Male seeking crochet 101 [Discreet hobby]

Horus

Basically I want to make something like the following: Linky
I have zero idea how to start and my aunts just laugh that a 30 year old male wants to do this so no help there.

Can someone give me 101 about this? Also can I order stuff via amazon?

Aioua

Well, you might want to start with making a scarf or something. I've crocheted one before, and when you're first learning your stitches aren't all the same size so it's going to come out all uneven. So trying to replicate that hat on first go might not be the best idea.

Other than that all you need is yarn and crochet hooks of the required size. There's about a billion youtube videos that are probably the best way to start. Trying to visualize the knots from a picture can be kind of hard.

naporeon

I don't crochet at all, but @Sheri could probably help/ point you at some resources.

This is her latest project:

knitdan

You might look on Ravelry, it's a community for knitters and crocheters, and there's ton of both on there. Lots of instructional links, and they have a forum.

You can get supplies on Amazon, and also they have books of all kinds.

If you can find a Local Yarn Shop that is what I would recommend, but those can be hit and miss with varying levels of friendliness to crotcheters and men.

I taught myself to knit at your age from books, but it depends on your learning style.

You could always try your family members again, if you're persistent they might realize it's not just a lark and help you out.

ceres

Okay. What you want to make doesn't look too complicated.

I am at this point (after about a year or so) what I would consider to be an intermediate crocheter, and I am just about entirely youtube-taught. The easiest thing in the world is crocheting in the round, and there are approximately one million videos (some better than others) that can teach you to do that step by step. Spiral crocheting is probably how you would do the base of that project, and some really basic amigumuri are adorable, and great practice. Get some patterns for the really simple stuff, and after you've done enough different things you can see how things come together well enough to make your own patterns and stuff.

Personally, I've been finding that I lose interest in anything much more drawn-out than a 4-inch granny square because my unmedicated attention span is just terrible, so I've taken to making larger pieces composed of smaller squares, which I also learned to do from youtube. Basically what I really want you to take away from this is that youtube can teach you to do absolutely anything. I have some favorite video makers and tutorials I can direct you to if you'd like.. I feel their patterns are the most simple and interesting I've found, and they will show you how to do them from start to finish.

And don't get discouraged in the early game; as Aioua said, tension is something that takes a lot of practice. Start by making sure you've got the right hook size for the yarn you want to use, because that can really affect your results, but beyond that getting the right pull on your stitches comes down to how many you've made.

LoveIsUnity

Listen to ceres, because she is correct about everything.

Also, as a man who likes to crochet, fuck the people who are hating and making you feel weird. Crocheting is fun.

ihmmy

basic crocheting and the beginner stitches are thankfully super easy to pick up. Easier than the other thread-crafts I've tried anyway. Like Ceres, I've mostly been learning how to crochet through youtube videos, some websites, etc. I also have a book of basic stitches because it's easier to refer to when I'm huddled in the corner of my couch. Practice, then practice some more, then practice a bit more. And by practice, I mean a lot of playing around to see what the different stitches do and look like, which ones are easier for you to do many of and which ones your fingers don't like working on, etc.

Elin

Check your local library or craft store (Michaels if you have one near you). Both of those in my area offer free begginer crochet/knitting classes.

ceres

Definitely forget the haters.

seasleepy

Also, if you are left-handed: it's not a problem, but you do need to know that since there's only the one hook that you'll probably want to hold in your dominant hand, if you're left-handed and you're looking at diagrams/videos of right-handed folks performing a stitch the steps will look different (if remaining functionally similar). There are plenty of videos/diagrams of people demonstrating various techniques left-handed though if trying to translate from right-handed confuses you as much as it does me.

schuss

Yeah, my Fiance is a lefty and knits like a damn demon. Also, if I were in the market and even remotely talented with fine craftwork, I would do this just to meet women. Yarn shops are filled with young women these days.

wonderpug

Count me in as another proud male crocheter. The mathy sciency part of my brain doesn't like not knowing how something works, so when it dawned on me that I had no idea how crocheting and knitting worked, I had to learn how. I haven't made a ton of stuff, but I'm pretty proud of a gigantic Griffindor scarf I made for my wife, and I've got materials for a Firefly Jayne hat just waiting for me to stop procrastinating.

Anyhow, while the results of crocheting and knitting look very similar, crocheting is much more forgiving for a beginner. Plus, crocheting techniques come in handy when you knit.

Crocheting is more forgiving because if the yarn slips off your hook, all is not lost. It's not hard to figure out where you left things, and at worst you lose a stitch or two. If you drop a stitch in knitting, it can be a labyrinthine MC Escher puzzle to figure out how to restore things, and you risk losing rows and rows of work.

So yeah, give crocheting a shot. The basics are pretty easy to pick up, and it's very relaxing to do. When I was into it more, I enjoyed doing it on the side as I watched TV or whatever.

cookiekrush

My male coworker is the one who taught me how to crochet (he also taught several of my female coworkers as well). He's been doing it for years, and always has a present/gift for everything. Every Wed lunch hour is "B*tch & Snitch" at my work.

Your hat/mask/armor doesn't look too hard, it'll just take some practice before you can get to it since tension is the hardest part about it. It also might be two pieces, with the front mask held by the button on the side.

Anyways, youtube the basic, how to start, end, change, all the basics. If you're a lefty, just mirror the video if possible. If someone can show you how to do it, but is a righty, place a mirror in front of them, and you will watch the mirror and not the person.

When you're at the store, buy a multi-set hook, with different sizes. My tension is always tight, so I always opt for a bigger hook in my projects. For the yarn, practice on a lighter color. Working on dark colors may throw you off until you're used to where your hook should be going.

Your first projects should be squares or scarfs. They're the easiest, and best way to test your tension and to ensure you're hitting the right row.

illirica

Teaching yourself from videos on the internet is totally doable. That's how I learned, about two years ago. Youtube has some great ones. Look up "Kim Guzman" or "Bethintx1," both give very good tutorials. Kim Guzman also has many how-to-for-lefties videos if you're left-handed.

Join Ravelry. The videos will give you the basics, the people on ravelry are good about giving you extra pro-tips and helping out. There are also several groups there just for guys who knit or crochet, so you can find some like-minded men there if you're interested.

I definitely second those so far who've advised using a lighter color to learn on. Dark colors it can be very hard to see your stitches (especially if your lighting is crap like mine is), and that makes it more of a challenge. It's easier to learn with lighter colors and then once you've mastered the basics, use whatever colors you'd like. Grab a few cheap hooks of different sizes to start (I'd go with something in the G, H, I, J, K area for a beginner, just pick a few out of there or find a cheap set that includes some of them).

How long it takes you to learn is mostly going to be based on how much you work on it, but that hat you linked is not a difficult looking project. You'll want to start with something flat, probably - working in the round is hard until you've mastered counting your stitches.

You can order stuff from amazon if you like, but you're probably better off just going to a fabric/craft store, because amazon's yarn selection is kinda crap. You can also often find yarn at thrift stores if you don't want to spend much, and since you're just beginning, it won't matter much if it's low-quality stuff or just small amounts. Most people find worsted weight yarn the easiest to learn on, and cheap acrylic is just fine to start out.

Also, don't worry about being a dude who crochets. There are lots of them. Nuts to the haters - if you like it, you do it, and good for you.

ceres

I actually don't count. I use a bit of scrap yarn to mark things out.

And bethintx1 is totally ones of my favorites. I love her stained glass square.

Hypatia

I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but I wanted to learn to crochet so I bought the Klutz series Learn to Crochet Kit for kids and learned from that. It was actually really easy to pick up from there and it was nice to get a gentle introduction without having to figure out the gauge of the thread and needles and things.

I'd highly recommend it, but I might be the only one who thinks that kid kits are a good resource.