You may have a desire to learn and stitch like a pro, but I can tell you a little secret: there’s no such thing. Sounds bleak, doesn’t it? But the truth is, your stitching journey is unique to you, and what is your best may be very different from your fellow crochet community members.
In the years of learning crochet, there are skills I have seen in magazines that I have questioned, wondering whether I was capable of stitching such details. With every project, there’s a learning skill involved and a building up of skills that carry forward to the next.
Mastering a stitch isn’t about necessarily the look of the stitch but understanding the construction itself.
- Have you ever really observed the way you are stitching?
- How does the yarn flex and move within the throat of the crochet hook?
- What if you changed the way you are holding your hook and/or yarn feeding hand?
- What is your mood like today?
Your skill is so reliant on the imperfect movement of a human being. What’s good for you, may be awkward for someone else. Just changing small things like ‘yarn over’ to ‘yarn under’ makes a world of difference. While one motion is great for everyday use, the other is perfect for amigurumi. What’s good for one form, isn’t for the other. So the question is, what is a stitch pro anyway?
Stitching like a pro is really understanding the project at hand. If you know it’s a dishcloth, use 100% cotton yarn. It’s about understanding the needs of what the finished project should be, not just stitching for the fun of it. I have to admit, when I first started crocheting with 100% acrylic for my dishcloths and watched them rip apart in the first washing of my dishes, I didn’t quite get what was going on.
Learning to crochet is a gradual curve of education and personal perfection. I can crochet with my eyes shut and have confidence that the stitches are even, consistent and looking fine. That takes practice and it took years for that to happen. I would see stitchers do that and inquire about how it’s possible, but once your brain and hands are in sync, there’s really nothing to stop you. You stitch with the wind and fly like a bird.
Stitching like a pro isn’t about cross comparing your skill with others. Some people have more time on their hands to take time to process and learn. Others, maybe like you, are fitting in crochet in between your hectic life schedule.
If you are not happy with your finished item, ask yourself why? What would you have done differently for your accomplishment?
Hindsight is always 20-20. Take a step back after a project is done and think about the obstacles you faced, but I really want you to think about the lessons you learned. Take the wins as they come, take the not-so-great accomplishments and use it as a lesson.
It’s unrealistic to expect perfection but it’s realistic to watch yourself grow and learn from it. That’s the true joy of crochet anyway. For me, it’s about the stitching journey and rarely the ending point. I filled my stale time with something constructive instead of doom scrolling on my phone.
One stitch at a time, I believe. And try to always learn something new; don’t keep repeating the same projects over and over, unless it gives you joy. Challenge yourself. There’s a reason I have crocheted for nearly 40 years: the learning process never ends, and I tend to surprise myself as well. I bet the same can happen to you.
Michael Sellick, known as “Mikey” by crocheters, pioneered crochet instruction on YouTube, transforming a simple idea into the thriving community, The Crochet Crowd. Driven by the uplifting moments he witnessed, Mikey has fostered a global community since 2008, designing over 300 patterns, including his popular “Study of” series—stitch samplers reflecting current themes. Read more about Mikey here.