Any Size Crochet Spiderweb (Beginner Friendly)

I've made multiple clothing items using this spiderweb pattern, including a shawl and tank top for spooky season. Additionally, it can be used for seasonal decor or any crochet project you might want to add an arachnid flair to. It's incredibly easy to make, as you only need to know 4 stitches.

Sizing guide:

Generally, one round adds one inch in diameter to the web, but this can be impacted by your yarn and hook size choices, as well as how tight or loose you tend to crochet.

You will need:

1. Yarn (I used a weight 4 chenille yarn, thought I reccomend acrylic yarn for this project)
2. Crochet hook, either in the reccomended size, or adjusted according to the following
3. For a lacey look with less visible stitches, use a hook a maximum of 1.5mm smaller than reccomended for your yarn. This will make your project more consistent and clean looking.
4. For large projects (such as sweaters) use a hook a maximum of 1.5mm larger than reccommended. This will result in more loose and visible stitches, but will save you tons of time by making rounds larger
5. Stitch markers. Optional but VERY helpful, especially for a project where it's easy to lose the start of the round, such as this one. If you don't have stitch markers, you could use a contrasting color of yarn, paper clip, or a safety pin.
6. Large needle for securing loose ends
7. Patience

The first stitch you will use is a Magic Ring. This can be tricky to grasp at first, but just like a slipknot, once you get it it will become muscle memory. I reccomend PatronesVallhalla's amazing instructable on how to do this, they explain it much better than I can.

Attempt the Magic Ring a few times and master it before using it on a project, chances are you'll need to use it again in your crochet journey.

The second stitch you'll need to understand is a chain. A chain will be required in most, if not all, crochet projects. I'm flattered if this is your first crochet project and you're learning this from me.

To make a chain:

1: first ensure that you have only one loop on your hook.

2: Then, yarn over by looping the long end of the yarn around the backside of the hook. You want the yarn to go behind the hook on the left side and come out around the right. You want the yarn to be horizontal to you, making a line under the hook.

3: Finally, pull the initial loop over your new loop and off the hook.

Ta da!

I know it seems odd for me to explain here if you already know the stitch, but in an instructable with only four stitches, it seemed courteous to do so.

The third stitch you'll need in your skillset is a Double Crochet

I've seen Double Crochet refer to multiple stitches, especially in booklets from other countries, so for the purpose of this instructable, it is referring to the most common stitch I see titled the Double Crochet.

1: Yarn over as if you were going to make a chain

2: Insert your hook into the area specified, commonly referred to as your "work".

Depending on what the instructions refer to, this could be a previous stitch, a magic circle, or a chain space. In our case, we'll be double crocheting into both previous stitches and a magic circle

3: Yarn over again

4: Pull through your work (ex: pull through the stitch you entered or the magic circle, so it is no longer on the hook). You should now have three loops on your hook

5: yarn over, and pull through two loops on your hook

6: repeat step 5. You should be left with one loop on your hook

The final stitch you'll need in this project is a Slip Stitch. This stitch joins your rounds or moves you to another area of your work without creating any height. It's the ninja of the crochet work: invisible but infinitely important.

In order to create a slip stitch, insert your hook into your work

Yarn over

Pull through both your work and the loop on your hook

Wonderful!! Now you should be ready to make your spiderweb!

This project, like many, is worked in rounds.

Instead of starting with a slipknot, create a relatively large magic ring. Alternatively, if you haven't quite grasped the magic ring, you can chain four and slip stitch into the first stitch.

Chain twice, including the chain necessary to complete the magic ring. This is the turning chain for our double crochets, and brings our hook to the necessary height.

Chain once more, this creates the gap between our double crochets. If you have a stitch marker handy (which I greatly recommend you do) place a stitch marker in this chain.

Repeat these two steps twelve times total

1. Double crochet into the magic circle
2. Chain 1

If you lose track of where you are, find your 2 chains and count all the vertical "pillars" that follow it. Do not include the two chains in your count.

After the twelfth double-crochet-and-chain combo, close your magic ring by gently pulling the short end of the yarn. Only close it enough to leave no gap between your final double crochet and your initial chains. Do not close it so much that it causes the web to ripple and fold. Slip stitch into the third chain, the one you placed the stitch marker in.

Bam! You made your first row. Now, you could accomodate a miniscule spider! Don't be intimidated if it doesn't look like a spiderweb right now. Currently, it should look more like... I dont know. Not really anything. But you should see 13 distinctive pillars and a circle around them

In your second round, chain 5. Place a stitch marker in the third chain. These are your two turning chains, plus three chains to make the gap across your "pillars."

Double crochet into the top of the first double crochet from the previous round. If done correctly, they'll align on top of each other to look like the same pillar.

Chain three

Double crochet into the top of the second double crochet from the previous round.

Chain three

Double crochet into... you guessed... the third double crochet from the previous round!

Repeat this pattern of 'chain 3 then double crochet into previous round' twelve times total. If done correctly, it will look significantly more like a spiderweb than it did before.

Here's where I'll point out the system that allows you to make this web any size and any amount of rounds (er... until your hands get tired that is).

If you lose count, multiply your current round by two, then subtract one

For example, If you're on round three, 3x2=6, 6-1=5.

If you're on round 99 for some crazy reason, 99 times two is 198 (yes I had to look it up) minus one is 197 chains between double crochets. Personally, I've never attempted more than 9 rounds.

So... where does this apply?

Remember our intial chains? Two turning chains, plus our gap chain count. For example, if you were on round three, you would start the round with two turning chains PLUS five gap chains for a total of 7 starting chains. Similarly, if you're on round 99, you would start off with 200 (!!!) chains.

Furthermore, between your double crochets, you'll follow the same pattern, sans the turning chains. It will simply be your current round times two minus one.

I really hope this explanation made sense! Good luck crocheting.

Credit towards me is unnecessary, as well as improper, as this is a widespread technique and is by no means my creation, or, to my awareness, any one person's.