How to begin your crochet project with a magic loop.
Magic loops are a great way to start any project that is worked in a round. Round facial scrubbers, blankets, baskets and even rugs are all projects perfect for starting with a magic loop.
A magic loop gives you the opportunity of tightening the beginning stitch and creates a clean, polished foundation to start off with.
To get started you’ll need yarn and a crochet hook.
Place your working yarn in your hand as if you were to create a slip knot. Wrap the yarn around your pointer finger twice.
Pinch your pointer finger and thumb together, to secure the yarn. Now using your other hand, slide the two loops off your finger. Be sure to keep pinching the loops together tightly.
Pick up your crochet hook and insert it into the two loops you formed and draw up a loop.
You have just created a magic loop, chain one and begin your project.
Foundation chains have quickly become my favorite way to start any crochet project.
A foundation chain is an alternative way to starting a crochet project. It’s basically a chain and single crochet row combined.
I like to start my projects with a foundation chain because it creates a stretchier foundation and creates a more polished look. Chains can be very inconsistent and you can almost always tell where the project begins. I love that foundation chains don’t give that same effect.
To get started you’ll need yarn and a hook.
Start by creating a slip knot & chaining 2.
Insert your hook into the first chain and draw up a loop. You should have two loops on your hook.
Yarn over and pull through one loop. This is your chain.
Yarn over again, this time pulling through both loops on your hook. Creating your single crochet SC.
Insert your hook into the previous chain & draw up a loop. Yarn over and pull through one loop on your hook. Creating another chain. Yarn over again, this time pulling through both loops. Repeat. You are foundation crocheting, creating a chain and single crochet together.
A beginners guide to crocheting a half double crochet (hdc).
Hello friend! I am so excited that you are eager to learn more crochet stitches! I can’t wait to teach you one of my favorites, the half double crochet (hdc). Just in case that last sentence confused you HDC is an abbreviation for H-half D-double C-crochet. I want to add these abbreviations to all posts and get you familiar with seeing them. This will help you later in your crochet journey to read patterns easily.
To get started you’ll need yarn and a crochet hook. Anything will do, I am using a size 5.0mm/H hook and Red Heart yarn. I’d like you to attach your yarn to your crochet hook and chain(CH) 11. When counting your chains(CH) look for the V’s or as my daughter likes to call them hearts. Each V is one chain.
Now that you have 11 CH(chains), turn your work over.
Yarn over.
Now insert your hook into the second chain from your hook.
Yarn over again and draw up a loop.
With 3 loops on your hook, yarn over one more time & draw through all 3 loops on your hook. This stitch is similar to a double crochet, except you are drawing the yarn through all 3 loops.
Repeat for the remaining chains(CH) for a total of 10 half double crochets (HDC). Yarn over & insert your hook into the next chain space. Wrap your working yarn around the hook, draw through the chain space. With 3 loops on your hook, yarn over(wrapping the yarn around the hook) and pull through all 3 loops.
Now we are going to build on top of that first row by chaining(CH) 1 and turning your work over. Half double crocheting (HDC) on top of the previous row. Yarn over & insert your hook into the first stitch(opening), yarn over and draw up a loop. With three loops on your hook, yarn over and pull through all three. You’re half double crocheting (HDC).
To count your stitches turn your work slightly so that you’re looking at it from the top instead of the side. Count each sideways V or 2 strands of yarn. You should have 10 HDC-half double crochets. Continue working 10 half double crochets(HDC) across each row. Chaining(CH) 1 and turning to start another row. Once you feel comfortable half double crocheting(HDC) you can move onto a double crochet(DC). Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @shesrootedhome#abeginnersguidetocrocheting so I can see your progress and cheer you on my sweet friend!
Friend! Are you as excited as I am that you’re here? I’m so proud of you for conquering single crochets! Today we are moving onto double crochet(DC). A double crochet(DC) is basically 2 single crochets(SC) on top of each other.
Your going to start by yarning over(wrapping the yarn around your hook) then inserting your hook into the 3rd chain(CH).
Yarn over and draw up through the chain(CH) space.
You should now have 3 loops on your hook. Yarn over and draw through 2 of the loops on your hook.
With 2 remaining loops on your hook, yarn over and draw through both loops.
You just created a double crochet(DC)! Repeat- Yarn over, insert your hook into the chain space, draw up a loop. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops again. You have a double crochet(DC). Continue double crocheting(DC) all the way to the end, for a total of 10 double crochets(DC). Chain(CH) 2 and turn. Practice double crocheting(DC) across each row until you feel comfortable learning a new stitch.
Hey! I’d like to start out by first saying how happy I am that you are here. I know you’ve been practicing How To Hold Your Yarn & Hook and working hard learning How To Chain. I’m so excited to be teaching you how to single crochet(SC). Just in case that last sentence confused you SC is an abbreviation for S-single C-crochet. I want to add these abbreviations to future posts and get you familiar with seeing them. This will help you later in your crochet journey to read patterns easily.
Back to single crochet. I’d like you to attach your yarn to your crochet hook and chain(CH) 11. When counting your chains(CH) look for the V’s or as my daughter likes to call them hearts. Each V is one chain.
Now that you have 11 CH(chains), insert your hook into the second chain from your hook.
Next you’re going to wrap the working yarn around the crochet hook and draw it through the chain.
You should have 2 loops on your crochet hook.
Wrap the working yarn around your crochet hook one more time.
Pull through both loops on your hook. You just created your first single crochet!
Repeat for the remaining chains(CH) for a total of 10 single crochets(SC). Insert your hook into the next chain space. Wrap your working yarn around the hook and draw through the chain space. With 2 loops on your hook, yarn over(wrapping the yarn around the hook) and pull through both loops.
Now we are going to build on top of that first row by chaining(CH) 1 and turning your work over. Single crocheting(SC) on top of the previous row.
Insert your hook into the first opening and draw up a loop. Yarn over and pull through both loops on your hook. You will continue inserting your hook into the previous single crochet(SC) space, drawing up a loop, yarning over and pulling through both loops to create a single crochet(SC).
When you get to the end it may be a little tricky. Try looking from the top of your work instead of the side. Do you see the sideways V? Insert your hook under the two strands that make up the V. Draw up a loop, yarn over and pull through both loops to create your last single crochet(SC) for that row. Chain(CH) 1 and turn your work, single crocheting on top of the row you just made.
PIN IT FOR LATER!!!
To count your stitches turn your work slightly so that you’re looking at it from the top instead of the side. Count each sideways V or 2 strands of yarn. You should have 10 SC-single crochets. Continue working 10 single crochets(SC) across each row. Chaining(CH) 1 and turning to start another row. Once you feel comfortable single crocheting(SC) you can move onto a double crochet(DC). Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @shesrootedhome#abeginnersguidetocrocheting so I can see your progress and cheer you on my sweet friend!
