How easy are your crochet kits?

I thought it might help to summarise on one page the range of skill levels that apply to my crochet kits. I indicate how easy each kit is in the product descriptions, but if you are browsing and want a shortlist of kits at the right crochet level for you or a friend, here’s all the information you need in one place.

Below I will try to expand a bit on the crochet skills each of my kits requires. This information is helpful whether you are a beginner or an experienced crocheter. Do feel free to ask if you have any questions, especially if you are a non-crocheter buying a gift for a crocheter, as it can be tricky negotiating an unfamiliar craft.

All the patterns in my project kits are illustrated with colour photos, and full of detailed explanations where necessary. I like to think they are amongst the clearest crochet patterns you will find. They are also fully supported by me, so I’m always available to explain things in a different way if you get stuck.

You can find all my crochet kits in my online shop here on my website and on Etsy. The skill level of each kit will also be indicated by a coloured ‘flag’ in the product description.

The same broad levels described below are widely used across the crochet world, as you can see on the Craft Yarn Council’s web page here.

🟦 Complete Beginner

You have never crocheted before, or you tried it some time ago and have forgotten what you learnt, or you have been trying to learn the basics from online tutorials but it’s just not making sense.

I don’t believe a kit focussing on a single project is necessarily a good way to learn a new craft. I believe that when learning a new skill, you need extensive, detailed advice and the tools and materials to experiment with. It’s hard to include all that in a kit that is focussed on completing a single project (such as a particular toy or scarf).

I have therefore put together a specific crochet starter set focussed on actually learning to crochet. This contains everything you need to take you from the very basics to quite advanced crochet techniques.

Read more about learning to crochet with my Crochet Starter Kit here.

I also offer the excellent A Little Course in Crochet book by itself. Purchase it alongside any of my project kits below, find some additional yarn for experimentation (try charity shops) and you’ll be on your way to completing a project in no time.

🟩 Beginner Level

You have just started to learn to crochet. You will have made a start with a teach-yourself crochet book or online tutorials, and be able to handle your hook and yarn and form the basic stitches.

These patterns use only the most basic crochet stitches – the first ones you will learn in any crochet book or course. Typically, they only use UK dc/US sc stitches and UK tr/US dc stitches, plus chains and slip stitches. They may include some simple increasing and decreasing, but no colour changes.

Kits at Beginner Level:

Advanced Beginner Level

You are a beginner crocheter but you have already completed one or two projects successfully. You’re not quite ready to tackle large projects or projects with a battery of different stitches, but you are growing in confidence and keen to practise your new skills.

Whilst still being suitable for those just starting out in crochet, with the project requiring only the most basic crochet stitches, kits at this level feature an aspect that might require a little more perseverance, or a couple of attempts to get it right. For example, with my Pumpkin Crochet Kit it’s the stalk which requires a little more concentration, and with my Linked Rings Kit, it’s the fact you have to work the second of the otherwise very simple rings through the first that makes it a little more tricky.

On other websites, you may find these patterns categorised as “Easy”.

Kits at Advanced Beginner / Easy Level:

🟨 Intermediate Level

You have already completed several different crochet projects and feel quite confident about keeping count of your stitches. You are happy tackling a variety of different stitches within a single project whilst maintaining an even tension.

These kits still use only standard crochet stitches that you will learn in any crochet book or online course. However, at intermediate level, you will find different stitches combined in more involved ways to provide texture or shaping. These projects may require you to change colours frequently (all of my patterns where this is required include a detailed tutorial on how to do this neatly.)

Kits at Intermediate Level:

I believe that the clarity of my patterns means that you may be able to tackle more advanced patterns than you think. Many customers who describe themselves as beginners have successfully completed my robin crochet pattern, for example, but I don’t recommended it as a beginner-level pattern.

🟪 Advanced Level

You are an experienced crocheter with a wide variety of projects under your belt. You are happy to tackle unfamiliar stitches and techniques, and even ‘ad lib’ a bit where the pattern allows it. You may also be happy with altering and adapting patterns to your own requirements.

These patterns aren’t for everyone, but are great for experienced crocheters who want to show off their skills.

I don’t currently have any kits that require an advanced level of crochet skills, although some of my crochet patterns do fall under this category.

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