How to Crochet Step by Step | For Beginners

Learn How to Crochet.

How to make a chain and single crochet

Have you been searching the internet trying to learn to crochet and don't know where to start. There are so many blogs and videos and none of them seem to be the right fit for you or going to fast. So now you have found yourself here on my blog and I would like to help you learn the art of crocheting. I want to make this as easy as I can, so this post will show you step by step how to get started, even if you have never tried crocheting before,  so that you can begin making a project of your own.

First lets talk about the tools you will need to start. There is a mass variety of crochet hooks and yarn out there that you can get from the store or offline. Other blogs talk about finding the right hook or the right type of yarn to use for beginners. In my opinion this is not true, all you need is a hook and yarn regardless brand, type or cost. You can get you a beginners crochet kit HERE, it has a book with some easy patterns, a few common hook sizes, and a few little accessories that will be helpful. Now you don't need much yarn to get started and practice with, If you know someone that crochets ask them if you can get some scrap yarn from them to learn with. This will save you some money on buying a skein of yarn just to practice with.

These are the essential stitches every crocheter should learn first. LETS GET STARTED!!!!!

Abbreviations U.S. Terminology

Crochet abbreviations used in this post.

Hook - Hk

Chain - Ch

Slip Stitch - Sl St
Skip - Sk
Single Crochet - Sc
Yarn Over - Yo

Loop - lp

A slip knot is how you will start your chain and there are two things to remember, one is what we call the tail, this is the end of the yarn that is not connected to anything. Next is the working end, this is the end connected to the skein of yarn. For now on we will call it tail and working end of the yarn.

How to make a slip knot

First you want to make a loop (lp) with your yarn on your finger crossing yarn tail behind the working end of the yarn as shown in the image below

Now you will want to sliding the loop (lp) off your finger as shown in image below.

 Now pass the working end behind the loop (lp) push the working end through the loop (lp) like you do when tying your shoe. What you have should look like the image below.

Now holding both working end and tail together pull the loop (lp) until the knot is tight, but leave the loop (lp) loose for now we will tighten it in next step.

The picture below is what you want to have before tightening the knot.

Now place the loop (lp) on your crochet hook (hk) and tighten gently around the hook. This loop should be snug on the hook so that your hook moves smoothly through the loop (lp).

Step 2: Making a Chain (ch)

Now that you have a slip knot you can now begin making a chain  (ch). The chain (ch) is the foundation to many projects in crochet. We are going to use the slip stitch (sl st) to start the chain, first you want yo place your loop (lp) on your hook (hk) and pull the working end sung, your hook (hk) should move smoothly in the loop (lp). Pulling loop (lp) to tight will make it hard for you to move your hook (hk). Now with loop (lp) on hook (hk) yarn over (yo) from back to front of the hook (hk), rotating hook slightly so that it catches the yarn and pull through loop on hook, one chain has been made. You will continue this until desired chain (ch) count has been reached. 

Below are a few images on how I hold my yarn in my non-dominate hand while holding hook in dominate hand. First I pass yarn between my ring finger and pinky as shown in image below. Remember this is how I hold my yarn its a way not the way, hold your yarn however is comfortable to you.

Once I have the yarn between my ring and pinkie finger, I wrap once more around my pinky however you do not have to wrap twice around pinky. Now take yarn and go between ring and middle finger.

         

Now bring yarn over the top of your pointer and middle finger, this will allow you to use your pointer finger to control your tenson.

Now you are ready to make your first chain (ch), you'll want to hold your tail with your thumb and middle finger. You want your hook (hk) to move easily in the loop (lp). To make your first chain (ch) you want to yarn over (yo) from back to front of your hook (hk), now rotating your hook (hk) slightly catching your yarn with your hook (hk), as shown in the image below.

While pulling the yarn through the loop, rotate your hook (hk) downward so the hook will pass through the loop (lp). This will be one chain (ch) you will want to continue this process until you reach the desired chain (ch) count.

I only made a chain (ch) of five just for this demonstration, crochet patterns will start out telling you the chain (ch) count before you start a project. This is the foundation to the crochet project, you can count as you go, for longer chains you can also use a stitch marker to keep track of how many you have.

The image below between my thumbs is what one chain looks like, now that you have a foundation chain (ch) we will move on to the single crochet (Sc) so we can start building our project. 

Continue to the next part to learn how to build your project using the single crochet (Sc).

How to work a Single Crochet (SC)

Note: You will skip (sk) first chain (ch) and work in the second chain (ch) from hook (hk). This skipped chain in some patterns will count as first stitch, unless stated otherwise. For example if you want your project to be 10 stitches (sts) wide and worked in all single crochet (Sc), you will chain (ch) 11 and work your first single stitch in second chain (ch) from hook.

The single stitch is simple and easy to learn. You can work up some very nice looking projects with just this stitch, and used in the right combination with other stitches (sts) you can make very elaborate pieces. Here is how you will start your first row with single crochet (sc).

In the figure 4 below the arrow shows you where you want to put your hook (hk) through, this will be the bottom bar of the chain (ch), next you will yarn over (yo) like you did making  your chain, and taking all the same steps as you did to pull the yarn through to pull up a loop (lp). At this point you will stop and if done correctly you should have two loops (lps) on your hook like the third image of figure 4 shows. Yarn over (yo) and pull through both loops on hook leaving you with only one loop (lp) oh hook (hk). Continue in this manner until you have worked all of your chains you made. Picture 5 in figure 4 shows you what you should end up with.

When turning your work to add another row and you can add as may as you like be creative. You will chain (ch) 1, turn and work one single crochet (sc) across the top of previous row, until the end making sure you place last single or stitch of that row into your turning chain. This can be hard to get a stitch in there but without doing this your work will not be straight up the side.
 Keep track of your stitches by counting them every few rows or every row, doing this will insure that you keep the same number of stitches as your first row. Unless the pattern tells you to decrease or increase otherwise you will have the same number as the first row every time.

Okay just to recap how to work a single crochet stitch (sc)

• Place hook through from front to back of the stitch
• Yarn over and pull up loop, so you have 2 loops on your hook
• Yarn over and pull through both loops on hook leaving only one loop on hook

Now the stitch is complete.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope this helps you in starting your journey. Have fun, and be creative.