If you’re new to crochet, there are many crochet mistakes that you should learn about. Many crochet mistakes may cause frustration and lead you to want to give up.
Trust me, I’ve been there and want to share with you the crochet mistakes you may be making and how to solve them.
Buying yarn without a purpose
You might’ve heard that crochet is an inexpensive hobby. Although that is true (when done properly) crochet can turn expensive and useless fast.
This is due to the obsessive nature that many crocheters fall into (new or advanced). Where we constantly buy yarn without having a purpose to it.
Although this may seem fun at first, which it is, it can turn into a bad spending problem. And cause stress to the mind due to buying unnecessary items.
Not to mention it can turn your entire house into a craft store.
We fix this by having a designated journal/book/piece of paper, to write down projects we want to complete and our monthly budget. With the projects you want to complete write down the start date, end date, how many skeins, and how much you are willing to pay (budget).
Although this is not a physical crochet mistake many people make, it is a part of the crochet journey. Click here for another list of common crochet mistakes!
The importance of dye lots
Dye lots are one of the most important things to look for when purchasing yarn. A dye lot is a record number taken during the process of dying yarn, to determine whether its coloration is the same at that time.
What this means is, that you can buy 1 color yarn skein that is slightly different in color today and it be different than the the same yarn skein you purchase tomorrow! Same brand, and same yarn weight, but could be slightly different in color(s).
This can be scary for those who sell crochet items over and over again. Or for those who want their crochet project to look the same!
The way to fix this is by planning how many you would need and paying attention to the dye lot which can be found on your yarn labels.
Not trying new techniques
The best of the best, no matter what field, had to learn new things for them to grow. Without this, you wouldn’t be able to increase the difficulty of projects/patterns.
Learning new techniques such as granny squares or Amigurumi can increase your skill level even if you do not crochet like this all the time.
New techniques will also make you more knowledgeable. Instead of shying away from something new, try something new, and watch your mental health increase with a confidence boost.
Crocheting too tightly/loosely
This is one of the biggest crochet mistakes almost every beginner has made. Crocheting too tightly or loosely will cause your project to come out differently.
The way to fix this is to relax, breathe, and be aware of your anatomy/projects. If someone cannot slap your crochet hook out of your hand, you are holding it too tightly. If someone can slap your crochet hook out of your hand, you are holding it too loosely.
Another way to assist in loosening/tightening your tension is utilizing other tools. Tools such as crochet rings help compensate for tension.
I typically do not utilize crochet rings and have great tension, I would recommend reading some other crochet tools from my blog here.
Not learning how to read patterns
Crochet patterns are a game changer when you are a crocheter. Don’t know how to crochet your favorite crochet bralette? A crochet pattern will come and help save the day.
The good thing about learning how to read crochet patterns is that it’s all fundamentals. There are different levels of difficulty that they have.
It also has many ways for you to learn new abbreviations/terms. This will expand your crochet vocabulary.
Not frogging your work
We all make mistakes and there is nothing wrong with that. But some mistakes are worth forgetting.
What is “Frogging” in crochet terms? Frogging refers to the word “rippit” which are the sounds that frogs make. That also sounds like RIP IT. To undo a portion/all of your crochet project to redo or fix a mistake made in previous rows ago.
If you make a massive mistake or a very noticeable mistake, and you don’t frog it, it may cause a bigger mess avoiding it rather than correcting it.
Not blocking your work
Blocking your work involves in watering your crochet project to obtain a more finishes/shapely look!
You do not need to do this for every project, nor does this work for every yarn type. However, you can block your crochet projects to obtain this outcome.
The importance of gauge
I get it, we crocheters should gauge our work but don’t. That doesn’t discount the importance of gauging in crochet.
Gauge is where you measure the number of stitches per row, and rows per inch based on crochet hook and yarn. This also tests for your tension and whether your project will come out as intended.
Giving up too quickly
This is a big mistake for new crocheters.
Giving up too quickly means you started crocheting because you thought it would be easy. Once frustrations came more than relief, you gave up.
I promise you, with the best resources/tips and advice/mentors you can get, you can and will be successful in crochet.
Not practicing enough
Along with giving up too quickly, this mistake is the catalyst for giving up.
Practice and growth are parallel to one another. If you are only practicing once a month and wondering why you aren’t seeing results, that is why.
Yes, this is a fun hobby and has many benefits, but that doesn’t mean that it will be easy.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post all about crochet mistakes beginners make.
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