So, now you have the understanding of what yarns to use and what tools you need to start your crochet journey. That is amazing, but what’s next? Where do you buy yarn? Where can you find patterns for the projects you want to make? Those are very great questions, so I will be answering them here for you all.
Let’s start off with where you can purchase yarn. I enjoy going to craft stores such as Hobby Lobby Joann, and Michaels. Those stores always have 2 or 3 isles full of just yarn. They have many colors and even funky designs like loop yarn or braided yarn. Browsing in craft stores can also give you inspiration. A lot of times, craft stores include little booklets next to specific yarns. The booklets have inspirations and patterns that are intended/ promoting the yarn they are next to.
Shopping in craft stores can be fun, but the prices can be a little crazy. Walmart and target also have good sections with yarn. They are friendlier to our pockets and are essentially the same kinds of yarns. Sure there is less of a variety, but if you want to start off slow and dip your toes in the water first, shopping here is a great option too. Online shopping at those stores is a good option too. I don’t do it because I don’t like paying for the shipping fees, but sometimes there are free shipping deals so maybe that’s something you’d like looking into. It is also a great way to not get too overwhelmed by the view of all the yarn options available in the stores when you go in person.
One thing a lot of people don’t talk about is that there are some even MORE budget friendly places you can shop yarn at. Sure, the prices at Walmart are nice, but there are two places where you can buy some pretty cheap yarn. The first place is at pretty much any dollar store. There is usually a crafts section, almost always near the school supplies. There is less variety than at the other stores I mentioned, but the price is nice, and the yarn is good quality too. I would recommend using these yarns for small plushies or beanies though. If you plan on making bigger projects like clothes or blankets, then buying the big bulky yarn at Walmart would end up being cheaper. Remember, the thickness of the yarn comes into play when thinking about how many yards you need for your projects. Each of the yarn cakes at the dollar stores range from $2- $3, and they are about the size of an adult hand. At Walmart, the bigger cakes are at around $8 but they are a lot bigger than the ones at the dollar store.
The last place I will mention where you can purchase yarn is probably one of the cheapest, but also limited places. The thrift store. Yes, I know, it sounds a little random. You can find so many things at the thrift store, but yarn is not what people go in looking for. This could be a sword of double edges. Not that many people go in looking for yarn there because not that many people give up their yarn to thrift stores. There are very few possibilities of finding yarn, and if you do, there won’t be a big variety of it. However, the times I have found yarn? I strike GOLD. I have purchased bags that seem to be full of yarn that’s all tangled up. Once I open them, there are usually many granny squares, headbands, and even gloves inside. It can be hard untangling yarn, so not many people who crochet glance twice in the craft section of thrift stores, but I recommend you at least check it out once. Sometimes people also shove their hooks into the yarn cakes, and you end up scoring one! Thrift store yarn is great for making small projects like coasters or granny squares for sweaters or blankets. I think its worth looking at if you are already there.
Now that you have an idea of where to purchase your yarn, let’s talk about where you can find patterns. The first way is by purchasing patterns. There are many websites that creators post patterns on. The one I use the most is Etsy. There are so many patterns available and a lot of them have great examples of how they turn out in the reviews. The second way you can access patterns is on Instagram. Instagram has many creators posting their projects. This form of pattern searching is special because there are actually THREE ways you can find patterns on here. The first way is by finding creators who post patterns for FREE. If you go on the tab that says ‘Crochet inspiration’, you will find a collection of free patterns that I found, as well as the Instagram handle of the creators. A lot of those creators also have many more free patterns on their pages so make sure to check them out.
The second way Instagram gives you access to patterns is by viewing the bios of the creators. Often, creators have a link in their bio and it shows where they sell or post their patterns. Some of the bios include the link to free blogs that have the patterns to some of the creations that they post on their Instagram feed. Other times, the creators have other websites where they sell their patterns other than in Etsy.
The last way you can access patterns through Instagram is by being a tester for the creators you follow. Some of the creators I posted often ask for their followers to be pattern testers. They have to meet some requirements and have to agree to have the project ready by a certain timeframe so maybe wait on this option since it can be a little pressuring. However, if you have practiced a bit and think you can dedicate time, this is a great way to get a free pattern and show support to the people who create the pattern.
Another way you can find patterns is by using YouTube. There are tons of free tutorials available. The creators of these videos often have some tricks that they mention for your patterns to be completed better. This can be a little harder to follow if you aren’t a visual learner since some of the videos don’t have verbal instructions nor written instructions on how to do it. They usually speed up the process so it can be hard to keep up since you have to watch AND crochet at the same time. Like I said before though, if you are a visual learner then this might be a good way for you to learn how to crochet rather than following written pattern instructions.
The last method I will mention, is that you can find patterns is by using google. There is a website called LoveCrafts where you can find a bunch of patterns for free. Just like this website, there are more where creators post their patterns for free and you are able to use them! There are a lot of beginner friendly patterns in these websites, so if you have time and want to surf the internet for a website that you like, this option is perfect. I hope this was a good guide for you and that you are able to purchase or find great patterns using these tips!
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