Crocheting a chain – a right-handed crochet tutorial

Crocheting a chain – a right-handed crochet tutorial

Demonstrating how to hold the hook and yarn when crocheting a foundation chain

The all-important chain stitch

Most of the time we start a piece of crochet with a foundation chain. So, chain stitch is usually the first thing you learn.

This is a beginner’s tutorial for crocheting right-handed, that is, you hold your hook in your right hand. Here is the tutorial for crocheting left-handed.

One chain at a time

Make a slipknot and place it on the crochet hook.

Place slipknot on crochet hook

Slide the slipknot onto the shaft of the hook.

Slide slip knot onto throat of crochet hook

Starting with the hook in front of the yarn, move it back under the yarn, …

Start with hook in front of yarn

… then forward over it, …

Move hook move back under yarn.

… so the yarn is round the hook.

Move hook forward over yarn, so yarn is round hook.

Grab the yarn by rotating the hook towards you and at the same time gently pull the hook away from the stitch to open the loop slightly.

Move hook forward over yarn, so yarn is round hook.

Pull the yarn through the loop on the hook, …

Grab yarn by rotating crochet hook towards you and at same time gently pull hook away from stitch to open loop slightly

… thus creating a new stitch.

Pull yarn through loop on hook thus creating new stitch.

Continue to make new chain stitches, in the same way, until you have the desired number.

What to do if your stitches are too loose

  1. Slide the stitch onto the shaft of the hook.
  2. Use your index finger to give the yarn a gentle tug.
Make stitches looser by 1) sliding stitch onto shaft of hook; 2) using your first finger to give yarn gentle tug.

What to do if your stitches are too tight

  1. Slide the stitch onto the shaft of the hook before you try to pull the yarn through it.
  2. Move your index finger towards the hook to loosen the tension.
  3. Use your thumb and middle finger to pull the chain away from the hook, to open the loop slightly.
Make stitches tighter by: sliding stitch onto shaft of hook before you try to pull yarn through it; moving your first finger towards hook; using your thumb and middle finger to pull chain away from hook, to open loop slightly.

As you practise your stitches will become nice and even.

Make something using chain stitch

Chain stitch is the only stitch you need to know to make a Sparkly Crochet Necklace.

Purple sparkly crochet necklace made using fine thread and beads

It doesn’t matter if your stitches are a bit uneven; the weight of the beads stretches them out. Most people will so be impressed by your necklace that they won’t notice any uneven stitches anyway.

Left-handed knitting tutorials
Right-handed knitting tutorials
Left-handed crochet tutorials
Right-handed crochet tutorials

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