Simple Edging Patterns 170
and Textures 69 Crochet Tubes 110
Work into Chain Spaces 71 Combine Stitches 116
PROJECTS TO TRY
Read Stitch Symbol
Ribbed Scarf 134
PROJECTS TO TRY Diagrams 124 String Bag 142
Washcloth 40 Lacy Scarf 150
Phone Cover 50 STITCH GALLERIES Tote Bag 154
Coffee Cozy 56 Basic Stitch Patterns 126 Patchwork Blanket 166
Towel Edging 64 Baby’s Cardigan 178
Friendship Bracelets 72 PROJECTS TO TRY Teddy Bear 182
Set of Coasters 80
Baby’s Shoes 186
Round Pillow 82
Baby’s Blanket 88
Index 188
Toy Balls 94
Acknowledgments 192
Chevron Pillow 104
Baby’s Hat 106
Project Basket 114
Bookmark 120
Clutch Bag 122
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Build Your Course
This book is divided into three sections: Start Simple,
Build On It, and Take It Further. These chapters are
carefully structured to help you learn new skills and
techniques and then practice your increasing knowledge
by completing the step-by-step projects.
Getting Started
Going to buy your first crochet supplies can
seem daunting, which is why the introduction
to this book explains all you need to know about
choosing a crochet hook and yarn. You will learn
how the thickness of the yarn and the size of the hook
affect your finished crochet, how to match hooks to
yarn, and what other equipment you might need.
Key Techniques
Tip Helpful hints
explain key parts of
Close-up images
the technique and
show you exactly
what you need to do offer advice about
problems you may
encounter.
Annotation
picks out
important
Step-by-step photography 1 details
makes it easy to for you to 2
complete the technique
The key techniques show you everything you hook and yarn, to advanced techniques such
need to know to complete your crochet projects as creating intricate textures and reading
successfully, and they appear immediately color patterns. Step-by-step photography,
before the projects they are needed for. They detailed annotations, and useful tips help you
range from simple skills such as holding the learn the skills before you attempt a project.
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Patterns
Crochet patterns are stitch-by-stitch guides to making projects,
stitch patterns, and motifs. Your familiarity with stitch terms will
grow as you learn, and you will also learn to read crochet symbols.
Button Flower
Crochet symbol
Pictures of the
diagrams show the
finished item show
pattern as an
you what to aim for
illustration. Learn
about symbols on
Refer to the
pp.124–125.
chart on
pp.22–23 to
remind yourself
of crochet terms
Note: cluster (cl) = [yo twice and insert hook in sp, Round 2 Using yarn B, join with a ss to same place as last
yo and draw a loop through, (yo and draw through first ss, 1 ch (does not count as a st), 1 sc in same place as last
2 loops on hook) twice] 4 times all in same sp (5 loops now ss, [5 ch, skip next 2 tr, 1 sc in next tr] 6 times, 5 ch, join
on hook), yo and draw through all 5 loops now on hook. with a ss to first sc of round.
This flower is worked in 2 colors (A, B). Round 3 * [1 ss, 4 ch, 1 cluster, 4 ch, 1 ss] in next 5-ch
Using yarn A, make 4 ch and join with a ss to first ch to loop; rep from * 6 times more, join with a ss to same place
form a ring. as last ss in round 2.
Round 1 (RS) 4 ch (counts as first tr), 20 tr in ring, join Fasten off.
with a ss to 4th of 4-ch. Fasten off A. Sew a small button on to the center of the flower.
The perfect Project
To help you achieve the best possible result, the design, construction,
and the techniques involved in the project, are discussed in detail.
Annotation
highlights key
stitchings and
other details
Trickier parts
of the pattern
are analyzed
Seams and
methods of
Key Details construction are
These useful illustrated boxes pick out flagged up
the defining features of your project
and explain how to achieve them with
extra advice and tips.
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INTRODUCTION
Essential Equipment
CROCHET HOOKS
When you are beginning to learn crochet, start with a good-quality standard metal
crochet hook. Once you know how to work the basic stitches with a lightweight yarn
(see p.17) and a size 6 or 7 US (4mm or 4.5mm) hook, branch out and try some other
types of hook in order to find the one that suits you best.
Parts of a crochet hook
The hook lip grabs the yarn to form the loops and the shank determines the size
of the loop. The crochet handle gives weight to the tool and provides a good grip.
Hook tip Throat Shank Thumb rest Handle
Hook lip
Hook types
Metal hooks
Aluminum hooks are smooth and move easily through
loops of yarn, making them a great choice for beginners.
Bright colors are available as well as the standard gray.
Wooden hooks
Hardwood and bamboo hooks are attractive and lighter in weight
than metal hooks. The hook lips are not always as smooth,
however, and can catch on the yarn, so wait until you are
comfortable with crochet stitches before trying a wooden hook.
Plastic hooks
Plastic hooks are not as durable or as precisely made
as metal and wooden hooks, but they are light in
weight, so are enjoyable to work with.
Jumbo hooks
The largest crochet hook sizes—from a size N-15 US (10mm) to
a size S US (20mm) are made in plastic to keep them light. They
are used for making thick crochet fabric very quickly.
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HOOKS
Conversion chart
This chart gives the conversions
between the various hook-size systems.
Metal shank Easy-grip Comfortable
Where there are no exact conversions
and hook tip thumb plastic handle
available, use the nearest equivalent.
rest
Comfort handle Metric US Sizes Old UK
Hook handles come in different shapes. If you find the
standard crochet hook uncomfortable to hold because it 0.6mm 14 steel
is too narrow, investigate hooks with alternative handles.
This example is designed and refined especially for 0.75mm 12 steel
comfort and good grip.
1mm 11 steel
1.25mm 7 steel
1.5mm 6 steel
1.75mm 5 steel
2mm 14
2.25mm B/1
2.5mm 12
Point protector
2.75mm C/2
Lace hook
Because lace crochet hooks are so fine, ranging from size 3mm 10
14 steel US (0.6mm) to size 5 steel US (1.75mm), they are
always manufactured in metal to prevent them from 3.25mm D/3
snapping. Store them with their metal point protectors
in place to prevent accidents. 3.5mm E/4 9
3.75mm F/5
4mm G/6 8
4.5mm 7 7
Hook sizes
5mm H/8 6
Crochet hooks are manufactured in the various sizes
(diameters) listed in the hook conversion chart on the right. 5.5mm I/9 5
The millimeter sizes are the diameters of the hook shank,
which determine the size of the crochet stitches. 6mm J/10 4
6.5mm K/101⁄2 3
7mm 2
8mm L/11
9mm M/13
10mm N/15
Although the middle range of hook sizes—from size B-1 US
12mm P
(2mm) to size M-13 US (9mm)—are the most commonly used,
the finer hooks are used for lace crochet and the thicker 15mm Q (16mm)
hooks are popular for jumbo crochet. See page 17 for which
hook size to use with the different yarn weights. 20mm S (19mm)
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INTRODUCTION
NATURAL FIBERS
Yarns can be made from all kinds of fibers and, in theory, you can crochet with
any yarn. Each type of fiber has its own attributes, though, that should be considered
when choosing an appropriate yarn for your project. Fibers sourced from nature, such
as animal hair and plant fiber, are popular for their appealing, breathable textures,
but they can be more expensive than yarns with synthetic fiber content.
Cotton
Cotton yarns are very popular for crochet because their smooth texture gives good stitch definition, showing
intricate patterns clearly. This plant fiber is breathable and light, but also robust, easy to wash, and doesn’t shed
fibers easily, making it great for homewares, gadget covers, and bags. A lightweight (above left) or fine cotton
yarn (above right) is best for practicing crochet techniques. See pages 17–19 for more about yarn weights.
Mercerized cotton Cotton crochet thread
Cotton fiber is sometimes mercerized, a process that compresses Crochet was traditionally worked using cotton
it and transforms it into an ultra-strong yarn with a reflective threads to make an alternative to bobbin and
sheen. Mercerized cotton is a good choice for a project that needs needle lace. Today, cotton threads are still used
to be strong and hold its shape, such as a clutch bag (see for decorative lace edgings and filet crochet
pp.122–123), a summer cardigan, or a throw. (see pp.168–173 and pp.139–141).
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