Did you buy a hook and a skein of yarn, watch a video and get stuck on the very first stitch? Or were you left wondering which hook goes with which yarn? It is a common way to start crocheting, and the question often comes before the stitch: which hook to use, which yarn to pick and how many chains to make.
To help with that, we put together a crochet guide for beginners, as a PDF, with what a beginner needs close at hand: the hook size chart in millimeters, the yarn weight categories, the 5 basic stitches explained step by step and a granny square pattern. It is free, with no sign-up.
The guide is for anyone starting from scratch or coming back to crochet after years away. It teaches with text and charts, not symbol diagrams or video, and it has no patterns for large projects.
Safe download: PDF served from controllerdrop.com, no sign-up, nothing to install
Free PDF crochet guide for beginners: hook chart, yarn weights and 5 stitches
Hook chart, the 8 yarn weight categories, 5 basic stitches and a granny square pattern, to read on your phone or print.
Recommended by
Rosa · Crocheting for over 40 years
★★★★★
“The hook chart is the first thing I show a beginner, and a three-round granny square is the best first project: you can make mistakes and pull it out without worry.”
7 min read
📋 What you’ll find here
- What you get in the crochet guide
- Sample from the guide: the hook chart
- Hook chart: from 4.5 to 10 mm
- How to read the hook chart
- The 5 stitches the guide teaches
- Watch out: one name, two different stitches
What you get in the crochet guide
Charts and short steps, made to check with a hook in your hand. This is what the PDF covers:
- 1 hook chart with 18 sizes, from 2 to 10 mm, with the US letter and the old UK number side by side
- 1 chart of the 8 yarn weight categories, from 0 to 7, with the hook range and gauge for each
- 5 basic stitches explained step by step: chain, slip stitch, single crochet, half double crochet and double crochet
- The magic ring, for starting round pieces
- The name of each stitch in US and UK patterns, side by side
- How many turning chains each stitch needs and which chain the first stitch goes into
- 1 granny square pattern in 3 rounds, with the stitch count for each round
- 5 common beginner mistakes and how to avoid each one
Sample from the guide: the hook chart
This is the chart that opens the guide, the same one in the PDF. The first column is the size in millimeters, which is the one that counts. The second has the US letter, and the third the old UK and Canada number, still found on older hooks and patterns.
Part one, from 2 to 4 mm, for fine yarns and thread:
| mm | US | UK/Canada (old) |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 | — | 14 |
| 2.25 | B-1 | 13 |
| 2.5 | — | 12 |
| 2.75 | C-2 | — |
| 3.0 | — | 11 |
| 3.25 | D-3 | 10 |
| 3.5 | E-4 | 9 |
| 3.75 | F-5 | — |
| 4.0 | G-6 | 8 |
Hook chart: from 4.5 to 10 mm
Part two, for medium and bulky yarns, like the category 3 and 4 yarns used in the guide’s pattern:
| mm | US | UK/Canada (old) |
|---|---|---|
| 4.5 | 7 | 7 |
| 5.0 | H-8 | 6 |
| 5.5 | I-9 | 5 |
| 6.0 | J-10 | 4 |
| 6.5 | K-10½ | 3 |
| 7.0 | — | 2 |
| 8.0 | L-11 | 0 |
| 9.0 | M/N-13 | 00 |
| 10.0 | N/P-15 | 000 |
How to read the hook chart
Source: Craft Yarn Council (YarnStandards.com), accessed November 3, 2026. The UK and Canada column comes from a secondary source, and actual sizes can vary from one manufacturer to another. A dash means there is no US letter or no confirmed UK number for that size.
When in doubt, trust the millimeters. Letters and numbers vary from company to company: the G-6 hook is 4 mm in the chart, but some brands sell their G hook at 4.25 mm.
To choose, start with the yarn label, which often lists the hook size in millimeters. If it doesn’t, the yarn weight chart in the guide shows the hook range for each type of yarn, from category 0, the finest, to 7, the bulkiest.
The 5 stitches the guide teaches
Each stitch is explained in a few lines, one yarn over at a time, with the abbreviation used in patterns, and the magic ring comes along for starting round pieces. In short:
- Chain (ch): the base of almost every project; each loop pulled through the hook is one chain
- Slip stitch (sl st; UK ss): the shortest of all, used to join rounds and move along without adding height
- Single crochet (sc; UK double crochet): short and tight, it makes a firm fabric
- Half double crochet (hdc; UK half treble): sits between single and double crochet and grows faster than single crochet
- Double crochet (dc; UK treble): the tallest of the five and the stitch in the granny square
Watch out: one name, two different stitches
Anyone who follows both US and UK patterns runs into this trap early: the two systems use different names for the same stitches. The most common case is double crochet, which is a tall stitch in the US and a short one in the UK.
The guide gives the name of each stitch in both systems, side by side, so you know what the pattern asks for before you start. A pattern that mentions single crochet uses US terms, since UK patterns don’t use that name. The three that cause the most mix-ups:
- Short stitch: single crochet (sc) in the US, double crochet (dc) in the UK
- Medium stitch: half double crochet (hdc) in the US, half treble (htr) in the UK
- Tall stitch: double crochet (dc) in the US, treble (tr) in the UK
Your first project: a 3-round granny square
A granny square is made of groups of 3 double crochets separated by chains, with 2-chain corners. Each round wraps around the one before, and the math is simple: 12 double crochets in round 1, 24 in round 2 and 36 in round 3.
It is a good first project because it uses only chain, slip stitch and double crochet, and because you can pull out one round and redo it without losing the whole piece. The full pattern, round by round, is in the PDF.
Use a category 3 or 4 yarn in a light color, so you can see the stitches clearly, and a hook within the range for that yarn. The finished size depends on the yarn and hook, so the guide doesn’t promise a measurement in inches or centimeters.
What the guide doesn’t do
It doesn’t teach with crochet charts, the symbol drawings many patterns use, and it doesn’t replace watching someone work the stitch.
It also has no patterns for clothes, stuffed animals or large pieces. The goal is different: to make choosing a hook and yarn clear and to get the 5 stitches that form the base of crochet into your hands.
How to download the crochet guide PDF
2 steps, on a phone or a computer:
- Tap the Download the free PDF button, right after the introduction or at the end of this page
- The PDF opens in your device’s reader; save the file to check it even offline
Is it worth it?
For a beginner, yes. The hook chart answers which hook to use with each yarn, and the granny square gives you a short project to practice the stitches. Print the chart and keep it next to your yarn.
This guide is informational and independent. The charts follow the Craft Yarn Council, accessed November 3, 2026, and actual sizes can vary by manufacturer. We have no ties to yarn or hook makers, and we are not responsible for the results of your projects or for differences between the chart and the product you buy.
FAQ
Is the crochet guide really free?
Yes. The PDF is free, has no paid part and never asks for a card.
Do I need to sign up or give an email?
No. You tap the button and the file opens, with no form, no email and no app to install.
Does it open on a phone?
Yes. It is a regular PDF that opens in your phone’s PDF reader or browser. To read the charts, turn your phone sideways.
Can I print it?
Yes. The two charts are the pages most worth printing and keeping next to your yarn.
Does it work for left-handed crocheters?
Yes. The guide teaches with text, with no hand drawings, so the steps work for both hands. If you are left-handed, hold the hook in your left hand and work from left to right.
Does the guide use US or UK terms?
US terms, with the UK name next to each one. That keeps you from mixing up double crochet, which means a different stitch depending on where the pattern comes from.
Which hook should I buy first?
It depends on the yarn. For the guide’s pattern, with category 3 or 4 yarn, the range is 4.5 to 6.5 mm (US 7 to K-10½). Check the yarn label before you buy.
Safe download: PDF served from controllerdrop.com, no sign-up, nothing to install
Free PDF crochet guide for beginners: hook chart, yarn weights and 5 stitches
Hook chart, the 8 yarn weight categories, 5 basic stitches and a granny square pattern, to read on your phone or print.
Recommended by
Rosa · Crocheting for over 40 years
★★★★★
“The hook chart is the first thing I show a beginner, and a three-round granny square is the best first project: you can make mistakes and pull it out without worry.”
