I’m getting ready to teach some cool Jews at Limmud how to crochet kippot (yarmulkes, skullcaps). I put the info here for the participants to find after Shabbat. xo

Here is my crochet advice so far:

1. I taught myself to crochet because I wanted to make kippot. It took me YEARS to make something someone could wear, much less recognize, as an actual kippah. My first piece of advice is Be Patient.
2. In lots of cases, learners start small – a lighter racket, a shorter shovel or hockey stick, a smaller spoon or rolling pin. In crochet, start bigger. It will be easier to see what you are doing. Practice with bigger hooks and thicker yarn. As you get more confident and as your stitches become more even and consistent, that’s when to try something smaller. I recommend starting with hooks in sizes I, J, or K. An I hook = 9 = 5.25mm, a J = 10 = 6.00mm, and a K = 10 1/2 = 6.50mm. The sizes differ in different countries, I think.
3. To get ready for making kippot, the main stitches you need to learn are the chain stitch and single crochet.
4. Relax and Practice. Even, consistent stitches only come with time, practice, and patience.
5. Always use a Stitch Saver. It’s so sad when a project unravels in your bag.
6. Please do not buy new plastic yarn. Finding great cotton yarn and bamboo yarn is easy. Some people prefer to upcycle yarn. Some people unravel something they find in their closet or in a thrift store and reuse the yarn. So easy and cheap. It’s unnecessary to add more plastic into the world. You can also buy recycled yarn at places like this and this. However, for beginners, I would stick with something simple and smooth.
7. On new yarn, the label will tell you what size hook to use. You can always go bigger.
8. Find an independent, locally-owned yarn store in your neighborhood, town, city, region. The community that grows around a yarn store knows everything – every yarn, every vendor, every trick, every fix. They will probably be focused on knitting, but you can always find cool, wise, generous crochet experts among the knitting chauvinists. [Knitting in the round does not make a great kippah anyway.] #crochetersunite
9. Don’t be intimidated by really tiny stitches on really tight kippot. Those are either made by very experienced experts or machines.
10. It’s okay if your kippah doesn’t look perfectly round! When you are finished with the project, wash it gently in cold water. Next, lay it on a towel or a rack to shape it. Then, let it air dry in the shape you chose. Note also: the more a kippah is on someone’s head (and in their pocket), the more kippah-shaped it will become.
11. When you increase stitches for a kippah, do not increase in a regular manner. If you increase every two or three stitches in a pattern, you will end up making a gorgeous geometric shape that is not a circle. Eyeball it. You’ll see where you need to add to keep the shape. Be patient, and Practice.
12. I learned how to crochet with yarn from Joann – called Sugar ‘n Cream. It’s cheaper cotton yarns for beginners so you can afford to make all the mistakes you need to. [Also, even when you become more experienced, I like to buy my yarns in person – to see and feel them.]
13. Closure – Do not cut your ends too short when you are “done.” Cut looooong ends so that you can sew them back in and then rely upon the yarn to stay. I sew in my yarns in a zig zag or a circle to keep them reliable. This applies to the first string when you begin as well. Long ends make for secure sewing.
14. Normally, people stitch into the V of the row before. When you feel more comfortable/confident, try stitching only into the “front V” or the “back V.” You can make designs by choosing one or the other.
15. If you want to practice crocheting in the round without constantly starting over, try making a hat! I have made many winter hats at music festivals and in front of the tv, just to practice crocheting around and around – getting my stitches even. Plus, you can give those away. Oh – except! – when I make a hat, I match the ends of each circle and then move up. When I make a kippah, it’s a spiral.
16. If you use Instagram (or any of those picture sharing apps), follow the hashtag #crochet! I get tons of inspiration from these photos. Plus, it’s a very cool way to see ideas, stitches, and color combinations from around the world. For example, this is my brilliant cousin at @tarlovart. Yes, I’m super jealous of the ease with which she quickly taught herself crochet, but also PROUD AND IMPRESSED. [Hi, Hannah!] Note: Hannah recommends using lighter colors when you are a beginner – easier to see clearly.
17. Sometimes I edge the kippah with a chain stitch instead of the same stitch I’ve been using in order to make it easier for the clip to stay closed.

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY – I learned to crochet from books. I know a ton of people learn from videos, but I get car sick. Some people learn better from videos, photographs, diagrams, drawings, or patterns. Embrace your learning style! I strongly recommend checking these out at your local library!

Eckman, Edie. The Crochet Answer Book. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2005.

Hubert, Margaret. The Complete Photo Guide to Crochet. Minneapolis, MN: Creative Publishing International, 2010.

Righetti, Maggie. Crocheting in Plain English. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 1988.

Stitchionary 4: The Ultimate Stitch Dictionary from the Editors of Vogue Knitting Magazine. Vol. Volume Four: Crochet. New York, NY: Sixth & Spring Books, 2007.

MORE GREAT 100% COTTON YARNS

I like this one a lot – Cotton DK yarns from PAINTBOX YARNS. It comes in a ton of gorgeous colors.

I got Heela Yarn in Jerusalem, but I think you can find it here if you ask around. For example, this Ravelry user is selling theirs.