Basic Crochet Stitches in Rows

Chain Stitch (CH)

Chain stitches form the foundation on which you will build the rest of your project. It is difficult to master at first but you will get used to it with lots of practice. It is important to maintain tension with your hook so the chains are all the same sizes.

We will start by creating a slip knot. In crochet, the beginning slip knot does not count as a stitch.

First make a slip knot on the hook
Yarn over the hook and bring through the slip knot from back to front, this is your first chain. You will need to rotate the hook to get a proper grip of the yarn
Repeat as many times as necessary to build up more chains, in this tutorial I have made 15 chains

This stitch is the basis of scarves, hats, headbands, cardigans, tops. Once the foundation chain is in place you can then start to build on it by ‘turning’ each row.

In a pattern, it will ask you to CH 1 and turn. In the tutorial video, I chain 15 but before I turn I chain 1 extra to make 16. This is important as when you turn, you always start on the 2nd chain from the hook. So if I didn’t chain an extra stitch and turn I would have 14 stitches instead of 15. It will make sense when you watch the video. After you chain the extra stitch, turn the row to the left.

Single Crochet (SC)

In 2nd chain from the hook, insert your hook into the chain. Yarn over and pull through to create a loop. You will now have two loops on your hook.
Yarn over again and pull through both loops. You now have one loop on your hook
Once you have completed the row it will look like this. For all future rows, you will now have 2 loops that you need to insert the hook under.
Chain 1 and turn the row to the left

Single Crochet Increase (SC INC / INC)

Often, patterns will tell you to increase (SC INC) into the next stitch. This means to work 2 single crochet stitches in the next stitch. Other patterns will tell you to work 2 sc in next st, this means the same thing: make 2 sc stitches into the same stitch.

Single crochet into the 2nd stitch from the hook and in same stitch complete another single crochet
You will now have 30 single crochet stitches and it should look like the image below.

Single Crochet Decrease (SC DEC / DEC)

Often, patterns will tell you to decrease (SC DEC) into the next stitch. A crochet decrease involves crocheting two stitches together. After doing this, the two stitches will become a single stitch. Like the increase stitch, it is required to make the head, body, legs and arms shape.

Insert hook into the next stitch
Yarn over and pull back through that stitch, you now have 2 loops on the hook
Insert hook into the next stitch
Yarn over and pull back through that stitch, you now have 3 loops on the hook
Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops on the hook
You will now have 15 single crochet stitches

Video Tutorial

This video contains all of the above stitches. If you find that the screen is too small within the page, please click on the Title in white text at the top of video. This will open YouTube directly and make the video bigger.