6 Free Crochet Tutorials for All Levels

From how to read a crochet pattern to creating a popcorn stitch, learn new crochet techniques with the experts

After years of being considered old-fashioned, crochet has experienced a revival in recent years—its modern spin has seen it become a popular trend among crafters and supporters of sustainable fashion.

The fiber art technique involves using a single crochet hook to craft chains out of wool or thread. Depending on the size of the hook and thickness of the yarn, it can be used to make all kinds of clothing, accessories, and decorations—from sweaters to handbags to blankets.

Whether you're just starting out or already a whizz with a crochet hook looking for time-saving techniques, these four tutorials will help you develop your crochet skills.

The origins of crochet

Although people began hand-weaving textiles in the eleventh century, the exact origins of crochet are debated.

Some historians date the artisan craft's beginnings to sixteenth-century Europe when delicate laces were woven, while others believe it also existed in America and the Middle East and, from there, may have traveled to Spain and Asia. There is also earlier evidence of the technique being used in China.

What is undebatable is that crochet offers a great range of possibilities; by crocheting flat you can create accessories and clothing such as sweaters, tops, or blankets. If you crochet in the round, you can add volume and create items like amigurumi (Japanese-style crocheted dolls).

And, when used to alter and repair garments, the skill becomes a fantastic opportunity to get creative and promote sustainability.

Read on to learn how to decode a crochet chart and pattern, tips to master the fun-named method of popcorn stitching using different colored yarns, and more.

Click on the titles in red to access the full tutorials, and… get hooked!

Crochet Tutorial: How to Read a Pattern

Crochet charts, patterns, and their symbols can be intimidating to anyone starting out. However, they are a lot simpler than they might appear.

In this tutorial, Emma Friedlander-Collins, also known as Steel and Stitch (@steelandstitch), explains how to decode a crochet chart, explaining what each abbreviation and symbol means and how to use this helpful tool in your next design.

Crochet Tutorial: How to Take Body Measurements For Pattern Making

Before you start to crochet a piece of clothing, there’s an essential step: taking your body measurements. In order to get the right results—and to avoid ending up with a sweater that is too short or your head not fitting through the hole for your neck—it is essential to learn how to take measurements correctly.

Alicia Recio Rodríguez (known as @alimaravillas), is an expert in crochet. In this tutorial, she talks us through how to take our own measurements without needing anyone else’s help so that we can create a pattern.

Crochet Tutorial: How to Easily Calculate Stitches

Calculating the number of stitches you need is one of the main challenges you may run into when starting to crochet. Getting this number right is the key to making sure your designs are symmetrical and exactly the right size.

Estefa González, aka @santapazienzia, is a crochet teacher and the woman behind the pattern site, Santa Pazienzia. In this tutorial, the crochet maestro shares her easy technique for calculating the number of stitches using proportions.

Crochet Tutorial: How to Make a Granny Square for Beginners

When you hear the word crochet, you probably think of a granny square. Those squares that, when sewn together, create colorful throws, jumpers, teapot cozies, and cushion covers.

There are many different ways to create a granny square, and crochet artist and business owner Katie Jones (@katiejonesknit) uses them to colorful clothing and accessories—her work has been featured in the V&A museum as well as publications such as The Telegraph and The Guardian. In this tutorial, she shows you how to crochet a single-color granny square.

Crochet Tutorial: How to Make a 3-Color Popcorn Stitch

Crochet allows you to express your personality, style, and creativity in a colorful and tactile way. There are many techniques you can use to create your own, unique, piece, one of them being the popcorn stitch: a bouncy, bobble-type stitch crocheted into your design.

Molla Mills (@molla_mills) is a Finnish crochet pattern designer and author who teaches the delights of crochet to people all over the world. For the past ten years, she has also been spreading her love for the art through a series of books called Virkkuri—“crochet artist” in Finnish—which have been translated into ten languages.

In this tutorial, Molla will show you how you can add a sense of fun to your crochet pieces by using the popcorn stitch.

Amigurumi Tutorial: How to Do The Basic Stitches from Scratch

Designing and making your own Japanese-style crochet dolls is a crafty (and easy!) way of adding a bit of fun to your life. Better known on social media as the "Prince of Crochet (@principe_del_crochet), Marcelo Javier Cortés loves transforming a whole variety of references—including images, poems, and stories—into cute characters.

In this tutorial, he teaches you the basic techniques you need to create three stitches: single crochet (generally known as double crochet in British English), increase, and decrease.

If you've enjoyed these tutorials and want to experiment with the craft in more depth, why not check out all of Domestika's fiber arts courses to find the best match for your style and skills.

You can also discover more free creativity tutorials from the pros by keeping an eye on the tutorial lists section of our blog.

You may also like:

- 12 Online Crochet Courses to Master Your Technique in 12 Months
- 5 Websites for 100s of Free Crochet and Knitting Patterns
- Upcycling Tutorial: 5 Hacks to Transform your Clothes
- Upcycling with Crochet for Beginners, course by Emma Friedlander-Collins