Maya Okonkwo
Crochet lead
I picked up my first crochet hook in April 2020, three weeks into the first lockdown. A TikTok about granny squares came up on my For You page and by the next morning I'd ordered a hook on next-day delivery and watched nineteen tutorials in a row. I produced absolute chaos for about a month.
Five years later I've finished enough blankets to make my flat look like a haberdasher threw up in it, and I teach a beginners' crochet class one Saturday a month at a community workshop in Peckham. I have opinions about yarn brands you don't want to hear and a small obsession with amigurumi eyes.
On Hobbify I write the crochet guides — is it hard, can you teach yourself, what to make first, how to read a pattern without panicking. If you're reading something about crochet here, there's about an 80% chance it's me.
- Expertise
- Beginner crochetAmigurumiTension & gaugePattern reading
- At Hobbify
- Writing for Hobbify since April 2026
- First thing they made
- A granny square so uneven it technically qualified as sculpture. Lockdown spring, 2020.
- Why they write for Hobbify
- “Because three weeks of tutorials is far too long for something that takes an hour if someone tells you where to start.”
20 guides by Maya
Every crochet guide on Hobbify.
Is Crochet Hard to Learn?
The honest answer — what the first hour actually feels like, where beginners get stuck, and how quickly you'll be making something real.
7 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetCan I Teach Myself Crochet?
Yes — and most crocheters do. Here's the fastest self-taught path, plus the mistakes that add weeks to the learning curve.
6 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetBest Crochet Projects for Gifts
Six beginner-friendly crochet gift projects — each achievable in a weekend, with specific pattern and yarn picks for each.
7 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetHow Long Does It Take to Learn Crochet?
A realistic timeline from your first chain stitch to finished projects — plus the variables that speed things up or slow them down.
6 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetMoss Stitch Crochet — A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide
Moss stitch (also called linen stitch) is one of the prettiest, most forgiving beginner crochet stitches. Here's how to work it, when to use it, and three projects it shines in.
6 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetBobble Stitch Crochet — How to Make Neat, Poppable Bobbles
Bobble stitch adds tactile 3D texture to crochet. Here's the exact step-by-step, why beginners' first bobbles flop, and three projects that make them shine.
6 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetPuff Stitch Crochet — How to Make Soft, Rounded Puffs
Puff stitch creates soft, rounded 3D texture — cosier and rounder than bobbles. Here's the step-by-step, how puffs differ from bobbles and popcorn, and three projects where puffs shine.
6 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetShell Stitch Crochet — A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide
Shell stitch is the elegant decorative stitch behind countless blankets, shawls and edgings. Here's how to work it, common variations, and three projects where shells shine.
6 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetWaffle Stitch Crochet — Deep 3D Texture Step by Step
Waffle stitch produces the most dramatic 3D texture in crochet — deep peaks and valleys that look hand-carved. Here's the step-by-step, with the front/back post trick beginners need.
7 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetBasic Crochet Stitches for Beginners — The 6 You Actually Need
Every crochet pattern builds on six basic stitches. Here's exactly how to work each one, what they're used for, and the order to learn them in.
9 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetHow to Read a Crochet Pattern — Abbreviations, Symbols and Common Formats
Crochet patterns look intimidating until you know the code. Here's exactly how to read written patterns, stitch charts, standard abbreviations and the UK-vs-US trap most beginners fall into.
8 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetHow to Single Crochet — A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide
Single crochet is the most important stitch to master first. Here's how to work it, common mistakes beginners make, and three projects where single crochet shines.
5 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetHow to Double Crochet — A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide
Double crochet is the workhorse stitch behind almost every beginner blanket, scarf and shawl. Here's the step-by-step, common mistakes, and what it unlocks.
5 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetHow to Half-Double Crochet — A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide
Half-double crochet sits between single and double crochet — softer and drapier than sc, faster than dc. Here's the step-by-step and the three projects where it shines.
4 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetHow to Crochet a Granny Square — The Classic Beginner Pattern
The granny square is the iconic crochet motif — three rounds of double crochet clusters in a spiral. Here's the complete step-by-step, colour variations, and how to join them into blankets, cardigans and cushions.
8 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetHow to Crochet a Blanket — A Beginner's Complete Guide
A step-by-step guide to your first crochet blanket — choosing size, yarn and stitch, realistic time estimates, and three beginner-friendly approaches.
9 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetHow to Crochet a Beanie — A Beginner's Complete Guide
A beanie is the first genuinely impressive crochet project most beginners make. Here's the complete approach — sizing, working in the round, crown decreases, and a beginner-friendly pattern.
8 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetHow to Crochet a Scarf — A Beginner's Complete Guide
A scarf is the ideal first wearable crochet project — no shaping, no fitting, just rows of stitches until you reach your length. Here's how to make one, with yarn picks and stitch variations.
7 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetHow to Crochet a Magic Ring — The Essential Technique for Amigurumi and Hats
The magic ring is the cleanest way to start any project worked in the round. Here's the step-by-step, with the alternative methods and troubleshooting tips beginners need.
5 min read · Updated April 2026
CrochetHow to Change Colour in Crochet — The Invisible Join Technique
Changing colour cleanly is the secret behind crisp stripes, granny squares and colourwork. Here's the invisible-join technique, when to switch mid-stitch, and how to handle the yarn ends.
6 min read · Updated April 2026
The rest of the team
Who else writes here.
Ready when you are
Ready to start crochet?
Maya's tested course pick and the exact kit you'll need to follow along.