The word crochet comes from the French croche or croc meaning to hook. For those who are just beginning the art of crochet, you have probably completed many a blanket.
Putting the yarn in plastic bag and then into the freezer for a few hours before working with it will help it to keep in fibres and stop them from getting up your nose! Many projects were simply not documented, and a creation, or sample was passed down to the next generation to work their own magic from this sample they had in front of them. In selecting your yarn, there are five basic types: baby/fingering, sportweight/baby, worsted weight, chunky and bulky.
Many older patterns contained just a picture with just a few of the more complicated sections explained, as a consequence you were expected to work from the picture for the majority of the pattern! You can follow books, or you can watch video's to learn.
Having these books on hand will also walk you through the stitches if you are still in the learning stages. Soon you ll find that picking up a crochet hook is much like picking up a pencil your hands know what to do. For a beginner, you will want to stay away from using the fuzzy and fur yarns.
Just get yourself a crochet tote bag (or crochet one yourself) and you are ready to go. You can also learn how to incorporate crochet with beads, embroidery and knitting.