Basic Crochet Stitches

There are two ways of holding a crochet hook so experiment to see what feels the most comfortable to you.

The first way, and the way I hold it, is similar to how you would hold a knife. With your right hand, put your thumb and index finger on the flat part of the crochet hook with your middle finger resting on your thumb. Holding it this way puts your hand on top of the hook and the end inside your palm.

The second way is more like holding a pencil. Grasp the hook with your thumb and index finger at the flat part, middle finger resting on the thumb. Holding it this way puts your hand underneath the hook and the end will be in the direction of a pencil eraser.

As you begin crocheting, your fingers should remain in place and all of your movement will be generated from your right wrist.

There are also a couple of ways to hold the yarn in your left hand. Choose a way that will allow you to control the tension of the yarn. You want an even tension on the yarn, not too tight but not too loose either. I use a way similar to how it's done in the next video, however I wrap the yarn all the way around my little finger, bring the yarn across the palm side of my hand and then once around my index finger.

They are several ways to make a slip knot.

One way is to create a loop of yarn and make sure the short end (tail) is behind the loop.

Insert your hook into the loop, under the tail, and back out of the loop.

Pull tail to tighten until it is snug on the hook.

Another way is shown in the next video.

Abbreviation = ch

All crochet projects start with a chain stitch as the foundation.

Holding the slip knot between your thumb and middle finger of your left hand and keeping the yarn over the index finger taunt, push hook forward and pass the yarn over hook from back to front.
This is called yarning over (abbreviation = yo).

Pull yarn through the loop already on the hook, thus creating a new loop on the hook.

Continue creating as many chains as needed.

As you work, keep moving your left thumb and middle finger to hold chains closest to the hook.

Abbreviation = sc

Insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull through.

You will now have 2 loops on the hook.

Yarn over and pull through both loops on the hook.

Abbreviation = hdc

Yarn over and insert hook in next stitch.

Yarn over and pull through. You now have 3 loops on the hook.

Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops.

Abbreviation = dc

Yarn over and insert hook in next stitch.

Yarn over and pull through. You now will have 3 loops on the hook.

Yarn over and pull through just the first 2 loops.

Yarn over and pull through the remaining 2 loops.

Abbreviation = sl

The slip stitch is used primarily for joining rounds, finishing edges, and sewing two finished pieces together.

Insert hook in next stitch.

Yarn over and pull through both the stitch and loop on the hook.

When you are crocheting in rows, you will be going back and forth from left to right.

You will crochet all the way across, crochet a given number of chains, and then turn your finished section so that your hook is now on the right end of the project so you can begin the next row.

Working in rows will usually create a squared shape.

If your pattern calls for working in rounds, you will be working in a circle.

Most of the time with rounds, you will create a chain and join to the first chain with a slip stitch, thus forming the full circle.

Now you will crochet around the circle, join to the first stitch with a slip stitch, and repeat.

Sometimes while working in rounds, your pattern may call for you just to continue working rounds without joining to the first stitch with a slip stitch.

Abbreviations = blo (back loop only) and flo (front loop only)

Your pattern may call for you to work in the back or front loop only.

If your pattern calls for back loop only, instead of going though both loops, insert hook through just the loop farthest away from you.

If pattern calls for front loop only, then you insert hook through just the loop closest to you.

Shaping in crochet is accomplished with increases and decreases. Once you know how to increase and decrease, you can crochet any shape or form!

An increase is simply adding an extra stitch by working 2 stitches into the same stitch.

For example, you would crochet 1 sc in the next st, 2 sc in the next st, and 1 sc in rest of the row.

A decrease will subtract a stitch and it is a little different depending on what stitch you are crocheting.

If you are doing single crochets, you would insert hook into next stitch, yarn over, and pull though.

Insert hook into next stitch, yarn over, pull through, yarn over again, and pull through all 3 loops on hook.

Basically, a decrease is working your stitch over two stitches instead of just one.

Congratulations, you've finished your project!

All you have to do is cut the yarn about 6 inches from your project and pull that tail through the loop on the hook. Make sure it's pulled tight and it will create a knot.

Use a yarn needle to thread the tail through your stitches to hide it.

Sometimes you will need to leave a longer tail so that you can use it to sew two pieces together.

Just look at this adorable baby octopus! Squidoo Lensmaster, Wednesday_Elf, has created this baby octopus pattern especially for beginners. What a perfect way to practice the stitches that you've learned!

Click here for How To Crochet A Baby Octopus