crocheting a baby blanket (need to learn to crochet first)

[Lothlorien]

Someone I’m very close to is expecting her first baby, and I’d like to make something for the little one – and got the idea of crocheting a baby blanket.

The catch is that I’ve never been much good with my hands and needle work, and my attempts at knitting in childhood looked rather sad. I don’t even know how to get started with crocheting, but it seems like a baby blanket might be an achievable goal.

There are a few months to go, so there is time for learning and experimenting. I’m expecting this will be a time-consuming task, plus need to account for my lack of patience and likely frustration, so I want to start soon.

I know nothing other than that I need to select a pattern, learn some crochet stitches, find and purchase the right kind of yarn and a crochet needle, and which shop to go to for the yarn.

What’s easy enough for a beginner?
How to find patterns? How big a blanket? Is yarn expensive? How much would I need?
How long might this actually take?
Anything else I should think of?

I would like the blanket to NOT be one solid color, I’m thinking either squares (two colors), or rows (three colors). Or maybe rows, with a couple of rows made of squares? Probably getting ahead of myself here...

I’m excited about this!
I’ll be super grateful for any advice, tips, suggestions, inputs…. Including suggestions for something other than crocheting/blanket. And please feel free to share your creations for inspiration.

 

[alj5]

I've crocheted a couple of baby blankets, and found basic baby blankets to be pretty easy, and once you get going it's pretty easy to do while you watch TV or listen to podcasts.

Here in Southern California, most yarn is between $3-10 per skein. I bought a $1 yarn at a thrift shop to practice with for a while before I decided on my baby blanket yarn which was maybe $8 per skein. If I recall correctly, I used maybe 5-6 skeins per blanket with a tighter weave. My favorite baby blanket pattern is pretty easy:
https://www.allfreecrochetafghanpatterns.com/Ripple/Easy-Garden-Chevron-Afghan

There are lots of youtube videos that will help you get started, and I hired a crochet instructor to help me when I went crazy and wanted something fancy. I went to a local yarn craft store and asked if they had private instruction.

 

[skatefan]

Definitely have a look at youtube for 'beginner crochet', then join (free) ravelry.com which is a really useful website with an informative forum and 100s of free crochet and knitting patterns for babies. I'd suggest you use yarn which is machine washable and for colour, instead of buying lots of different colours, buy a yarn with multiple colours, maybe something like this http://www.kingcole.com/knitting-wool/comfort-prints-dk/

Also on ravelry, there is a search function for craft groups which are local to you or other forum members nearby who you might be able to meet.

 

[Skittl1321]

Most yarn stores (and sometimes even craft stores) will have crochet classes. Youtube is also a great way to learn.

Me- I'm a knitter. I can knit extremely complicated things, but despite many classes have never figured crochet out. It just won't work for me.

 

[rfisher]

do not use really cheap yarn as it is scratchy and stiff. I hate the way it feels moving through my fingers. I choose yarn by how silky it feels moving through my fingers because that's how it will feel as a wearable object. I second finding a local crafts store (not a big place like hobby lobby, but a small shop if you can find one) as they will probably have someone to help you. It's helpful to have someone actually show you how to hold your hands in order to keep tension on the yarn. Baby blankets are easy to do once you know the basic stiches as the patterns aren't usually that complicated. You'll want to read the yarn instructions carefully regarding laundering and blocking.

I'm the opposite of Skittl1321. I've completed very complicated crochet patterns and cannot knit to save my life.

 

[skatefan]

I love to knit fine lace and complex Aran and Fairisle patterns but as a pretty basic crocheter, I'm currently dithering over whether to buy what looks like a complicated crochet pattern for a large throw which I'm assured is really easy and only uses basic stitches but I'm not sure I believe them

 

[fan]

hee hee. I always giggle when I see the word "crochet". It is so close to "crotchety".

 

[Alixana]

If you want different colours, I'd suggest for your first attempt that you use a yarn with several colours in it (like this -- it comes in many colour combinations, not just the traditional pink or blue) vs trying to change colours. Focus first on learning the stitches, keeping them even and of the same tightness, learning how to read the pattern, etc., before you move on to more slightly more complicated tasks.

 

[Aceon6]

If you can find a class, go for it. One of the stores near me offers a lunchtime class and teaches the basics of adding and skipping in about an hour.

Almost every craft store I've been in has a bin of discounted yarn. It's usually good quality and is there because the store doesn't have enough in a specific dye lot for a typical project. Ask them to show you a couple of options for your learning and test project... nothing with too much stretch or too fine. You'll know you're ready for the real thing when you can do a 4x4 square with the last couple of rows exactly matching the first couple.

Have fun!

 

[Rogueskater]

You might try going to a website called knitpicks.com. They not only sell wonderful yarns but have beautiful needles & hooks. They also have great video tutorials and patterns on their website. I just checked for crocheted baby blankets and they have several that look fun to complete.

I have purchased from this company for years and they have great service and products.

 

[Skate Talker]

I'm the opposite of Skittl1321. I've completed very complicated crochet patterns and cannot knit to save my life.

Ditto - for some reason I can't get a consistent tension with knitting but have absolutely no problem with crochet. My thought is crochet is easier because you basically only have one stitch at a time on your hook, as opposed to a whole row. Well you may have more than one loop on your hook but it is for the stitch you are immediately working.

(I know, technically there is type of crochet where you do have a whole row of loops, like knitting - so much so in fact that again I couldn't control the tension.)

I actually learned crochet way back in the day from either Woman's Day or Family Circle magazine, making 4x4 blocks that were started at the centre and had a colour change on each round. Pros to that method were the small, easy to handle pieces with lots of colour. Cons were all the ends that had to be tucked in and all the added work of assembling all the individual pieces and working them together. Personally, for me the cons outweighed the pros. My next try was with a chevron "wave" pattern worked in the back of each stich to give it added texture. This is still one of my favourite patterns to this day and super easy to do. I would be really effective with colour changes every so many rows, but even without, it is still interesting.

If, like me, you find you can only match one of the required dimensions, match the width and just adjust the total number of rows to achieve the desired length. With a blanket that doesn't really matter so much anyway.

 

[MacMadame]

IME, learning the crochet stitches is pretty easy. Actually making something that lays the way it's supposed to lay is harder. But it's way easier than knitting and a flat thing like a baby blanket or a scarf is the easiest so a good thing to start with. I'd be surprised if you needed to take a class.

For a baby blanket, you should use really soft yarn because babies have sensitive skin.

P.S. I can crochet stuff that is wearable but I never ever even finished a knitting project. Like Skate Talker, I mess up the tension.

 

[emason]

Everyone is different. I've been knitting all my life and have no trouble controlling the tension. I taught myself to crochet, but I am not good at it. I simply cannot hold the yarn in a way comfortable to me and get good tension.

 

[TheGirlCanSkate]

I have tried to learn through youtube, for me I really need a person to be hands on to learn handiwork. I can embroider from books and videos but not knit or crochet. Oddly, as a little girl I could knit. My daughter learned to knit from youtube but was unsuccessful with crochet.

 

[Rogueskater]

I have been knitting since I was 7 or 8 lucky to have been taught by my Gran. I love knitting and have made all sorts of things over the years. There are many techniques or different types of knitting that I don't know and want to learn. I love taking classes to increase my knowledge.

I decided about 10 years ago that I would try my hand at crochet. Signed up for a beginners class at my local shop. Others in the small class weren't big knitters but they all caught on and just zipped away with crochet. Here I thought with my knitting experience I would be a whiz at crochet - um that would be a big NO. I was very lost without that second needle in my hand. It took me a long time and a lot of practice to get the tension right. So dont throw in the towel if you aren't seeing the tension you wanted, just keep at it.

 

[JasperBoy]

Here's a hint....go to a bazaar at a senior's centre and buy a hand made baby blanket.
Save yourself a world of frustration.
(Says another one who can knit but not crochet.)

 

[Aceon6]

Here's a hint....go to a bazaar at a senior's centre and buy a hand made baby blanket.
Save yourself a world of frustration.
(Says another one who can knit but not crochet.)

Or go to a senior center and ask someone to teach you. Many seniors would love the company!

 

[alj5]

Or go to a senior center and ask someone to teach you. Many seniors would live the company!

True!

 

[Lothlorien]

Wow, thank you so much for all the replies.
I tried knitting as a kid, didn't get far, so maybe there's hope. Not aiming for perfection here - so even if I make mistakes, I'll still be happy with the product and knowing the recipients, they will too.

Heading to the library tomorrow to look at some books on the topic. For me that's a better way to start learning than looking at the screen.

Or go to a senior center and ask someone to teach you. Many seniors would live the company!

This IS a great idea
Will look into it.

 

[FiveRinger]

I learned how to knit before I learned how to crochet. And I am a big endorser of YouTube.....no joke, my coworkers were watching videos today about how to use a bidet....ridiculous....lol

Anyway, if you want to learn how to crochet, you should check out VeryPink Knits. I have included a link to her channel. She has a phenomenal playlist where she teaches knitters how to crochet. That is the link that I have provided for you. I think it would be very helpful to you. She gives good instruction and more important, if you email her from her site she answers questions fairly quickly (within 24 hours). She goes thru all of the basic stitches and shows you some edging and other "fancy" techniques. I have learned a lot from her! She even has free patterns and gives advice as to yarn choices.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUv37jBrlCtLMPY0LWLYYKONFZpg9_a-5

 

[myhoneyhoney]

I learned to crochet first then knit. I learned knitting from youtube! I also used youtube to learn how to knit continental so I can knit faster. Ravely is addicting and knitpicks is great. Damn, I want to buy more yarn now lol

 

[kwanfan1818]

I used to love knitpicks and made several baby blankets from their organic cotton worsted, but after I made a multicolor entrelac baby blanket from supposedly superwash (IE machine washable) wool, after I soaked it overnight in cold water, the bright pink bled into the three yellows and greens. (Neither the red or bright purple bled at all.)

When I wrote to customer service, they said I shouldn't have soaked it for more than 20 minutes. I asked how the wool could be "superwash" when many wash cycles were longer than 20 minutes. I was disappointed in her make-good offer, her reply was snotty, and I've never bought anything from them since.

I prefer WEBS or Jimmy Beans.

 

[Twilight1]

Self taught myself. Wish youtube had been around back then lol. Tons of great vids there

 

[kwanfan1818]

Self taught myself. Wish youtube had been around back then lol. Tons of great vids there

Oh, me too!

I used to drive myself crazy trying to understand the descriptions and try to figure out what the motions were and where the needle went from those line drawings! They were like looking at a biology textbook and seeing all of those differentiated brightly colored internal organs, then dissecting the worm and finding one big brown thing down the middle.

Now you can search on youtube for anything and find multiple versions of how to do anything, from single stitches to patterns to turning the heel of a sock (which I hadn't done in almost 40 years when I started to knit again).

 

[Lothlorien]

So it took a while to get organised, but I finally sat down yesterday and started figuring this out.
First couldn't figure out how to chain whatsoever, then it clicked, then couldn't figure out how to sigle crochet whatsoever, then it clicked...
Looking forward to further clicks!

 

[overedge]

Whether you knit or crochet....for a baby blanket, choose a fiber that's machine washable and dryable. New parents won't have the time or patience to hand wash anything or lay it flat and wait for it to dry.

 

[skatesindreams]

So it took a while to get organised, but I finally sat down yesterday and started figuring this out.
First couldn't figure out how to chain whatsoever, then it clicked, then couldn't figure out how to sigle crochet whatsoever, then it clicked...
Looking forward to further clicks!

Keep us posted.
We are interested in your progress.

 

[Lothlorien]

More progress!
Until now my crocheting sessions have been sporadic while I deal with other things, and every time it feels like I need to re-learn the basics again. But it comes back quicker and looks better each time. Making single crochet swatches now – 11 chains and then however many rows I manage before things get messy. They started working once I learned to remember to count the stitches. Still working on the tension and I feel like I’m not getting the hang of turning the work before starting on a new row. That’s probably the next thing that’s going to click.

My next steps are to make a few proper 4 x 4 inch swatches with the yarn I have (22 stitches x 30 rows, although I’m not yet sure the turning chain is included in the 22, or whether I should chain 23 to have a turning one). Then start on granny squares. I also want to select a blanket pattern and the wool I’m going to use for the project. The blanket is going to be made of squares – that may be harder and more advanced, but this way I’ll be able to work on one square at a time. The idea of crocheting dozens of stitches and keeping track of their number and the number of rows feels much more daunting.

I don’t like the yarn I have. It was recommended by the salesperson as good yarn to start with and easy to wash etc. That may be true, but I don’t like the way it feels against the skin though (it’s polyester).

 

[Skate Talker]

Good for you. Personally I would say granny squares are easier, with a lot less on your hands/lap at a time. It can just be tedious tucking all the ends in and a pain in the butt to stick together later, though since a baby blanket is relatively small, not that much of an issue, I guess. i just don't think I ever put mine together in the end, so really a lot of wasted effort, lol.
Just a suggestion regarding finding that last stitch for a row, I would often just stick a safety pin in that chain done on the turn and then I wouldn't have to even look to see which was the last stitch. I originally started doing this when I was working in rounds because it is impossible to tell where one round becomes another. As for rows, I think before long you will be able to clearly see your rows to make counting a snap, and many times the instructions will be for a dimension, which is generally more important than the number of rows, but it should also be pretty easy to keep a lumberman's tally as you go along.

 

[Anemone]

It depends on the pattern, but for beginning rows, you do often crochet an extra chain to allow for turning.
Also, if you don't want to have to make a lot of small granny squares and join them, there are patterns out there where the afghan is basically one giant granny square - so you only have to start once.