Crochet Beginner's Course [1st Lesson] Coasters

This project is designed to crochet some classic accessories together with beginners who want to try crocheting!
We have also prepared video explanations to make it easy for beginners to understand, so please feel free to give it a try!
Well, the first one is a classic of classics: coasters that are small but practical and fun to knit.
This is a great item to practice with and knit several pieces in different colors.

Now, let me talk a bit about the name of this course... I'm a Sapporo native, so I used to go skiing with my family when I was a child. At those times, I remembered a "beginner's course" that I felt would be safe and easy to ski on, so I came up with the title.
We would like to continue the series at a leisurely pace from the second installment onwards, so we hope you will continue to support us.

First, prepare your tools and yarn.

What do I need to prepare?

Here's what you need to prepare to knit this piece:
・1 ball of medium-weight yarn
・Size 7 crochet hook
・Binding needle
Scissors

The yarn I used this time is "Daruma Merino Wool, close to raw wool."

The recommended crochet hook size is 7 to 7.5, so I will use a size 7 crochet hook to knit this piece.
You can get yarn and crochet hooks at 100 yen shops, so it's a good idea to try out some materials and, if you enjoy it, gradually collect more.

What kind of crochet hook do you recommend?

This time we'll be using medium-weight yarn, so we recommend a size 7 crochet hook. If you think it might be too tight for your hands (you might have to tense your hands when crocheting), it's best to have a size 8 crochet hook, which is one size larger. A set of size 7 and size 8 double crochet hooks (metal crochet hooks with hooks on both ends) is also convenient.
I don't have very strong hands, so I usually use a size 7 crochet hook for medium weight and a size 8 crochet hook for extra thick weight.
A size 7 crochet hook can also be used when crocheting bags, hats, etc., so it's a recommended size that will come in handy in many situations if you have one.

What thickness of thread do you recommend?

At first, it is easier to knit with thicker yarn, so we recommend using a medium to extra thick yarn.
For this coaster, I chose medium weight yarn so that I could use a size 8 crochet hook if it got too tight for my hands.

What material of thread do you recommend?

There are many different types of yarn, including wool, cotton, acrylic, and linen. At first, using stiffer yarn may require more force from your hands, which can tire you out, so we recommend using soft, taut yarn. This time, we will be knitting using wool yarn. If you want to use it as an eco-scrubbing brush, you can also knit it with acrylic yarn (the blue-green piece is a sample knitted with acrylic yarn).

What color thread do you recommend?

Since you will be counting the number of stitches as you knit, a lighter color is recommended as it is easier to see. Darker yarns can make it difficult to see the stitches, especially at night.

Let's take a look at the work and how it's made

Why knit coasters first?

Coasters only require a few rows and can be completed in a short amount of time. It's nice to have the feeling of accomplishment immediately return to your desire to try crocheting!
The first thing I knitted was a small motif. The joy I felt when I finished it was enough, even for a small piece! I remember getting absorbed in knitting several pieces, changing the colors.
Coasters are also a type of craft that you'll want to knit several of if you plan on actually using them. Using the things you've knitted is also one of the joys of knitting.
With this in mind, I chose coasters as my first piece.

What is the size of the work?

The coaster I knitted is 10cm in diameter. The height of each double crochet is about 1.3cm. The amount of yarn used is also very small, at 4.5g. If you use one ball of 30g of yarn, you should be able to knit about six coasters.

How do you knit a coaster?

This time, we're making a circular coaster. The idea is to knit in a circle, and the circle will gradually get bigger.
All the circular parts are knitted using double crochets.
Once you have knitted the circle, continue by knitting the edge. Edge knitting is also a pattern knitting that is based on double stitches.
Once the edge is knitted, cut the yarn and finish it off.

-Why do you make long knitted pieces?

When you think of crocheting, many people may imagine bags, hats, stuffed animals, and other items made with knitting needles. Once you get the hang of it, knitting needles is a very easy technique, but it can be a little difficult to understand at first.
I'm not comparing the ease of knit stitch and double crochet, but the reason I chose double crochet this time is because it's easier to see each stitch.
Since you will want to count and check the number of stitches for each row, it is important that the number of stitches is easy to count.
As I will explain later, the beginning of each row is knitted in a different way than the other stitches, so it is easy to understand how to position the stitches when knitting double crochet.
As you continue crocheting, you will come across many beautiful double stitch patterns, so be sure to master them.

How do you look at a knitting pattern?

Here is the knitting pattern for the coaster we will be knitting today. The edges are marked with blue symbols to make them easier to understand. Before we start knitting, we will briefly explain how to read the knitting pattern.

・What do the knitting chart symbols mean?

There are four types of symbols that appear in this knitting pattern. The numbers in each row indicate which row it is, and the arrows indicate the direction to knit.
The slip stitch symbols are always placed at the end of a row. This means that after you finish the last stitch of a row, you insert your needle into the first stitch of that row and make a slip stitch.

Chain knitting

Pull-out knitting

Double crochet

Single Crochet

・How to cast on

The four chain stitch symbols and the black slip stitch symbol in the center of the pattern are the cast-on stitches.
Crochet four stitches to form a chain, then slip stitch through the first stitch to make a loop.
When it comes to circular knitting, a loop cast-on is probably the most common, but if you're new to it, it can be difficult to get the timing right, so this time I tried casting on a chain in a loop.
The chain you cast on will wrap around the stitch, so it doesn't matter if it's a little twisted or you put the needle in the wrong place.

・How to knit coaster fabric

All stitches except the edge are knitted in double crochets.
Insert your needle into the center of the chain loop where you cast on the stitch, and scoop up the entire chain (this is called scooping it into a bundle) to knit the first row. The first row will have 16 stitches, the second row will have twice that, at 32 stitches (an additional 16 stitches), and the third row will also have 16 stitches, for a total of 48 stitches.
In the second row, every second stitch is crocheted twice. In the third row, every other stitch is crocheted twice.
This is how you knit, increasing stitches as you go.

・How to knit the edge

The blue symbols are the edges. After knitting a quarter crochet, gap one stitch and then crochet four double crochets. This double crochet is knitted four times in the same stitch of the previous row. Next, gap one stitch and then knit a quarter crochet, and so on, repeating the same process to complete one round.

Now let's actually get knitting!

Knitting video here

This video explains all the steps to actually knit a coaster, from how to hold the yarn and crochet hook to how to dispose of the yarn after knitting. This is a silent video with subtitles.
It's about 25 minutes long, so please take your time to watch it when you have time.

When did you start using yarn?

It is recommended to find the end of the yarn hidden in the center of the ball of yarn, remove it, and start knitting, as this will prevent it from rolling around while you knit.
With some yarns, it can be hard to find the end in the center and difficult to pull it out properly, so in those cases you may end up pulling it out in a big lump...but this is easier in the end than picking the end from the surface of the ball of yarn and starting to knit.

Be sure to check the number of stitches on each row!

Always check the number of stitches after each row you finish knitting. If the number of stitches is not as shown in the knitting pattern, the number will not match when you knit the next row. If you try to crochet the edge and the number of stitches doesn't match, you'll have to undo several rows, which can be disappointing. To prevent this, make sure to count the number of stitches after each row.

・How do you count the number of stitches?

We will use images to explain where to look for the first stitch of a knitted piece. Please use this as a reference when counting the stitches in your knitted piece.

When you finish knitting

There are several ways to finish knitting, but for this coaster, after the slip stitch, I just pulled out the end of the yarn so that the end of the knitting would not be noticeable.Finishing knitting and yarn disposalPlease refer to the page for more details.
After the yarn is pulled out, it is treated on the back of the knitted fabric so that it is not noticeable.

・What if you want to tighten your center?

Since you started knitting four chain stitches in a loop, there will be a small hole in the center. If this bothers you, when you finish the yarn, pass the yarn through the double crochets in the first row as shown in the image below, and pull the yarn to tighten it after making one full loop. After that, pass the yarn through the nearby stitches again and finish the yarn so that the end does not slip out.

Have you ever had any of these problems while knitting?

The size will be smaller

A1. Your hands may be too tight.

There are several reasons why the size may be too small. First, your hands may be too tight. This is not a good or bad thing as it varies from person to person, but as you become more accustomed to knitting, you may be able to relax and find a comfortable fit for you. The quickest way to adjust the size is to try using a larger crochet hook. If you're using a size 7, you can make the size a little larger by crocheting with a size 8 hook.

A2. The yarn may have been thin.

Even if the yarn is labeled as "medium weight," there can be some variation in thickness depending on the yarn. The yarn you used may have been a little thin, which is why the size ended up being smaller. In this project, the edges fit together perfectly no matter how many double crochets you knit, so why not add another double crochet and knit up to the fourth row? In the third row, you knit two double crochets every other stitch, so in the fourth row, you just need to knit two double crochets every other stitch.

A3. The length of the double stitch may not be high enough.

Another possible reason is that the height of the double crochets may not be high enough. The height of each stitch can change quite a bit depending on how much you pull the yarn out when you knit a double crochet, so if you don't pull it out enough, the double crochets won't be tall enough and the size will be small. A good guideline for the height of a double crochet is three chains. It might be a good idea to keep this image in mind and knit a little more carefully.

The size will be larger

A1. Maybe your hands are too loose.

One possible reason for the larger size is that you are knitting too loosely. If this seems to be the case, try knitting a little tighter, or use a smaller crochet hook (for example, if you are using a size 7, try using a size 6).

A2. The yarn may be thick.

Even if the yarn is the same "medium thickness," there are differences in thickness depending on the yarn.
For example, here is a blue-green piece (photo below) that I knitted as a sample of a different color. The yarn used here is labeled as "medium weight" on the product, but it is actually quite thick, and the finished piece is quite large.

If you want to make it smaller, try stopping the double crochet at the second row (which will still allow you to make the edge stitches even) and increasing the number of double crochets in the edge stitch by 4 or 5.
The right side of the image is a sample of this arrangement. However, it may end up being a little smaller than the coaster size...

The knitted fabric does not lie flat

A. Try using a steam iron

Depending on how you knit and the nature of the knitted fabric, the knitted fabric may spread out or curl up slightly, resulting in an unstable finish.
In that case, pin the edge of the knitted fabric in several places and try using a steam iron while holding it above the surface.What if it bends back or twists?" is also explained in detail, so please refer to it.