What do you think? Do you reckon everyone can learn to crochet? I am not sure I am the best judge – but it seems to me that there are three main ways to learn successfully.
a) in person – sitting one-2-one with someone who will patiently teach you, whether that is in a class setting or just at home
b) sat with a book – I learnt from books, alone, in my own time. I think this is my preferred way of learning and exploring ideas.
c) Watching video tutorials – a bit like the one-2-one tutorial you can watch the movement of the hook in real time, but also like a book you can go at your own pace, re-running things you haven’t grasped first time.
These are all good methods of learning a new craft, but perhaps more importantly I think your mindset has to be right. I have said it many times; I have been a very successful teacher of novice crocheters because I am a very fussy selector of pupils. I can spot an excellent crocheter before they have even learnt.
In the last few days I have been dwelling on what the characteristics of a successful crocheter or knitter might be. If you have some thoughts would you drop me a line?
Crocheter (or Knitter, or Artist – or any other type of art/craft) must be PATIENT! with themselves. If they are going to get frustrated and want to quit after making just one or two mistakes, FORGET IT! They will not learn.
The mindset MUST BE: I CAN DO THIS! I will NOT quit the minute things get a bit tougher. I will NOT QUIT if the yarn becomes tangled, or if I make a single crochet instead of a double.
Patience and a REAL willingness to WANT TO LEARN.
I personally learned basics from the little gree leaflets you could get from the yarn shoppe. I did four shawls that year – for each of my three girls – and one for my Mom. Don’t know what happened to the little ones, but I have Mom’s now that she has passed away. I didn’t do any hooking for over 20 years – but was able to pick it up and with a bit of refreshers crocheted numbers of scarves, shawls, hats, etc. Also tutorials online have been tremendously helpful – such as those created by Dedri Uys and a few others. I’ve progressed from rank beginner to now the ability to pick up far more complex patterns through the aid of such tutorials online. I find videos more difficult because of having to constantly stop, rewind, forward, stop rewind, etc.
But those who painstakingly post detailed tutorials (such as those for Dedri’s “Sophie’s Universe”, and those by Lucy at Attic 24 have been tremendously helpful! And I’m eternally grateful to them for such help.
Should be “the little free leaflets ” Sorry. Just returned from long trip and am a bit tired.
Thank you for such a lovely and in-depth response. I think you are right.
I think you have to WANT to learn something – then you pursue it.
My grandma taught me to knit and I’ve always had knitters in the family to help out with tricky bits. Usually knit one thing a year, so hardly prolific! She tried to teach me to crochet, but I couldn’t grasp it. Always wanted to be able to crochet and am inspired when I aee things online (such as Attic 24). Tried taking a class with two others, but although I knit a chain, I’ve not taken it further. I think the way forward would be to sit down with some online resources and try to grasp it in my own time and at my own pace.