Making your own crochet garment is one of the most rewarding things you can do as a maker. You get to choose the stitch, the silhouette, the color, and wear something that is entirely yours. If you've been wanting to start but don't know where to begin, this guide walks you through every step, from choosing your first stitch to sewing the final seam.

Step 1: Choose your stitch and garment style

Before you pick up your hook, start with what draws you in. Is there a stitch you love the look of? A silhouette you keep going back to in your mood board? That combination, your chosen stitch paired with a garment shape you actually want to wear, is the foundation of your whole project.

There's no wrong answer here. What matters is that you love the pairing. A mesh stitch on a fitted top, a shell stitch on a flowing cardigan, let your taste lead the way. Once you've landed on that combination, choose your yarn color and fiber. These three decisions together will shape everything that follows.

Step 2: Take your measurements (and use a garment you already love)

This is one of the most practical tips you'll ever get for making crochet garments: instead of measuring yourself from scratch, find a piece of clothing you already own that fits the way you want your finished garment to fit. Lay it flat and use it as your guide.

The three measurements you really need

• Bust width— determines how wide your front and back panels will be
• Armhole depth— shapes how your garment sits on the shoulder
• Length— from the shoulder (or underarm, depending on the style) to the hem

These measurements will guide how many stitches you cast on and how you shape the fabric as you go.

Step 3: Make a swatch before you start

This step feels easy to skip, but it will save you from a lot of frustration. Crochet fabric behaves differently depending on your hook size, your tension, and the yarn you're using, it can grow wider when blocked, or pull in more than you expect.

How to swatch: Crochet a small sample, around 10 cm × 10 cm, using your chosen stitch, hook, and yarn. Count how many stitches and rows fit into that square. This gives you your gauge, and your gauge is what lets you calculate the exact stitch counts for your garment.

Your swatch also tells you something else: how your stitch behaves when you add increases and decreases. Before you shape a neckline or an armhole, test a few shaping rows on your swatch so you know exactly what to expect.

Step 4: Shape your garment with increases and decreases

Most crochet garments need some shaping, at the neck, the armholes, or the hem. That shaping happens through increases (adding stitches) and decreases (removing them).

Here is video showing how to make decreases with double crochet for begginers.

Once you know how your stitch responds to shaping from your swatch, you can plan ahead: how many stitches to increase at each side of a sleeve, or how quickly to decrease toward a V-neck. Having that information before you start means no guessing mid-project.

Step 5: Join your pieces with slip stitch seams

When it comes to seaming crochet garments, there are many methods, but the one that consistently gives the cleanest, most polished finish is the slip stitch seam (also called a flat seam or joining seam). It keeps the join flat and flexible, and it looks beautiful on the inside and out.

A practical ratio to start with: If your garment is worked in double crochet, try making 3 slip stitches for every 1 double crochet stitch along the seam. This is a starting point, your tension may call for slightly more or fewer. The key is to check as you go: the seam should lie flat without pulling or puckering.

Here is a video showing how to sew the pieces with a needle

And here a video of how to sew pieces with slip stitch using the the crochet hook

A quick recap of the full process

• Choose a stitch + garment shape you love, then pick your yarn
• Use a well-fitting garment to take your key measurements
• Swatch in your chosen stitch to find your gauge
• Test increases and decreases on your swatch before shaping
• Join finished pieces with a slip stitch seam, checking as you go

These are the same steps I follow every time I design a new crochet garment — and they work just as well whether you're working from a pattern, adapting one, or creating something entirely your own.

Happy creating, Bere.