Learn to Crochet Online with Free Crochet Lessons from Liz Chandler @PurlsAndPixels
If you’ve been curious about crochet, you’re in the right place. Crochet is a hands-on skill built one loop at a time, using a hook, yarn, and a bit of patience. From blankets and accessories to everyday home items, crochet lets you make practical things while learning as you go. This page serves as the home base for crochet resources at PurlsAndPixels as the lesson library develops.
Crochet does not need to feel overwhelming. Whether you are a true beginner or picking your hook back up after a break, these lessons are designed to be clear, friendly, and easy to follow as you build confidence stitch by stitch.
📘 Prefer Learning with Printable Patterns?
While the full crochet lesson library is still coming together, you can absolutely start stitching right away. My crochet patterns are written with beginners in mind and walk you through each row and repeat so you can build skills while making something useful and enjoyable.
🧶 Choosing a Crochet Style
Before you start, you will want to decide how you prefer to hold your hook and manage your yarn. Many crocheters use either a “knife” grip or a “pencil” grip, and the working yarn can be held in whichever hand gives you smooth, comfortable tension. There is no single correct way to crochet. Comfort and happy stitches matter most.
💡 New to Crochet? Start Here
- Go step-by-step. You do not need to master everything in one day.
- Practice is normal. Repeating the same stitch a bunch of times is how your hands learn.
- You will surprise yourself. The first chain is the hardest, and it gets easier from there.
As new crochet lessons are published, they will be added here in a clear order so you always know what to learn next.
The Learn to Crochet Index
This page will grow into the complete learn-to-crochet curriculum used throughout PurlsAndPixels. The lessons will be intentionally organized and will build naturally from foundational skills to more advanced techniques. If you are new to crochet, starting at the top and working your way down will give you a thorough, confident understanding of crochet from first stitch to finished projects.
Use this section as your learning roadmap. As new tutorials go live, I will add them here in a beginner-friendly sequence, along with both written instructions and videos.
🧵 Crochet Foundations (Start Here)
These are the core skills that everything else in crochet builds on. Once you are comfortable with these, most beginner patterns will make sense.
- Choosing yarn and hooks for crochet (lesson coming soon)
- How to hold a crochet hook comfortably (lesson coming soon)
- Making a slip knot (lesson coming soon)
- Chain stitch (your first crochet stitch)
➕ Basic Crochet Stitches
After you can chain comfortably, these stitches form the backbone of beginner crochet projects.
- Single crochet (sc)
- Half double crochet (hdc)
- Double crochet (dc)
- Counting stitches and rows
(Individual stitch tutorials will be linked here as they are published.)
📐 Reading Crochet Patterns
Learning how to read a crochet pattern turns written instructions into real projects.
- How crochet patterns are written
- Common crochet abbreviations
- Understanding repeats, rows, and rounds
🧶 Beginner Crochet Projects
These projects are designed to reinforce the basics while giving you something useful to show for your time.
- Simple dishcloths and washcloths
- Easy scarves and rectangles
- First blanket-style projects
Patterns and tutorials will be added here as they go live.
🚀 Next Steps in Crochet
Once the foundations feel comfortable, you can begin expanding your skills.
- Working in rows vs. rounds
- Increasing and decreasing stitches
- Joining new yarn
- Finishing and weaving in ends
New lessons are added in order as they are completed, so this page can continue to serve as your central crochet reference over time.
🧷 Helpful Crochet Resources
Looking for more ways to support your crochet goals?
- 💻 Browse All Crochet Patterns: Find practical, pretty projects to make while you practice your stitches.
- 🧶 Explore Crochet Posts & Updates: See everything tagged for crochet in one place.
- 📚 Liz Chandler’s Knitting Guide: Want to learn knitting too? This is my complete beginner guide with lessons and patterns.
Settle in and start your first stitches. You’ve got this!
– Liz