Step by Step Crocheting Tutorial for Kids
Teaching kids to crochet can be a wonderful bonding experience and can give them a hobby that will last a lifetime. Not to mention all the handmade mittens and scarves they can make to wear. Plus, it can act as a refresher course for crochet enthusiasts who have been out of practice for years. The key is to start small and teach kids the basics. Kids need to become comfortable with chain stitches and single stitches before moving on to basic patterns.
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Instructions
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Get comfortable. Sit to the left of your child. Have your child hold a hook in the right hand just like a pencil. Put the ball of yarn in a paper bag or sewing basket next to your child's feet.
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Show your child how to make a simple slip knot to start on the hook. Pull five or six inches of yarn up from the ball. Make a loop. Pass the hook through the loop and use it to pull the yarn coing from the skein back through. Pull on the tail to tighten the slip knot. Undo and have your child do the same and help as needed.
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Tell your child to hold the hook with the right hand and wrap yarn around the left index finger. Then show the child how to pinch the hook and slip knot with the thumb and middle finger of the left hand. Tell your child to transfer the yarn from their index finger to the crochet hook by wrapping it around the shaft from back to front. Instruct your child to pull yarn from the strand through the slip knot with the crochet hook to create the first link in a chain stitch. Repeat the process until the links form a chain about 18-inches long.
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Show the child how to start a single crochet. Insert the hook through the second chain stitch. Tell your child to wrap the yarn around the hook once and pull it through the chain stitch. Point out that there are now two loops on the hook. Tell your child to wrap the yarn around the hook again and pull it through both loops. Pass the hook through the next chain stitch and repeat. Have your child practice the chain stitch and single crochet several times, then select a basic pattern for your child's first project.
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Explain the directions for the pattern to your child. Observe the process to make sure the rows stay even. If they get wider or narrower then the child added stitches or missed a stitch. Unravel and start over. Once the pattern is complete cut the yarn from the ball and leave a tail about 4-inches long. Tell your child to wrap the yarn around the hook back to front. Instruct your child to pull the hook and tail through the final loop of the project, then set the hook aside and pull the tail to tighten and secure the completed pattern. Show your child how to weave the tail through the stitches to conceal it from view.
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Tips & Warnings
Patience is key when teaching children to do anything. Do not get frustrated if the child gets frustrated.
References
Resources
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