Would it help to have hook sizes, yarn weights and the first stitches in one file next to your yarn? This page is where you get the crochet basics PDF, in plain words and simple charts.
If you have never crocheted, or you stopped years ago and want a refresher, the guide starts from zero. Every stitch is described in words, so you do not need to learn chart symbols first.
The file is free, with no form, no email and nothing to install. The download card sits just under this paragraph, and its button downloads the PDF from controllerdrop.com.
What the crochet basics PDF covers
It opens with what to have ready for a first project, a light-colored category 3 or 4 yarn, a matching hook and scissors, and a note for left-handed crocheters. Then it moves on to:
- 18 hook sizes from 2 to 10 mm, each beside its US size and, where one exists, the old UK and Canada number
- Yarn weights 0 to 7, lace to jumbo, each listed with a hook range and a gauge
- US and UK stitch names side by side, and why double crochet means a different stitch in each
- Step-by-step text for the slip knot, chain, slip stitch, single crochet, half double, double crochet and magic ring
- Turning chains per stitch, and where single and double crochet start on the foundation chain
- A 3-round granny square, with the double crochet count to check after each round
- Five beginner mistakes, like holding the yarn too tight, each with its fix
Who it is for, and what it leaves out
It suits a total beginner and anyone returning to crochet who wants sizes and stitch names in one place. It also helps if you read both US and UK patterns, because each US term comes with its UK name.
It is not a pattern book: no garments, toys, large projects, videos or symbol charts. The one pattern inside, the granny square, is a short practice piece for chain, slip stitch and double crochet.
Opening the PDF on a phone or computer
It is a standard PDF, so it opens in your phone’s browser or PDF reader. If a chart feels cramped, turn the phone sideways. Save the file to keep it at hand without a connection, and if you print only a few pages, start with the two charts.
The guide is informational and made by our team, with no ties to any yarn or hook brand. The hook and yarn charts use the Craft Yarn Council tables, accessed November 3, 2026, with the old UK and Canada hook numbers from a secondary source. Sizes vary by maker, so the yarn label and your pattern come first. We are not responsible for the results of your projects.
