My First Time Crocheting and Using a Woobles Kit
- Simply Jelly Jam
- 31 minutes ago
- 7 min read
New skill unlocked for a complete beginner!
After years of seeing ads and watching YouTube videos about The Woobles beginner crochet kits, I was gifted my own kit this year!
As an absolute beginner with no crochet background or exposure, I decided to share my experience crocheting for the first time and learning the craft through The Woobles kit: Felix the Fox.
In case it's helpful, below are the main points covered in this post:
Package Contents
My Dad purchased The Woobles' Felix the Fox kit from our local Walmart for $30 USD.
The package contents for Felix the Fox included:
Resealable package
Orange yarn (26yds) with pre-prepared piece (magic ring) and three stitch markers
White yarn (2yds)
Black yarn (3yds)
Fiber filling (stuffing)
4mm crochet hook
QR code and password for digital content access
Black embroidery floss
Tapestry needle
10mm safety eyes and backings
Not included:
Scissors
The kit included most of what I needed to start my very first crochet project. I did not have to buy materials separately, especially since I did not know if I would like the art of crochet after I gave it a try.
The resealable package was perfect for taking my project on-the-go. I first opened the kit in a hotel room on a rainy day. I continued some of it during breaks on my long drive home from my trip.
I then continued it from the comfort of my desk, couch, or bed. Everything I needed, including my own pair of scissors that I dropped into the package, was in one resealable package that I could take anywhere.
Digital Content
Scanning the QR code and inputting the kit's password gave access to the following digital content:
Step-by-step video tutorial
PDF pattern file
The video tutorial consisted of multiple video clips organized in a simple table of contents format. There were several main sections (chapters) with multiple subsections.
Each subsection consisted of multiple short video clips that demonstrated and explained how and why to do something. The length of clips varied from thirty seconds to about one minute in length.
For example, the subsection titled "single crochet stitch" had eight video clips ranging from thirty seconds to one minute. The first clip (40 seconds long) explained how to identify which hole to place the crochet hook into, the second clip (23 seconds long) demonstrated how to place the crochet hook into the hole, the third clip (25 seconds long) explained and demonstrated how to 'hook' yarn over the crochet hook properly, and so forth.
The PDF pattern file included a list of materials needed to complete the project (scissors not included), standard abbreviations used for this project, a short "how to read a Woobles pattern," and complete patterns with some images for completing the project from beginning to end.
What "Felix" Taught Me
Below are the basic crochet skills I learned:
How to hold a crochet hook
How to wrap and hold yarn around my fingers
Single crochet stitch (sc)
When to use a stitch marker
Increase stitch (inc)
How to identify a stitch (V-shape)
How to count rounds (rnd)
How to read a basic pattern
How to identify the wrong side from the right side
Invisible decrease stitch (dec)
Add safety eyes
Stuff with filling
Fasten off
Magic ring/loop using a slip knot
Invisible fasten off
How to sew crocheted pieces onto another crocheted piece
Switch yarn colors
The greatest lesson I learned was to be patient. Attempting to skip or speed through the video tutorial hindered my ability to learn how to crochet. The video tutorial, and more specifically the many short video clips, were essential for a complete beginner with no prior crochet knowledge to get started and keep going.
Initial Beginner Struggles
Initially, the super short video clips annoyed me. I guess at my older age, I am used to long-form content. I hated having to press the next button every thirty seconds to get the next piece of information to learn how to do something.
Why were the thirty seconds of clips not combined to make a cohesive five-minute video about that one skill? Why did I need eight clips to learn how to make a single crochet stitch?!
It was only when I needed to rewatch one or two clips that I appreciated not having to skim through a longer video for a short snippet of information I needed at any given moment. Skipping to get to the thirty second clip about how to wrap the yarn around the crochet hook, for example, made refreshing my memory quickly and easily.
For starters, I kept confusing the steps for making an increase stitch versus making two separate single crochet stitches. The video clips helped me remember which was which. I would have also avoided this novice mistake sooner had I referred to the PDF pattern file from the start.
I relied on stitch markers to identify where I started a round and where to insert the crochet hook after making an invisible decrease stitch. Without the stitch markers, I kept inserting the hook into the wrong holes after a decrease stitch. Making a simple mistake like that messed up the stitch count.
I started referring to the PDF pattern when I continuously miscounted the stitches and rounds that I made. Even though the voice in the videos encouraged me to make notes of my stitch count, I ignored it in the beginning. After multiple mistakes and redos, I used a checkmark to note when I successfully completed a round.
My Thoughts About The Woobles Kit
The Woobles website states that it takes "anywhere between three-to-eight hours" for "total newbies" to complete a beginner kit.
As a total newbie who unraveled and restarted the various parts of the project numerous times, it took me significantly more hours to complete Felix the Fox. Maybe even days.
Despite my beginner struggles, I completed Felix!!!
Overall, I would recommend this or another beginner Woobles kit for complete beginners who can afford it. At $30 USD, it may not be affordable for some, but it is worthwhile considering the fact that you do not have to buy an entire ball of yarn (skein?) and miscellaneous materials if you are unsure if this is a craft you would enjoy or do again.
The video tutorials paired with the PDF pattern helped me learn the bare basics (or so I assume) of crochet. Sure, I could have learned the basics through free content online. Since I was gifted The Woobles kit, it ended up being my introduction to crochet.
The video clips verbally explained and visually demonstrated the basics in short chunks that made it easy for my chaotic and sometimes slow mind to understand. It also made it easy to find and revisit select clips when I needed a refresher for how to do something.
The PDF pattern file, once I learned how to read it properly, made working on the project easy without the video tutorial. It felt good to get to the point where I did not need to rewatch the clips as I progressed with my project. It also helped me learn how to read other non-Woobles' patterns.
I felt proud of myself when I finished Felix. I enjoyed learning the craft so much, I eventually bought another Woobles kit. And another.
Walter the Bear was my second ever crochet project. Because I already learned the basics with Felix, I only referred to the video tutorial to learn something new. I finished Walter in significantly less time than Felix.
I have also completed Fred the Dinosaur and Willis the Rhino. Coco the Ape, Zara the Giraffe, and a Tiny Backpack Accessory are sitting in my closet waiting for my next picnic at the park or road trip. (Willis, Coco, Zara, and the tiny backpack were part of the Safari-Markable Bundle I bought directly from The Woobles website for $125 USD. Not cheap, but I have no regrets.)
I believe it is safe to say that my Dad pushed me onto The Woobles bandwagon and I do not intend to get off of it anytime soon.
My Thoughts About Crochet
Although it took me an embarrassingly long time to get the hang of crocheting, I found the repetitive act of making stitches to eventually create a finished project tranquil.
If you have read any of my personal stories' posts, you may have noticed that I often have a lot on my mind. Keeping counts of my stitches and rounds while crocheting keeps my mind from wandering off. I cannot get lost in thought. I can only focus on my crochet project.
I would feel disappointed when I made a mistake, but I enjoyed the craft enough to restart without hesitation. I find crochet relaxing. When my Mom yelled at me about something like how she believes I am destroying my life, I would calm down by crocheting.
I am now at the point where I can listen to a podcast or watch TV while crocheting. My large dog, Lucy, often watches me crochet knowing that it will become a new toy for her or my other dog, Rascal. She treated all but Fred the Dinosaur well. For some reason, she hated Fred's tail.
Recently, I bought chenille yarn from my local Dollar Tree. I have made a few small projects thanks to YouTube video tutorials. I also downloaded a few free patterns from Premiere Yarns and Yarnspirations, but I realized that I still have a lot to learn before I feel confident enough to follow a free pattern. Fortunately, I enjoy the craft enough to make the effort to learn more!
I need to learn how to make tighter stitches. Currently, I leave large stitch holes in my projects. I read online that I should consider using a crochet hook that is a size or two smaller than recommended. With practice, I hope to make better looking projects that my dogs would adore.
What's Next?
I hope to share progress reports as I learn more about crochet! If I splurge on a few crochet kits (not The Woobles), I will share my beginner thoughts about them.
Comment below to share your experience with crochet!
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Thanks, and have a great day!
~Simply Jelly Jam
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