How to Find a Crochet Pattern

                      

I had an email from a reader a while back, asking if I had made a hooded cardigan or had a pattern I could recommend. It got me thinking that people who may be new to crochet or knitting would not necessarily know where to find a pattern for a new project. So I thought it might be helpful to (list) some of the places I go to:


The Internet/Blogs

When I first started to crochet, the internet was my lifeline. It taught me all the basic stitches and I would watch videos over and over to get the stitches right. In those early days I stuck to the simple things, mainly scarves and blankets before I ventured into anything else. I then started to discover crochet blogs such as Attic 24 by Lucy (probably my favourite crochet blog; such a wealth of knowledge that women has!!) who has an array of amazing patterns which are easy to follow including many tutorials to help you along the way.

I would recommend the internet first and foremost as a medium to find great patterns which can be free a lot of the time or available to purchase for a small price. My recommendations:

Ravelry
Etsy
Interweave
Craftsy
Yarn brands: Lion Brand, Red Heart, Stylecraft, Sirdar
Yarn stockists: Deramores, Wool Warehouse

Magazines

Simply Crochet came out a couple of months after I started so that helped massively at the time. I think I also got a couple of books for Christmas that year which inspired me to make something a bit more complicated. Simply Crochet features articles and yarn reviews as well as easy to follow patterns with great pictures of the finished item. Towards the back of the magazine there is a feature each month on how to crochet, so even if you are a complete beginner this section can help you through the basic stitches. They also include new stitches or ones that may be relevant to patterns they have featured in that issue. Simply Crochet also comes with a free gift every month and their subscription offers are great value for money!

Inside Crochet is another one of my favourites. Like with Simply Crochet (and most crochet/craft magazines), they feature a whole load of great, free patterns with amazing photography. Their website is also great to find patterns that were featured in the magazine previously so you can either buy that issue of the magazine or search the designer to find it that way (usually available on Ravelry). Inside Crochet offers more patterns than Simply Crochet in my opinion; there is always something to make for yourself or any member of the family.

As crochet and knitting has taken off massively in recent years, the shelves of WH Smiths and other retailers now stock more magazines dedicated to the craft than ever. This is fantastic for people who may be new to the craft or just want a bit of inspiration.

Books

As mentioned previously when I first started to crochet I received a couple of books that year for Christmas. I had a whole list of them in my Amazon basket waiting to be purchased but in all honesty I found what I needed from the internet as most authors have their patterns available online usually from Ravely or Etsy. Books can be a little overwhelming as there are so many out there it can be hard to know which ones are 'best' for a beginner. That being said I still love the books that I received that first year and I still have some that I want to add to my collection! My recommendations would be:

500 Crochet Blocks by Hannah Elgie and Kath Eastoe
Beginner's Guide to Crochet by Sarah Shrimpton (who also has a great blog, Annaboos House)
The Big Book of Crochet Stitches by Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss


I hope that has been helpful to some of you. The great thing is there are so many resources out there to help you find the perfect pattern for you, whether you are a beginner or crochet supremo!!