One thing that will always make me sad is when someone decides they want to learn to crochet and then they give up before they really give it a chance. Now I do understand that not everyone is going to love crochet (that makes me sad too!), but there is a difference between those that give up because they don’t enjoy it and those that give up before they’ve really given it a chance.

If you’re someone that wants to love crochet but feels ready to give up, then please stick with me! I have your back and I’m hear to help…

Understanding how we learn is important to understanding why you want to give up. Everyone learns differently and everyone learns at a different pace to others. It can be really frustrating to see someone pick up a new skill really easily when you’re still trying to figure out what it is you’re even learning. If you’re the person that needs more time, be kind to yourself. Stop comparing yourself to those around you and just focus on where you’re at now. And celebrate what you have learned! Even if making a slip knot is the only thing you’ve learned so far, you learned something and that should be celebrated!

When we learn something new we go through four stages of learning. The first is Unconscious Incompetence. This is the stage before you even start learning when you don’t know what you don’t know. At the very beginning of your crochet journey, this is pretty much everything! You’ve likely seen something made from crochet and probably watched someone crocheting, but you have no idea what goes into it other than a hook and some yarn.

When you take your first lesson you’ll move very quickly into the next stage which is Concious Incompetence. This is when you get an idea of all the things you don’t know, and this can be the most overwhelming stage. And the stage when you really shouldn’t give up. The only way to move out of this stage is to take in the lessons and practice. And this is why I will always encourage you to keep the lessons small and start with the basics. If you try to learn too many things at once you’ll be in a perpetual cycle of overwhelm. Every single thing you need to learn in crochet has foundational skills to get comfortable with first.

If in your first lesson someone tries to get you to start making a granny square, this is a red flag to me. You’re going to get lost in overwhelm before you have a chance! There are at least six things that I would teach and ensure you’re comfortable with before I would even suggest making a granny square. If this has been your experience then my first recommendation is to stop and take a bunch of steps back! Be sure that you feel confident in each of the things in the list below before you start to make a granny square or any crochet project.

• How to hold the hook and yarn
• How to make a slip knot
• How to yarn over and make a chain
• How to make a single crochet (UK double crochet)
• How to make a half double crochet (UK half treble)
• How to make a double crochet (UK treble)

Once you have learned that list, and feel somewhat confident then you are ready to start making something. And that’s when you’re in the third stage which is Concious Competence. In this stage you’re able to make things – even if it is stitches and not projects – and you’re aware and focussed on what you’re doing.

With practice you then move onto Unconcious Competence, which is when you can do things without thinking. For those of us that have been crocheting for a while we’ll be in this stage more often. The only way to get out of it and keep growing is to introduce something new. Whether that is a new stitch, new yarn, new design. Stepping out of this stage is how to keep life interesting!

And all of this is what I weave into everything that I do! I love to keep life interesting. I love to see others take on a new challenge and try something new. It brings me so much JOY to see people learning and loving what they’re doing.

Hopefully you now have a way out of the overwhelm and are prepared to keep on with the learning process. If you are then there are a number of ways that I can help you to keep on moving forward. The most supportive way is with my Hooked on Crochet Club! When you join you’ll get access to Stitches – my crochet beginner course. And you’ll be continuously taken through the 4 stages of learning that I’ve covered in this blog today.

I look forward to seeing you keep on learning!

Seona x