Beginner's Guide to Crochet - UK (2019-10)

BASIC TECHNIQUES
BASIC TECHNIQUES

W

hen you start to crochet, you’ll

quickly see that it’s important to

be able to work with an even

tension in your work.

This means the yarn needs to be able to

unwind easily from the ball while you’re

working with it. At the same time, the yarn

needs to have enough tension for the hook

to be able to pick it up easily when making

the stitches.

For most crocheters, the easiest way to

achieve this is to wind the yarn around your

fingers in some way, so that you can both

hold it firmly and release it slowly. If you’re

right-handed, weave the yarn around your

left hand; if you’re left-handed, weave the

yarn around your right hand. We’ve

suggested two methods here (shown

below), but you can find your own, natural

way of holding the yarn. You can check it

results in an even tension by making test

swatches and checking that the stitches are

a similar size. On patterns, you will usually

be given a tension to match.

HOLD YOUR YARN

Practise weaving the yarn between your fingers

RIGHT-HAND

LEFT-HAND

1

Pass the ball end of yarn between the little

and third finger of your left hand. Pass it

behind the third and middle fingers and over

your index finger.

1

Pass the ball end of yarn between the little

and third finger of your right hand. Pass it

behind the third and middle fingers and over

your index finger.

2

Loop the ball end of the yarn loosely around

the little finger of your left hand, then take

it under your middle finger and over your index

finger.

2

Loop the ball end of the yarn loosely around

the little finger of your right hand, then take

it under your middle finger and over your index

finger.