In starting to crochet, there are a few basic things you need to know to succeed. First of all, it is nice to know how to crochet so I will post a good link explaining it well. With knowing this, it is also nice to know how to read a pattern. The first thing to know about reading a pattern is abbreviations, so here is a handy translation:
ch-chain
sl st or ss- slip stitch
sc- single crochet
dc- double crochet
hdc- half double crochet
Now these are the basic stitches, and it gets more complex from there, but this will start you off.
