A Few Crochet Basics

Hello I would like to share with you one of my most favorite hobbies, crocheting! I really like it and I am confident that by the end of this short and easy instructables, you will too. So keep reading and learn the fun and easy art of crocheting. here I will walk you through how to do three of the most commonly used stitches and a little bit of crochet knowledge I've picked up over time.

you will need: crochet hook (susan bates is my favorite brand), yarn (usually the yarn packaging doesn't say that the yarn is a certain size but it does say what size hook to use with the yarn so look for that.),

The very first thing is to make a nice little adjustable loop on your hook, here's how: with the yarn in your left hand and the hook in your right hand, drape the yarn over the hook with the end facing away from you. Pick up the yarn end and put it over the yarn on the other side of the hook, with the index finger and thumb of your left hand, hold the place where the yarn criss - crosses be careful though that the yarn coming from the skien is over your left hand , not under it. Now, pull with the hook the yarn over your left hand through the loop on the hook. Pull the end of yarn until the loop on your hook is just loose enough to slide on the hook. Your little loop is done congratulations!!

Now here's how to hold the yarn comfortably while crocheting: with your right hand still holding the hook, and with your left hand 's palm facing you and fingers spread out, loop the yarn coming from the hook around your pinky finger starting in front of your pinky. then (with the yarn) go past your ring finger and middle finger, go around your index finger then hold the knot on the bottom of the loop (if you got the loop right, there should be a little bump/knot right under the loop part.)hold this knot with your middle finger and your thumb. the yarn in between your hook and your index finger should be just taut. The yarn on your index finger should rest in between your knuckles. also, hold your finger up straight. if the yarn in between the hook and your index finger is too loose pull on the yarn behind your pinky. if the yarn in between the hook and your index finger is too tight, pull the hook until the yarn feels just right.

Still holding the knot under the loop on your hook with the thumb and middle finger of your left hand, and your left hand holding the yarn as mentioned above, grab the yarn on the index finger of your left hand, with your hook pull through the first loop on your hook. Now you should have a loop hanging beneath your hook as well as one still on your hook. This is the beginning of your chain, or ch. since in every pattern the author abbreviates the word to make it easier so, chain's abbreviation is ch. also in a pattern the author will say how many ch. for example:5 ch. what this means is, not counting the first loop on your hook (the one I taught you how to make in step 1)every time you grab at the yarn on your left hand, with your hook, and pulling through the loop on your hook. you are making one ch.! also if you are making more than one ch. the tail of loops beneath your hook will keep growing so you'll want to keep moving your thumb and middle finger up closer to the hook.

I know that Sc., Dc., and Hdc. might sound like some kind of strange code but don't worry its only the abbreviations for a few simple stitches (sts.) I'll teach you. why abbreviate everything? first of all we don't abbreviate everything just a few things that we know that will be repeated somewhat often during our pattern don't worry I'm not making this up, so other patterns you find will have things abbreviated too. speaking of shortening things, instead of saying "grab at the yarn on the index finger of your left hand" I'll say yo.(yarn over.) Now we'll start with sc.(single crochet) the easiest st.(stitch) first ch.9 then in the second ch. from your hook stick your hook through the middle and yo. pull that back out of the ch. now you have two lps.(loops) on your hook, yo. and pull through the two lps. on your hook. Now you only have one lp.(loop) on your hook but you have finished your first st. I suggest that you repeat this in the rest of the ch. to get comfortable

Next easiest: dc. (double crochet) first ch.9, yo. and push your hook in the second ch. from your hook yo. and pull back out. now you have three lps. on your hook yo. and pull through two of the lps. on your hook yo. again and pull through the two last lps. on your hook. so easy right? as I said before make yourself comfortable with every new st. especially before you make something!

Hdc. (half double crochet)it may sound scary but I actually think its easier than dc. here's how to do it: ch.9, yo. and push your hook in the second ch. from your hook yo. and pull back out. now you have three lps. on your hook yo. and pull through all three lps. on your hook. most patterns, (that use hdc.)have you stitch into the third loop (that's what the last picture shows) . for sc. and dc. you have two little "loops" that you work the st. into, but a hdc. leaves behind a third lp. and when a pattern has you work in the third lp. all they mean is only st. into one of the three lps.!! congratulations!! you have finished all three of the most common sts., so now you can move on to trying a pattern!