I feel like many people start to learn to crochet because they see a beautiful crochet blanket and want to make one for themselves. That was almost me too! It isn’t why I started to learn, I started because I wanted to honour my Granny and I didn’t want to see a craft that I thought was dying out disappear. But once I started learning I did want to make my version of blankets that I had seen, including my Granny’s. If you’re just starting to learn to crochet though, then making a blanket is not the first project I would recommend. Let me explain why.

For most people, blankets are too big a project to start making if they’re still learning to crochet. Especially if they’re still trying to get the hang of holding the hook and yarn and making the stitches. Jumping into making a blanket before you’re ready would be the same as putting a kid on a bike without training wheels before they can balance, or a bike that is too big and they can’t reach the ground. Starting on a project that is as big as a blanket before you’re ready can make crochet overwhelming and scary and slow down the learning process.

That doesn’t mean that you need to be an expert in everything crochet before you start on a blanket either. You can feel confident in one or two basic stitches and that will be enough to get you onto making a blanket. There are some other factors to consider too.

You want to make sure that the blanket you decide on making uses stitches that you’re comfortable with. You also want to make sure that the design is one that is not going to overwhelm you or bore you. Both can make you not want to pick up your hook and leave you either making something you’re not enjoying or making you add yet another project to the unfinished don’t want to make you pile. You also don’t want to start out on a blanket that is too big unless you’re really enjoying making it as it can feel like it is taking forever if it’s not.

We want to feel good when we’re crocheting. We want to be able to enjoy the time we have with our hook and our yarn. We want to experience the joy that creating something for ourselves or someone we love can bring. So I have some tools to help you decide if making a blanket is soemthing that you’re ready for.

The first is my Crochet Confidence path. And below is a snapshot of the part that explains each level. Each of these levels is how members of the Hooked on Crochet Club measure their Crochet Confidence. It helps them determine what projects they should be focussing on next to help them move to the next level. But you can use this to guide you too.

I wouldn’t be starting out on a large blanket until I was on levels 3 or 4 (Getting Hooked and Hooked). Once you’re on these levels you have a greater understanding of what you do and don’t like before you start on a new project, so you can be more selective about the blanket that you choose. If you really want to make a blanket and you’re on levels 1 or 2 (Dabbler or Stitchmaster) then I wouldn’t start on a blanket unless it was a small one and used stitches that you’re comfortable with and enjoy making.

If you want to be able to find out what you enjoy making and are willing to try out new things, then my washcloths are an excellent way to practice and learn. And the added bonus with almost all of my washcloth designs is that if you do enjoy making them, then you have the instructions for how to adjust it to make it bigger. Which means that you can turn the washcloth design your loved making into a blanket of your own choosing. At the time of writing this I have over 40 designs to choose from and you can bundle them up to buy at a big discount if you purchase directly from my online store. I add to the collection every month so the number is just going to keep on growing!

I hope that this has helped you to decide if you’re ready to start making a blanket. I encourage you to experiment and learn more of what you love about crochet before you embark on mkaing one. I want you to love the craft of crochet and I’m here to guide you on your crochet learning journey if you’ll let me. Hit subscribe to this blog or join my email list so that I can guide you.

Seona x