Wondering about the difference between Beginner/Basic, Easy and Intermediate? This article explains the skill levels associated with my crochet patterns.

Skill Levels

Skill levels in crochet can feel confusing — and that’s because they’re not an exact science. What feels “easy” to one crocheter may feel more advanced to another, depending on experience, comfort level, and learning style.

There are three main skill levels used across my patterns:

• Beginner (also called Basic)
• Easy
• Intermediate

Many patterns are also tagged with overlapping skill levels, such as:

• Beginner | Easy (you may see this written on a pattern as “Easy and beginner-friendly”)
• Easy | Intermediate (you may see this written on a pattern as “Easy to Intermediate”)

Let’s dive into what these skill levels mean:

Beginner (Basic)

Please note: Beginner and Basic mean the same thing.

Beginner patterns are designed for absolute beginners and only use basic crochet stitches, including:

• chain (ch)
• slip stitch (sl st)
• single crochet (sc)
• half double crochet (hdc)
• double crochet (dc)
• treble crochet (tr)

If you’re brand-new to crochet, this category is a great place to start — but it’s not the only place you’re “allowed” to start.

Beginner | Easy

If you are searching on the Pattern Finder page or in the All-Access Membership’s Pattern Library for an Easy pattern, you may see “Beginner | Easy.” This is to ensure that the search results show you the basic patterns as well as the easy ones.

On my patterns, you may see the skill level as “Easy and beginner-friendly.” This is the same as saying the pattern is Beginner. Again, these patterns are great if you are brand-new to crochet or if you are an experienced crocheter looking for a relaxing project.

Easy

Many Easy patterns still use only basic stitches. In fact, many of my Easy patterns could be placed in the Beginner category. I tend to default to putting Easy on my patterns when in fact they are quite basic because it’s a more general umbrella – beginners can easily complete an easy pattern and more experienced crocheters don’t shy away thinking the instructions will be too “over-explanatory.”

Easy patterns may include:

• basic stitches
• color changes or simple colorwork*
• front or back post stitches*
• increases or decreases *
• special stitches*

*For any stitch or technique beyond basic, I provide detailed explanations so you can easily follow along. Many of my patterns also include diagrams and/or step-by-step video tutorials.

Many crocheters successfully make Easy or even Easy-to-Intermediate patterns as their very first project.

If you’re brand-new, don’t shy away from the Easy category. If you can follow instructions step by step, you may be surprised by what you can make!

Easy | Intermediate

There are many patterns that have the skill level of Easy | Intermediate (sometimes listed on a pattern as “Easy to Intermediate).” I provide this skill level as a bit of a warning to say: you can easily do this, but it’s not designed for absolute beginners (although I often hear from absolute beginners that they complete one of my “easy-to-intermediate” patterns as their very first project!).

In many cases, these patterns could comfortably sit in the Easy category, especially when step-by-step video tutorials are included. Another way to look at my “Easy to Intermediate” patterns is to classify them for “Confident or Advanced Beginners.”

Intermediate

Intermediate patterns are more complex and may involve:

• multiple colors used throughout the project
• more advanced construction or stitch combinations
• patterns that require careful attention to placement and counting

My Intermediate patterns are clearly labeled to help set expectations.

Skill Level Is Subjective

The most important thing to remember: crochet skill levels are subjective.

I regularly hear from crocheters who make my “Easy-to-Intermediate” patterns as their first project — and love the experience.

Your success depends far more on your willingness to learn and follow instructions than on a label.

How to Decide If a Pattern Is Right for You

All of my patterns are available 100% free on my website, so you can always:

• read through the full instructions before starting
• look at the stitches and techniques used
• decide for yourself if it feels doable

Many patterns also include step-by-step video tutorials to help you follow along visually, even if you’re new to a technique.

If you’re unsure, I encourage you to take a look — you may find that a pattern you thought was “too advanced” is actually well within reach.

Bottom line: trust yourself, explore freely, and don’t let a skill label hold you back.

What Maters More Than Skill Level

If there’s one thing that matters more than skill level, it’s using the yarn weight listed in the pattern.

Each of my patterns was designed, made and tested with the yarn weight listed in the pattern – under Materials -> Yarn. Using a different yarn weight can significantly change the overall look, size and feel as well as the amount of yarn required. Unless the pattern specifically says that you can use a different yarn weight (for example, some say you can use size 3 (light) or size 4 (medium) yarn), I do not recommend using something else. Of course you are welcome to try! But I am unable to provide instructions for what hook size to use or how many starting chains to use. My patterns take hundreds of hours to design, tweak, design, create, test and finalize and I choose a specific yarn weight on purpose for that particular pattern. In short: choosing the correct yarn weight will have a bigger impact on your success than the skill level label itself.

More Articles You May Find Helpful:

• Guide to Yarn Weights
• Hook Size – Pattern vs Yarn Label