Beginning a crochet project successfully is key to ensuring positive results in the finished piece. Here are some helpful tips for getting your crochet projects off to a great start.
Prepare to Start a Crochet Project
If you think about it, a successful crochet project starts even before it actually begins! Preparation and planning are key elements to achieving success in any venture, and crochet is no different.
• Before beginning any new project, it’s important to carefully select and purchase all of the necessary materials. Sign up for a free membership at Free-Crochet and download a free crochet pattern. It’s rather frustrating to get a project nearly finished and then realize you cannot find one or more of the required materials. If you’re unsure about any of the materials, read through the pattern to see where and how each material is used. This should clear up any confusion.
Buy Correct Amounts of Crochet Materials
• It’s also extremely important to make sure you purchase an adequate quantity of each material, as indicated in the pattern. It can be very disheartening to have a partially or nearly completed project and then run out of something, only to discover you can’t find the same color or even the same material. It’s always a good idea to purchase a little more than the exact quantity the pattern calls for—just to be safe.
Mark Crochet Patterns
• Using a highlighter to mark special stitches and notes in the pattern before beginning is another good way to prevent setbacks. If your pattern uses unfamiliar stitches or stitch patterns, it’s a good idea to practice them before starting the actual project so that your work will be picture perfect! It can also be helpful to mark repeat symbols, joining instructions, turns, fasten-offs and color changes.
Practice Crocheting First
• To keep your beginning/foundation chain from being too tight (a very common problem in crochet work), try making the beginning/foundation chain with a hook that is one size larger than the hook size called for in the materials. Doing so will help ensure that your beginning edge is the same width as your ending edge.
• Before beginning an intricate motif or stitch pattern while you are working the project, first practice the motif or stitch pattern on its own using yarn and a large hook. This step can often be a big help in helping you familiarize yourself with the motif or stitch pattern, which in turn will prevent you from having to rip out your motif or stitch pattern multiple times.
• Most crocheters have a favorite way of working into the beginning/foundation chain. One way is to insert the hook only through the center of the V. Another way is to insert the hook through the center of the V and under the back bar. Another popular way is to work into the back bar (see illustration) of each chain.
These are just a few of the many ways you can ensure a successful journey to the end of your crochet project.
