Yay! You’ve learnt to crochet…but what should I crochet next I hear you cry? Don’t panic, I’m here to point you in the right direction!
My first piece of advice is to keep it simple. If you’ve learnt to crochet with me, or using one of my Learn to Crochet Kits, and you’ve crocheted a scarf or cowl, then crochet another one in a different coloured yarn. This is a great way of consolidating the stitch that you’ve learnt…and you know what they say: practise makes perfect! My good friend Victoria who owns Pins & Needles in Devizes is a genius when it comes to helping you decide what yarn to choose so please go and visit her when you’re ready to make another cowl or scarf!
Lots of you tell me that you’d really like to start crocheting a blanket once you’ve learnt to crochet. This can be done very simply by crocheting a very long chain! Keep chaining until you reach the desired width of your blanket. Starting in the second chain from the hook if you’ve learnt to crochet the double crochet (dc) or the third/fourth chain from the hook if you’ve learnt the treble crochet (tr), put a stitch in that chain and continue with that stitch all the way until you reach the end. *At the end of the row, chain 1 for the dc and turn, ch 2 or 3 for the tr and turn, and go back along the row with that same stitch. Repeat from the * until your blanket is the desired length. If you find that you’ve got a few wonky edges, click HERE to read my top tips on keeping your edges straight.
Another great blanket for crochet newbies is a granny square blanket. These can be made by crocheting small squares that you crochet together or making one huge granny square and only stopping when it is big enough to cover you! A granny square workshop appears on my workshop list regularly throughout the year but if you’ve missed it, you can download the video tutorial HERE for it instead and learn how to crochet granny squares from the comfort of your own sofa.
Most patterns and kits out there will say whether they are suitable for someone who has just learnt to crochet, and most will tell you what stitches are required to make the item. The patterns that I write come with a stitch guide included which explains the stitch in written terms and with a short video clip too. I’ve noticed that the patterns and kits which are popular with people who have just learnt to crochet are the Bobbly Dazzler Hat and the Cosy Cowl. Although they don’t use the stitch that I have taught in the Learn to Crochet session, they only use ONE stitch which is explained with a video at the start of the pattern.
Sometimes, you might be put off by a pattern that includes lots of different stitches and it may seem a little daunting. Another workshop that appears regularly on my timetable is the Super Stitches workshop. In this session, we learn some basic crochet stitches and how to change colour. Once we’ve had a practise at the new stitches, we crochet a flower, a heart and a star. If you’ve missed this workshop, or can’t make the date, it’s also available as a video download by clicking HERE which means you can pause it when you’ve had enough of me for one day!
Knowing these basic crochet stitches means the crochet world is your oyster now! You’ll be filled with confidence and ready to embark on a slightly bigger project. The Stars & Stripes Blanket has been really popular with crochet beginners as the first part of the blanket involves crocheting rows and rows of one colour and then changing colour before crocheting row and rows of another colour. This is perfect for multi tasking with a good series on Netflix! The stars on the blanket might be a little tricky to begin with, but once you’ve mastered one with the video links, you’ll be well away and the blanket will be finished in no time at all. Perfect to keep for yourself or as a gift to someone special.
Another larger project, which may well take you a year to crochet, is the Calendar Blanket Kit. Don’t be put off by the size or complexity of this project; each tile is crocheted separately so in the first instance you can treat it as 12 small projects! If you’re going away on holiday, you’ll only need to take a few of the balls of yarn away with you rather than the complete kit. And there are LOADS of supporting videos to go with this blanket; there’s even videos to help you crochet your rectangles together.
And you don’t have to take my word for it either. Here’s what Cathy said, “Well, who would have thought that 2 months after I learnt to crochet I would make this, and a year later be able to finish it? It’s by no means perfect but I’m pretty chuffed all the same. All thanks to Nicola’s teaching skills and fantastic ideas.”
If you’re still wondering ‘what shall I crochet next?!’ then head over to my shop for more patterns and kits to inspire your next crochet project.