You’ve caught the hooking bug, you took the steps to learn how to crochet and you’ve practiced your stitches and now you’re ready to start a project. Perhaps you’re not sure where to start for your first crochet project, or maybe you’re second-guessing your sudden desire to just into that big and complicated pattern. This article will help guide you in choosing your very first crochet project.

1. For your first crochet project, start small. One of the biggest pieces of advice I give my crochet students is to “start small and work your way up.” This may sound like simple advice, but you would be surprised with the number of students who have just learned to crochet who jump right into a complicated pattern. More often than not, this ends in terrible disappointment when the work is unmanageable or when it doesn’t come out the same as the picture. So, start with something small that you’ll be able to complete easily, something with minimal shaping and with stitches you know how to do.
2. Practice anything unfamiliar. If you do decide to take on a project with a stitch that you are unfamiliar with, take the time to practice the new-to-you stitch. Just as it’s important that you work a gauge swatch with every project, you should also take the time to work any new stitches so that you’re comfortable with the process and don’t ruin your hard work with incorrect work. If you are unsure how to work the new stitch, don’t forget that there are tons of YouTube channels with lessons of all kinds and you can easily learn there (even if you’re left-handed!).
3. Pick a simple, straightforward pattern. Here is a great example of a beginner crochet project that I’d suggest to a new student. Working on something simple like this for your first crochet project will boost your confidence immensely when you see how wonderful the finished project comes out. Once your confidence from a great finished project is up, you can move on to something slightly more complicated and keep going up from there.

Simply Straight-Up Crochet Scarf

Pattern by Yarnspirations

Skill Level: Beginner

Size: Approx 8½” x 70″ [21.5 x 178 cm], (excluding fringe)

Gauge: 13 single crochet (sc) and 14 rows = 4″ [10 cm]

Materials

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft (100% acrylic; 315 yards [288 meters]/170 grams): #9605 Mango (2 balls)
Hook: US size H/8 (5.0 mm) hook or size needed to obtain gauge

Pattern

Ch 31.
Row 1 (RS): 2 dc in 5th chain (ch) from hook (turning chain 3 counts as dc). *Skip next chain. 2 double crochet in next chain. Repeat from * to last 2 chains. Skip next chain. 1 double crochet in last chain. Turn.
Row 2: Chain 3 (counts as dc). *2 double crochet in space (sp) between next group of 2 double crochet. Repeat from * across, ending with 1 double crochet in top of turning chain 3. Turn. Repeat last row until Scarf measures 70″ [178 cm].
Fasten off.

Fringe

Cut 16″ [40.5 cm] lengths of yarn. Taking 3 strands together, fold strands in half and knot into 10 fringes evenly spaced across each end of Scarf. Trim fringe evenly.