Embarking on the exciting journey of crochet as a beginner opens the door to a world where strands of yarn transform into intricate patterns and handmade wonders. As you set out on this creative adventure, mastering the fundamental crochet stitches becomes the key to unlocking a universe of possibilities. In this guide, we’ll explore the first 4 crochet stitches that you will want to master for beginners. These 4 stitches lay the groundwork for your crochet endeavors—each loop and twist bringing you closer to creating beautiful, personalized projects.
1st Stitch to Learn – Chain
Learning to chain is the first step in learning to crochet. Making your foundation row is going to be the start of most projects. To make your foundation row, it is just a series of chains (how many depends on the pattern or how wide you want your work to be. To make a chain (after you have made your slip knot), you will just yarn over the hook and pull through the slip knot. Then you will proceed with yarn over hook and pull through the loop on the hook, yarn over hook and pull through the loop on the hook until you get your desired number of chains. In many cases this will be the foundation row of your work.
2nd Stitch to Learn – Single Crochet
When you have your foundation (chain) row done, the next stitch you will want to learn is the single crochet stitch. To single crochet, you will begin by inserting your hook into the prior row’s (or foundation row’s) stitch and then yarn over hook, pull through one of the two loops that are on your hook now, then yarn over hook and pull through two loops (of the 3) that are on your hook. Once the single crochet is finished, you will now have one loop on your hook. If you are practicing by making a single crochet swatch, you will proceed by making a single crochet in each of the previous row’s stitches. Once you get to the end of the row, you will chain 1 then turn your work. Proceed single crocheting in each stitch along the previous row. An important note here is that if you are single crocheting across a previous row (not the foundation (chain) row,) you will see a “v” shape on the top of the previous row. You will want to insert your hook through the “v” and not just the front or back loop of the “v”. There are some patterns that include single crochet in front loop only (FLO) or back loop only (BLO), but that will give you a different look than just single crocheting through the whole “v”.
3rd Stitch to Learn – Double Crochet
So now that you have mastered chains and single crochets, next it is time to conquer the double crochet stitch. It sounds a little intimidating at first, but with a little practice (and patience), you will have it down in no time. To double crochet, first you will yarn over hook (YOH) then insert your hook into the previous row’s stitch. Before pulling your hook back through the stitch, you will yarn over hook (YOH) again. Now you will have 4 loops on your hook. Pull the yarn that you just put on the hook through one loop then yarn over hook (YOH) again. Now you will have 4 loops on your hook again. Pull the yarn that you just yarned over the hook through 2 loops, then yarn over hook again and pull through 2 loops. Now you should just have one loop on your hook. That’s it! You have made a double crochet! If your pattern calls for double crochet in each stitch, then you will just proceed by repeating this process until you reach the end of the row. Same as the single crochet, make sure you are inserting your hook through the whole “v” on the previous row.
4th Stitch to Learn – Half Double Crochet
The half double crochet stitch is kind of like a hybrid of single crochet and double crochet. To half double crochet, you will first yarn over hook (YOH) just like you did for the double crochet. Then you will insert your hook into previous row’s stitch and then yarn over hook again (just like you did for double crochet), then pull through 1 of the 4 loops on your hook. Next, yarn over hook (YOH) again then pull through 3 loops (of the 4) that are on your hook. Now you should have one loop on your hook. You have just half double crocheted! Of course, with this stitch you will also want to make sure you are inserting through the “v” on top of the previous row and not just the front or back loop.
Notes:
If you take a look at the pictures, notice the height of each different swatch. I started each one with the same number of chains (foundation row) and did the same number of rows. Notice the single crochet is the shortest in height and the double crochet is the tallest in height. This makes double crochet work up much faster than single crochet.
Conclusion
The first four crochet stitches explored in this blog post provide a solid foundation for any aspiring crocheter, laying the groundwork for countless beautiful projects. As you practice and become familiar with these stitches—chain stitch, single crochet, half double crochet, and double crochet—you’ll gain the confidence to take on more complex patterns and projects. Remember, patience and persistence are key, and with each stitch, you’re not just crafting loops of yarn but weaving a tapestry of your own creative expression.
Happy Crocheting!
