Basic Stitch - Single Crochet (sc)

Sep 17, 20224 min read

Updated: Oct 9, 2022

Hello crafty people! It's time to talk about the next basic stitch so I hope you have been practicing your chain stitches.

The next basics stitch is the single crochet or if you are using UK terms a double crochet. For this post just to keep it simple I'm going to call it a single crochet because that's the term I personally use. 😁

Before we begin, I would suggest using stitch markers to mark you first stitch on every row, this will mark the last stitch you will work into when making your next row. This will make it easier to keep your stitch count correct.

To start you need to have already made your chain. If you haven't already read my post about the chain stitch here is the link to it, please read it if you are new to crocheting. The sample piece I am making will have 10 single crochets to make the same size project as me you will need to make a chain of 11.

So, you have your 11 chains. The next step is to start working down your chains making your first row. For single crochet that means working into the second chain from your hook. This is where some people get confused. The loop on your hook does NOT count as a stitch and the chain you are skipping over to go into the second chain is NOT a stitch. You will not be working into that chain at any point. That chain is known as a "turning chain" it is meant to make sure your work will be the right height as you start a new row. How many turning chains you need will depend on what stitch you are making, for single crochet that is one chain. Like I said this is where it gets confusing but don't worry with practice this will get easier and easier to understand.

There are two ways you can go into your chain to start your first row. You can work into one loop of your "v", if you look at your chains you will notice they look like v's that are laying on their sides, or you can work into what is called the back bump. I will be working into the back bumps. Here's a picture showing them.

Here are the v's.

Here are the bumps.

Insert your hook into the second chain from your hook.

Wrap a loop of yarn around your hook and pull that loop of yarn through the chain that you inserted your hook into.

You know have two loops on your hook. The loop that has been on your hook since you made your last chain and the loop you just pulled through your chain. Yarn over (wrap the yarn around your hook) and pull through both loops on your hook. You have just made your first single crochet!

Let make another one. Insert your hook into the next chain. Yarn over and pull through the first loop, the chain you went into. Yarn over and pull through both loops. You just made another single crochet! See it's not that scary.

Just keep repeating these steps until you get to the end of your row. If you followed along with me and made 11 chains, you will have 10 single crochets made. Please count and make sure you have 10. Counting your stitches is never a bad idea. Counting is the only way to make sure you are making your rows even and not losing or adding stitches.

Now we will talk about how to add rows. Being able to work into the chain is a wonderful thing, but unless you just want to make long strings you really can't do much unless you know how to build up your rows.

To start your second row, you will need to chain one.

Now you are going to turn your work so that your yarn is coming from the back of your project.

Insert your hook into the first stitch (the last sc you made not the chain you made to turn), going under both legs of the "v".

The next steps are exactly the same as working into the chain. You will YO and pull that yarn through the first loop on your hook. YO and pull through both loops on your hook.

Here it is with a stitch marker in the first stitch of the row.

Repeat those steps to finish your row. At the end of your row chain 1 and turn to start row 3.

Make as many rows as you need to make your project. To end your project, you will finish your row like normal working sc all the way down the row. Make a chain 1 but instead of turning your work cut your yarn leaving about 5 inches of tail. Pull the cut end of yarn through the chain you made and pull the chain tight. This is basically making a knot so your work cannot come undone.

The following pictures are from a different project, but the steps are the same.

Last stitch is made.