What should I make first?
Four questions, plus one optional. You’ll get one craft to start with, one small first project and the supplies you need for it.
Your result
Start with crochet
Crochet uses one hook, and there’s only ever one live loop on it. If you make a mistake, you can pull the stitches back to it and carry on.
Your first project: a single crochet dishcloth
You need a 5.0 mm (H-8) hook, one ball of worsted (#4) 100% cotton (about 80–100 yards), scissors and a yarn needle. Chain 26. Starting in the 2nd chain from the hook, work 1 single crochet [UK: double crochet] in each chain (25 stitches). Then chain 1, turn, and work 25 single crochet in every row until it’s square, about 7 x 7 inches. If your starting chain is tight and puckers (very common), make it with a 5.5 mm (I-9) hook and switch back to 5.0 mm for Row 1.
Start with knitting
Knitting is the same four moves over and over, which suits a steady rhythm. Your first project uses one stitch: the knit stitch.
Your first project: a garter stitch dishcloth
You need 5.0 mm (US 8) straight needles, one ball of worsted (#4) 100% cotton, scissors and a yarn needle. Cast on 35 stitches, knit every row until it’s square, then bind off and weave in your ends. Count every few rows. If you have 36, the yarn has usually gone over the needle at the start of a row. Once you’ve got the rhythm, the scarf in Part 4 of the guide is the next step.
Start with embroidery
Embroidery is drawing with thread: the needle goes up through the fabric, then back down. The supplies cost about $15–$30 to start (a rough estimate).
Your first project: the Free Heart Stitch Sampler
A free printable PDF by Craft with Cartwright, no signup: seven hearts, each in a different stitch. It’s drawn for a 7 in (18 cm) hoop, so use a 7 in hoop for this one, not the Starter Kit’s 6 in. You also need plain woven cotton fabric, embroidery floss [UK: stranded cotton], an embroidery needle and a washable fabric pen. Start with the running stitch and backstitch hearts and leave the French knots until last. Print at 100% (actual size) so it fits the hoop. View pattern ↗ (designer’s site, opens in a new tab)
Start with mending
You want the clothes you already own to last longer. A loose button is the easiest place to start.
Your first project: sew on a button
You need a hand-sewing needle, matching thread, a pin and scissors. Double the thread and knot the end. Lay the pin across the button so the stitches stay a little loose. Come up from the back through one hole and down through the opposite one, about 6 times (then the other pair on a four-hole button). Take out the pin, bring the needle up between the button and the fabric, and wrap the thread around those stitches 3–4 times to make a short stem. Push the needle to the back and finish with a few small stitches and a knot.
Your next fix is a small darn.
Want a different craft? Try .
Start here: your Starter Kit
One page for crochet, knitting, embroidery and mending: just what to buy and what to make first. Download it straight away, and once you confirm your email we’ll send you a copy too.
- The few tools you really need for each craft, with rough costs
- A small first project, first stitches or first fixes for each craft
- Plain-English words you’ll see, with US and UK crochet terms
Free printable Starter Kit (PDF), plus 2 free patterns a month.