I learned from my mom when I was around 8. Only the basics stuck. I played with it for a few years making slippers mostly. Through my teen years I wandered away from it occasionally picking it up here and there to play, without really making anything substantial... A few years ago I started working at Classic Elite Yarns and really started working more with yarn; knit and crochet. I don't see myself setting it asside any time soon. I've learned so much more, and with each project there is something new to be learned.

~Kristen~

Visit my website

My mom taught me when I was 8? 9? 10? I remember making a top and skirt for a doll - the top was a sc oval with chain loops at each end to hook around her shoulders. The skirt was a tube of filet mesh with a drawstring to hold it on her, very revealing! I had to reteach myself when I was in my 20's and started all sorts of thread crochet projects, I love lace, and even finished some of them. My mother was horrified at the idea of doileys, lol. I'm thrilled at the patterns available these days in wool! They are so much nicer than what was available just a few years ago.

I am self taught. I decided to give it a try after finding some great patterns in a Leisure Arts magazine about 16 years ago.

I got $5 for my 6th birthday. $5 was a gold mine to me, it was my golden birthday. Went to the toy store and bought a "teach yourself to crochet" kit. The rest is history. Though it did take me a long time to get stitches into the chain, the pictures of that were perplexing.

Hardcore? Hardcore is for babies. I'm HOOKCORE!

Hi there! A co-worker friend of mine taught me how to crochet 6 yrs ago. My grandmother tried to teach me as a child, but I guess I (or she) didn't have the patience for it.

I've been crocheting all sorts of things (hats, doilies, scarves, blankets, etc). I haven't tried clothing yet...the very thought frightens me!

Since then, I'm teaching myself how to knit (WHAT am I thinking!?) I enjoy crocheting much better!

My mother and both my grandmothers taught me when I was very young. But it never "clicked" I remember trying to make a stuffed toy and the head looked like a train. lol.
I pretty much gave up then. But last year I joined a craft forum (craftster.org/forum) and saw all the awesome crocheted toys. Well I had to learn.
That was last December. It's been stuck ever since. I confess I can knit and purl and will be teaching myself more knitting. But the crochet just flows. It's faster and way easier now that I get it. :) But I still love the click of two metal needles weaving their way through a totally cozy yarn. :)
One Day I will knit a giant blanket just so I can say I did it. :)
But crochet it the one thing I feel really good at and like it's a skill and talent. Does God give the gift of crochet I wonder?

 My older sister taught me to crochet on a Super Bowl Sunday a few years ago. I was bored and unemployed at the time and had just quit smoking so I needed a new habit. Who knew this would be more addictive?!

-Jennifer Reeve

http://www.craftkitten.etsy.com

http://www.craftkitten.com

http://www.craftkitten.blogspot.com

I was taught the granny square by a friend when I was 16. We both worked on the school newspaper. My grandmother crocheted, but only in thread.

Another self-taught crocheter here - from a booklet I picked up at Michael's which promised to be able to teach me.

It worked!

A month afterwards I taught myself to knit from a kit aimed at kiddies. That was almost two years ago now.

My only regret is that I'd not learnt these skills years ago before my eldest was born.

I learned when I was 9 from my mother. She actually tried to teach me knit first but it frustrated me that I couldn't stop in the middle of a row. I didn't really get into crochet until six grade but that was only scarves. Then I discovered the online world of crochet and fiber-enthusiasts in 9th grade and I couldn't be more thankful for all the people online who contributed to the growth of my craft :)

I kinda explained this in my profile, but I'm glad I found this thread (lol, get it?). My grandmother taught me when I was about 10. I didn't really get into it until my late 20's. I wound up in a wheelchair and have really gotten into crafting, mostly needle art, but crochet is close to my heart because of my grandmother. I didn't realize then, how well she taught me, but when I found a crochet hook and yarn in a box I had, I went to it. I couldn't believe I remembered how to do it! I love it!!!!! She taught me how to knit too, but I can't remember for the life of me how to do it!!! I love crochet though, because it has like a rhythm to it that soothes the soul!!!!

My then-boyfriend's mom attempted to teach me when I was about 16. I was able to get the chain and sc, or so I thought. Never really gave it much thought though and never made anything. A few months ago, I decided I wanted to pick up the hobby again and be able to make stuff for my new little baby. Bought a book with some basic instructions and patterns (Happy Hooker) and had to basically re-teach myself.
So, long story short, a little bit self-taught and little bit ex-boyfriend's mom.

My mom when I was sick with mono in junior high and bored with TV but too wiped to do much - she taught me to chain, single, and double crochet. The rest is self-taught from books and web.

When I was in my 40's and our daughter was in her 20's, we asked my wonderful mother-in-law to teach us how to crochet. We were in our family room, with "Memaw" flitting from one of us to the other, making suggestions and corrections. What made the whole thing even more challenging is that I'm left-handed, so Memaw had to reverse her thinking on the fly. The results were hilarious--two grownup women struggling with chains, hooks, tension, etc., was a laugh-a-minute. The whole episode is one of my favorite memories of this unforgettable woman.

Funny thing--the reason I'm here today is to get help finishing an afghan Memaw started before she died. I'd love to give it to our granddaughter for Christmas, since she's moving into her first apartment in January. I took pictures of it, and it looks easy, but I'm basically a knitter, without enough experience to pick up someone else's work and analyze the pattern. It's off-topic for this thread, so I'll post my question somewhere else, but all of this has me remembering Memaw, vividly, today.

Suz
Easy-Knit-Crochet.com

I'm another self-taught crocheter. Somebody (my mom?) taught me to fingerknit when I was in about 4th grade, which helped when I picked up a hook a few years ago, but really, I learned using a few different books. I taught myself to knit the same way, but I'm a much more confident crocheter than knitter.

I learned to crochet when I was about 7, I think, by my grandma. She gave me my first little ball of yellow acrylic and I chained and chained until it was all used up. Then I'd wind up the chain into a ball. Then I'd undo the chain, wind it back into a normal ball, and do it all again. She died before she could teach me anything else, but I rummaged around my mom's room and found a ton of old McCall's Needlework and Columbia-Minerva brochures. It was the late '70's/early '80's so I had to get past the corny poses and colors, but I learned all the basics of crochet and knitting from those books.

I love crochet and all that can be done with it, but the one thing that holds me back is that I'm a tight crocheter (I always automatically go up one hook size) and my hands get sore easily. Kind of pathetic since I'm only 33, but such is life.

Jen
JRoKnits
http://www.jroknits.blogspot.com

Grandmother tried to teach me when I was small, but the tiny hook and the cotton thread were too frustrating. I quit.

One day almost three years ago, I took a friend's daughter to her 4-H crochet lesson, and the teacher said, "As long as you are here, let's teach you to crochet, too."

"I can't," I said.

"You can," she said, putting a hook and yarn into my hands.

She was right. It was fun, but I didn't think I'd do much with it.

A few weeks later another friend's baby was born with a terminal illness, and I made a prayer shawl for the mother. I've been crocheting ever since.

Mom taught me when I young - not sure how old but I was sewing doll clothes at 5 so it was probably around that age. Everything was done off the cuff - Mom didn't know how to read patterns - you looked at a piece and just "winged it."

I crocheted into my early 20's - it was the late 70's early '80's - all the yarn, it seemed, was acrylic. Mom was a sculptor at heart and the acrylic was perfect for the crocheted animal characters she made. I still have some of them - they'd be called amigurumi now!

About 5 years ago, I took a class at JoAnn's because I really really really wanted to bead crochet. I learned how to read a pattern and was sooooooo thrilled!! Mom was just as thrilled - I've been crocheting my way through every pattern I can get my hands on.

Funny, still haven't done any bead crochet yet.

Cindy

Like others, I learned from my mother at a young age. And I also had an aunt who was very skilled at crocheting. I just returned to crocheting after almost ten years dry spell. My goal to get away from the afghans more into the fashion side of crocheting and possibly designing.

Anthromom

My mom taught me to crochet. I don't really remember when -- maybe preteen or early teen years. I didn't do anything with it until January 2006, when I took a class at a wonderful local yarn shop in Appleton, WI. The teacher of the class was Angela Jurgens, a published designer. I have been crocheting ever since.

Anthromom

Hey all, newbie alert. ;)

I taught myself to crochet this summer. It's something I've wanted to do for a looooong time, but nobody would teach me. So I picked up a leaflet in a department store, bought a hook and a cheap ball of yarn, and spent hours trying to get it right. I went to bed and tried to work it out in my head and the next morning, it clicked. I'm quite proud because I also worked out how to make a pair of mittens without going anywhere near a pattern! (OK, so mittens aren't that difficult, but I'm proud!)

Miggins, mittens all on your own?!? Be proud!
Pauline

Kim Werker taught me how to crochet on her book tour last year. My learning curve couldn't have been shorter. Kim was a great teacher and so enthusiastic that I couldn't help but find lots and lots of projects to work on!

I learned to crochet about 25 years ago. My very bestest friend in the whole world, was always doing some sort of handwork while we were having tea, and it always made me feel like a slacker, so-o-o...borrowed a crochet hook from her and got started. I think my first project was a hat. I loved that hat, and the time I spent chatting with my best friend.

Kerry

Orginally my late Dad showed me and my late Mum how to crochet.

And found I needed to do something so went online for basic stitches so from thsi tiemlast yr coudl say abit self taught and a lot of help from a crochet friend who befriended me from New Zealand.

And I just love it.

Havw to say now hooked get engrossed and say oh mus tstop after this row and do some chores .

Speaking of I have to go and have some lunch.

Taught? I'm still catching on! I had a campfire leader show me how to chain when I was about 9..but I don't remember ever going beyond that. I'm a lefty and my mom was right handed. She always thought I needed another lefty to teach me, so she never tried to teach me herself. When I picked up hook and yarn earlier this year to try to learn from a book, I discovered I was more comfortable holding the hook in my right hand...too bad I didn't think to try that while my mom was still living.

My grandmother taught me to crochet, or as she called it "choshee". She was from Dundee, Scotland and she and her sister who lived in the US were prolific knitters, "crosheers" and tatters. They made lovely things and I am so glad I sat down with her that summer afternoon and asked her to teach me. I was only around 10-11, well over 40 yrs ago now.

I now finally have time to do my croshee work and knitting, and I am so glad for it. Never did learn to tat, which now I regret!

Just joined this site a little bit ago when I found it while searching for a pattern. I've had such fun reading this thread!

My great aunt taught me to crochet while my mom was in the hospital having my baby sister. I was 6yo and have crocheted since, putting it down for months/years but always picking it up again when I wanted something to do. I don't remember exactly what all she taught me but it was easy enough to pick up a pattern and learn a few new stitches here and there over the years. I've always loved puzzles and a new pattern is just a new puzzle to me. :-)

I look forward to checking out everything in this community!

Martie
Wife to Terry
Mom to Sarah, Savannah, Sandi & Skylar

My grandma Ethel taught me to crochet when I was about eight or nine. She also taught me how to knit. I loved crochet right from the beginning, but even so, she had such patience. Without making a big fuss, she was very encouraging. She taught me how to me how to make a tam-o-shanter hat, granny squares, and the afghan stitch (tunisian crochet). With the exception of a sampler scarf that I knitted while I was an art student, I did not do any needle crafts until about five years ago, when on impulse, I went into my LYS, bought some yarn, and re-taught myself to knit. Knitting was it, until about two years ago when I took out a crochet hook and re-taught myself that too. Knitting has now taken a back seat to crochet. I think a lot about my fantastic grandmother, and hope that she's looking down on me and smiling. She would have gotten the biggest kick out of how hip needle arts have become. I have three daughters (the youngest is four months old, so finding time to crochet is a big challenge) and I hope to be as good a teacher to them as my grandmother was to me.

I think I learned when I was 12-14. I remember my mom trying to teach me. I also remember her calling it quits, and leaving me to my own devices. Rightfully so, since I was a wee bit stubborn. Ok a lot stubborn, really seriously stubborn. But she had given me enough to work from, and the rest I sort of figured out myself. Soon enough we were sharing doily patterns, which is where all crochet should be learned. (you should be detecting some bias and some irony in there)

If you are working in lace with simple stitches, you learn everything. If you don't do it yet, give it a try.

Seems as though I've been crocheting forever (born with a hook in my hand? Wouldn't Mom have remembered THAT?!?). I did ask Mom the other day, just out of curiosity, and she can't remember either, but seems to think my Dad's mother taught me. Ages ago. Literally. Gram was the one who taught me how to bake bread, work buttonholes, braid coat hangers, and all sorts of other wonderful accomplishments. Come to think of it, she was also the one who taught me the cure for bee stings!

B

I learned to crochet from my great grandmother (father's side) when I was 11. She said it gave me something to focus on, something to give me purpose and to keep me out of trouble. I have crocheted about anything you can emagine from doilies to sweaters to throws. My grandmother (fathers mother) had the talent of being able to crochet without a pattern. Her throws always turned out beautiful. I try but it is a lot of trial and error for me. Unfortunately she never wrote the patterns down. That gave me incentive to start a crochet diary. On my mothers side they are knitters. I just learned to knit about 4 years ago, trading crafts with my mother, teaching her to crochet. Having your mother as your pupil is difficult but rewarding. Before I taught her she would make the Knitted part of a pattern and I would do the crochet, like the baby outfits that are knitted tops and crochet bottoms. Fun but not very realistic. I have been at this craft for 19 years and can say there is so much more to learn. Just when I think I have learned it all I come across something new. Thanks so much for this site. Hook on!!!

N

I just taught myself as well - from a Dummies book (not the best, don't recommend it) but now I'm addicted. I fear I may be a project starter and not a finisher because I seem to get bored easily but I have done two baby blankets so far...seems like everyone I know is getting pregnant.
Meg

Wow...I wish my history of crocheting was as long and as interesting as everyone elses'...

I think my mum did try to teach me, once, a long time ago. Didn't catch. And then, two years ago, I decided that, being strapped for cash and my youngest sister's birthday coming up, I'd make her a scarf. So I bought a ball of yarn, and a hook, completely screwed up my first attempt, took it apart, screwed up the second attempt, had a friend take that one apart and then...well, third time's the charm.

The scarf didn't stay a scarf though; it was too short and too wide, so I bought another ball of yarn and turned the scarf into a messenger bag, which my sister loved even more and still uses.

Since then...well, I've made a full sized blanket already, for my friends' wedding, innumerable hats, and a couple of scarves, and a baby blanket for my niece. Crocheting relaxes me, which is good because I've tried knitting failed miserably. Too many needles, I think. ;)

I get to be a teacher though...my youngest brother was so interested in what I've been making that now I'm teaching him. He's already masterd the sc...I'm so proud >:)

Hey everyone! My mom is the one who taught me to crochet when I was 4. and have played with it ever since!

I taught myself when I was like, 9,10,11...somewhere around there, my grandmother was supposed to teach me, but I got impatient, so I picked up a teach yourself book for kids at Micheal's and, well, taught myself.
I am sort of a beginner, so please bear with me!!

i learned to crochet from the internet, is that self taught?? once a got the hang of it (the tension right, how to hold yarn & hook, ect.) i bought a book and away i went. i haven't stopped yarning (as my 4 year old son calls it) since.

My Aunt, from Swan Lake, Manitoba, taught me to crochet when I was about 8 during a christmas visit. She can sew, knit or crochet almost anything. Apparently, I was very eager to learn (that's how my older cousin described it to me recently). My aunt showed me how to make a chain stitch and double crochet, and then how to make the wonderful granny square. She also gave me quick instructions on how to read pattterns.

At the end of the evening she sent me off with the two balls of yarn, a spare hook, and a pattern for a blanket and pillow set that used the popcorn stitch. I still have that pattern somewhere.

My grandmother taught me when I was little. I did a few projects and then put it away. When I was in college, I picked it up again and now I haven't quit!

http://yoursandi.blogspot.com

A woman came to visit my mother when I was only six. She took a ball of white thread and a steel hook and made a hat for my doll to wear. I was totally blown away at her ability to do that. I wanted more but she suggested I learn how to make my own. Sigh.

It was 24 years later that I got around to learning how to crochet. A woman from church showed me how to make a granny square. I bought a kit to learn more and I allowed a woman to live in my spare bedroom in exchange for lessons. I thought that was pretty brilliant of me even though my family has yet to understand why I got the best end of that deal. My friend has since moved on, but not before she answered numerous questions about the whole business of crochet and she challenged me in all the right ways.

My mentor/friend asked me how was I ever going to get beyond beginner patterns if I didn't at least try a more complicated one? When I asked her about a magazine that had graphs and charts instead of word patterns, she told me not to order it because it was too difficult for most people. I ordered the magazine right then and there. And I made the most advanced project in the very first issue that came.

I miss my friend but I am still motivated by her comments and I now know enough to be able to say that I have so much more to learn.

I wish I could say I've been doing it forever... My mom did actually teach me it, as well as knitting and embroidery and quilting and tatting since as early as I can remember... she's a true artist in any medium to be honest... but I'm ashamed to say, I just never got into it when I was younger. Guess I didn't have the patience or something. She learned from every one on her family; her mother and father were both crafters and even my uncle had learned to sew and embroider.

About a year ago, I found some really nice yarn that I *ahem* borrowed from her stash and asked her to show me how to crochet again - only because I wanted a scarf and the only way she'd let me have the yarn was if i made it myself... and something happened all of a sudden I was hooked! (ah, that pun never gets old!)

And I have to say, it really has brought us together even closer... we'll hit up the fancy yarn stores in NYC and I'll even call her at work with pattern questions now :). My sister's a prolific knitter and an origami artist - she makes these fantastic paper sculptures that put my lopsided attempts at a crane to shame - and I think it means a lot to her that her daughters are carrying on her family's tradition. She's even signing us up at Ravelry - with matching screen names :) (not so happy about that part, but hey :))

I had learned to chain and tried some basic stuff on my own when I was a kid, but I gave it up after everything was misshapen (I never had the patience then to read instructions) Recently though, my best friend Patrick got me started...and has been teaching me properly. I had seen a few things that he had made and thought they were beautiful and I told him that he had to teach me...we work together so once or twice a week we get together and he teaches me a new technique and then we sit and have a "stitch and bitch" session of our own about our work, partners, families, whatever...One of the best therapies that I have ever had. Thanks, Patrick!

When I was a kid I did some finger crocheting - making really cheesy headbands! I think my older sister taught me that in the car. I moved on to one of those little red squares and made pot holders at one point.

Both my mother and my great grandmother crocheted. I have baby blankets from my great grandmother which I treasure for her making them, although I always thought that they were too itchy. I remember a crochet blanket in our living room with I believe is a granny square pattern (just going from memory).

My mother taught me how to sew on a sewing machine after I learned how to sew by hand in school. But she wasn't an active crocheter anymore, so never taught me.

I've been wanting to crochet/knit since I went to college and saw some people doing it, but developed really bad carpal tunnel syndrome, so gave up that dream and looked on longingly. Then my little sister came to visit this Thanksgiving and was crocheting a scarf for her friend and I was mesmerized by the hook action. I still said that I couldn't crochet because of my wrists, but after she left I started poking around online... And I decided to crochet! That was a week ago and last night I finished my first scarf with a baby blanket on it's way!

I baught "I Taught Myself to Crochet" by Boye (Wouldn't recommend it. It's really slapped together) mostly so that I could get a bunch of hooks and tools for cheap (ten dollars for six hooks, two needles, stitch marker rings, and bulky knit yarn bobbins). Then I discovered Coats and Clark's Crocher Made Easy Video Lessons ( http://www.coatsandclark.com/Crafts/Crochet/Howtos/Crochet+Made+Easy+-+v... ) which were EXTREMELY helpful and Free! So I'd highly recommend that.

I'm still a beginner but I've decided to crochet my family Christmas presents, so I'm going to be moving fast! :)

I was taught to crochet by my Irish Grandmother and to embroider and needlepoint by my other Grandmother (Irish-German). Over the years many people Tried to teach me to knit...(really sad results--I should be blushing), "so" bad

One friend did prevail!! She taught me to knit Continental.
Glory be!! There was tension-just right, there was yarn traveling through the correct fingers, there was even instant gratification from the speed--I like speed, I like
gratification.....

But never fear I LOVE to crochet. It soothes me and amazes the alpacas and the llamas are certain they could do in.

Lady Black Pearl
Spinner of fleeces, cuddler of crias, shoveler of beanies
Believer in the infinite variety of the Universe

My mamá taught me to chain when I was seven or eight. But that was it. I could NOT progress. My mother didn't have the patience, and neither did my crafts teacher at school. My mother was very talented at all needlecrafts (she was actually a fashion designer and tailor), and whenever someone used to say to me, "And I suppose you're as talented as your mother?" I'd reply (with a trace of defiance), "The only thing I can do with a needle is truss a chicken!" In three decades, the only thing I crocheted other than chain was 1 1/2 booties when I was pregnant with my first child.

It was all bravado. I really did want to crochet, but it was intimidating. My mother's favourite type of crochet was thread, and the more intricate the pattern, the better. "Gee this is a difficult pattern!" she'd say, her index finger almost bleeding from the ultra-fine hook digging into it repetitively as she worked the tatting thread, "I LOVE it!" She made doileys from German and Japanese books and magazines, and the diagrams she followed made me break out in a cold sweat.

But one day when I was about 30 things changed. Time, as it turned out, made my desire to create something with my hands bigger than the intimidation, and it had also invested mamá with boundless patience. We were watching telly, her hands busy, mine empty, when I ventured forth a question, "Could I make a granny square?" "Of course you can!" she said with such confidence that I believed her. She puppy-walked me through my first two granny squares, then sent me home with yarn, a hook, and a magazine full of granny square projects. Man... I must have made half the projects in that book, and by the time I was done, I could crochet. I could read patterns, do all the stitches, block, whipstitch, and more. There was even a simple doiley in that book, and I made that for Mamá (albeit with thicker cotton than she would ever have used). She was so proud of that doiley! It kept pride of place.

And I have been compulsively crocheting for the last 11 years, although a marriage breakup 2 1/2 years ago put an almost-stop to it. I'm getting back into it now. I'm determined to never almost-stop again.

I'm self taught, although my Grandma crocheted constantly and my aunt is about ready to be admitted into a crochet addict's rehab program due to the extreme number of crochet items she has stockpiled. Neither taught me, but Grandma used to say that anyone who doesn't know how to crochet is stupid, and not wanting to be stupid, I taught myself how. I can't remember what book I bought (something out of date with an ugly pink afghan on the cover), but it didn't take too long.

I'm trying to teach myself to knit, but I'm finding it a lot harder than crochet, so I haven't spent much time one it.

By the way, I'm new, so hello everyone!

My mom taught me how! When I was probably 4... I only chained though. Then when I was 10 or 11 I wanted to learn how to do the real CROCHETING part. :) I'm 15 now. It's cool, my mom hasn't crocheted in probably twenty years (she wasn't able to after she had kids) and so last night she started a project and I helped HER. It was cool, because it was like I was doing a favor in return for teaching me how to crochet. :)