Learn the Basic Crochet Stitches

Beginners will use this section to learn the basic skills they will need to go through crochet projects.

The basic crochet stitches are:

chain (ch), sl (slip stitch), single crochet (sc), half double crochet (hdc), double crochet (dc) and its variations (triple crochet (tr), etc.)

To make any of those basic crochet stitches, you need to wrap the yarn over the hook (yo).

Wrapping the yarn over the hook doesn’t make a stitch: the yarn has to be pulled through another stitch or another loop in order to complete a stitch.

Every crochet stitch needs a base: it can be a chain, or the stitches from the previous row.

Here is a phototutorial for the very basic crochet stitches.

 

Slip knot1. The starting slip knot

Make a slip knot, insert the hook through the loop and catch the tail. Draw the yarn through the loop on the hook.

Draw thread through loop

 

 

 

ChainBasic crochet stitches2. Chain

Yarn over the hook (yo), catch the thread with the hook, draw the thread grom left to right through the loop on the kook. You have now made 1 chain. Yo, draw yarn from left to right into the loop on hook, here you go, you made a second chain ! Repeat the process to form a row of chains. Each chain is made of 2 loops which look like “V”

 

slip stitch3. Slip stitch (sl)

Mainly used to join two pieces of crochet, or to join when working in rounds. Insert hook through designated stitch, yo, draw yarn through the stitch and the loop on the hook.

 

 

 

Single crochet4. Single crochet (sc)

Insert hook into designated stitch, yo, draw yarn through the stitch, yo, draw yearn through both loops.

 

 

 

5. Half double crochet

Yo, insert hook in designated stitch, yo again, draw yarn through the stitch, yo, draw thread through all 3 loops on hook

Half double crochetYo, insert hook, yo, draw yarn through the stitch yo again,Half double crochet half double crochetDraw yarn through all 3 loops

 

Double crochet6. Double Crochet (dc)
Yo, insert hook into designated stitch, yo again, draw yarn through the stitch (there are 3 loops on hook). Yo again and draw yarn through 2 of the loops (there are 2 loops left on hook). Yo again and draw through the last 2 loops.

 

7. Triple Crochet
Yo twice, insert hook into designated stitch, yo again, draw yarn through the stitch (there are 4 loops on hook). Yo again, and draw it through the 2 first loops (there are 3 loops on hook). Yo again, draw yarn through the 2 first loops (there are 2 loops on hook). Yo, draw yarn through the last 2 loops.
Treble crochet

Triple crochet: yo 2 times, insert hook in designated stitch and draw a loop

Triple crochet

Yo, draw loop through the 2 first loops on hook

basic-10

Again, Yo, draw loop through the 2 first loops on hook

Triple crochet

Yo, draw loop through the 2 last loops on hook

 

8. Double Triple crochet, Triple triple crochet etc.
Same process but wrapping yarn 3 (or 4) times before inserting the hook into designated stitch and draw a loop. Yo and draw loop into 2 first loops on hook again and again until the stitch is complete.