I've taught crochet to dozens of people and these same 5 mistakes come up every single time. If you're new, fixing these will instantly make your projects look 10x better:

1. Skipping the first stitch of a row. This is why your blanket keeps getting narrower. Count your stitches at the end of every row until it becomes second nature.

2. Crocheting too tight. If you can barely get your hook through the stitches, you're death-gripping the yarn. Relax your tension — the fabric should have some drape to it.

3. Not using stitch markers. They cost almost nothing and save hours of frustration. Mark the first stitch of every round when making amigurumi. Trust me.

4. Ignoring gauge swatches. "I'll just wing it" is how you end up with a baby blanket that fits a king bed. 5 minutes of swatching saves 5 hours of redoing.

5. Using the wrong yarn weight for the pattern. A pattern calls for worsted and you grab bulky? Your finished piece will be a completely different size. Always match the weight or adjust your hook size.

If any of these hit home — that's totally normal. Every crocheter has been there. The patterns I design at Koki Crochet are built specifically for beginners, with clear stitch counts, photo guides, and full material lists so you never have to guess.