Day 1: Your First Crochet Project – Chain Bookmark

Kavitha
6 days ago
5 min read

Updated: 18 hours ago

Welcome to Day 1! I am glad you are here to start your crochet journey.

Today, we are not trying to be perfect. In fact, nobody can be perfect on their first day. We are just beginning. You will make your very first crochet piece, a simple bookmark. It may feel new, a little awkward, maybe even confusing at first. That’s completely okay. I will walk you through it, just like I would if I were sitting next to you.

What You’ll Learn Today

How to hold your yarn and hook comfortably
How to create a chain stitch
How to turn your chain into a simple bookmark

1. Holding Your Yarn & Hook (Let’s take our time here)

Before we even begin stitching, let’s spend a few minutes getting comfortable with how we hold the yarn and hook. This might feel like a lot at first, but this is the part that makes everything else easier later.

Your hands: a simple starting point

If you are right-handed, hold the hook in your right hand and guide the yarn with your left hand. If you are left-handed, switch sides. Everything still applies.

Holding the hook

You can hold your hook in two common ways: pencil hold, like you are writing, or knife hold, like you are holding a knife. Try both for a few seconds and see what feels more natural. There is no correct one.

💛 A small note from me:

If your hand feels tense, loosen your grip slightly. Crochet becomes much easier when your hands are relaxed, not tight.

Holding the yarn (this is the important part)

Now let’s look at your left hand, where the yarn is controlled. This is where most beginners feel confused, and that’s completely normal. You don’t have to get this perfect today. Just try to adjust slowly.

A simple way to hold the yarn

Place the yarn over your index finger. This finger guides the yarn to your hook. Let the yarn pass under your middle and ring fingers. These fingers help control the flow gently. Wrap or tuck the yarn lightly around your pinky finger. This helps create a soft, steady tension.

💛 A small note from me:

Your pinky may feel awkward or unnecessary at first, but it plays an important role. It helps keep the yarn from becoming too loose or too tight. Don’t worry if it doesn’t feel natural yet. Even a gentle hold is enough to start.

Holding your work (this is just as important)

As soon as you start making stitches, your thumb and middle finger come into play.

Use your thumb and middle finger of the left hand to gently hold the last stitch or the chain you just made. This gives you control and keeps your work steady while your hook moves.

Keep your grip light. You’re not pinching tightly, just holding it enough so it doesn’t slip.

💛 A small note from me:

If your chain keeps moving around or feels hard to control, it’s usually because this part is missing. Once you start holding your work with your thumb and middle finger, everything feels much more stable.

What you might feel (and it’s all normal)

The yarn keeps slipping.

You keep adjusting your fingers again and again.

Your pinky doesn’t cooperate.

The yarn feels too tight or too loose.

Your hands feel confused.

All of this is part of learning. Your hands are learning a new rhythm, and it takes time.

💛 A small note from me:

If you feel a little frustrated here, pause for a moment. Shake your hands out, take a breath, and try again gently. You are doing better than you think.

A gentle practice (before starting)

Before making your first chain, just spend a minute holding the yarn and hook like this. Move the hook under and over the yarn slowly. No need to make stitches yet. Just get used to the motion.

Even one or two minutes of this makes a big difference.

You don’t have to hold it perfectly to begin. Start with what feels manageable. Your hands will naturally adjust as you crochet more.

💛 A small note from me:

This is one of those steps that makes everything easier later. Take your time here. There’s no rush.

2. Creating a Chain Stitch

This is your first real step, and it’s a big one. Almost everything in crochet starts here.

Let’s do it together:

Make a slip knot and place it on your hook

Slip Knot - Detailed Tutorial

Wrap the yarn over your hook (this is called yarn over)

Gently pull it through the loop

That’s one chain.
Now repeat slowly. No rush.

💛 What you might feel (and that’s okay):

Your chain looks uneven
Some stitches are tight, some are loose
The hook feels like it’s not moving smoothly
You’re not sure if you’re doing it “right.”

All of this is part of learning. Truly.

If your stitches feel too tight and hard to pull through, try loosening your grip just a little. If they feel too loose, gently hold the yarn with a bit more control. This balance comes with practice, not perfection.

If your chain feels uneven, that’s okay. Your hands are learning something new.