THE BASIC STITCHES & HOW TO READ PATTERNS

My now second post into the world of learning how to Crochet, so excited! After finishing a big project for my son, a sweater, it feels good to write again. Getting all the knots out of my fingers, lol.

There are many stitches but, it is easier to focus on a few and then branch out later. here it goes:

In Crochet, a project is started with a chain row or foundation row, this can be done in two different ways. Today I am only going to go over one. The second one is called the no-chain foundation row which is a little more complex so, I will be going over this is my next post.

To complete a chain row or foundation row (abbreviation for pattern reading Ch):

The initial part known as a slip knot always reminds me of how I learned to tie my shoes, make bunny ears with your shoelace, cross bunny ears, pull top bunny ear under bottom bunny ear and through the hole. I know there was a whole saying but, it has been ages that i don't remember it. Anyhow with a Chain (Ch) row you only have one bunny ear and yarn is your shoelace.

When you make a bunny ear the yarn is automatically crossed, the end part of the yarn should be on top of the yarn that is connected to your ball of yarn. What I do is wrap the yarn around my fingers and pull the end string through the hole in between my two fingers, not pulling it all the way through only enough to make another bunny ear.
***Note: make sure you have enough yarn length on the end part of the yarn***

Once done you should have an adjustable bunny ear to start the Chain (Ch) row, insert hook into the bunny ear and adjust bunny ear to fit your crochet hook. To complete one Chain (Ch), yarn over (Known as Yo or Yoh (yarn over hook) in pattern reading), pull yarn on hook through the bunny ear hole, repeat this until you reach the desired amount of Chain (Ch) stitches (St(s)).
***Note: yarn over (Yo) with the yarn attached to your yarn ball***

Here is a simple start to a pattern using Ch row:

Row 1: Ch 11 with A, turn (A refers to a specific color for a project, You could have multiple colors B, C and so on). (turn refers to turning back the way you started from) .

Before I go into the next stitch I want to go over different ways to start the next row after a Chain/foundation row (Ch). There are at least 4 ways start the second row: Two loops (Tl), One loop (Ol), front loop (Flo) and back loop (Blo). I am going to go over the two basic ways to start, the other two I will go over in my next post.

Two loops (Tl) is when you insert your hook into the Chain (Ch) row that has two loops (Tl) showing on top.

Two loops on top

 One loop (Ol) is when your insert you hook into the Chain (Ch) row that has one loop (Ol) showing on top.

One loop on top

I usually go with the one loop (Ol) on top because it creates a cleaner looking edge underneath.

***Note: this is only used when crocheting after the the chain/foundation row (Ch). The two loops (Tl), front loop (Flo) or back loop (Blo) would need to be used after a stitch (St) row has been put over a Chain/foundation row (Ch).***

Onto the next stitch...

Slip stitch (abbreviation for pattern reading Sl St):

To complete a slip stich (Sl St), Insert hook into Chain (Ch) or stitch (St) and Yarn over (Yo), pull through chain (Ch) or stitch (St) and both loops leaving one loop on the hook, repeat till destination is reached.

Pattern continued-

Row 2: Sl St in the second Ch from the hook (Note: putting the stitch (St) in the second chain (Ch) is mostly done after a chain row (Ch) so, the stitch (St) can't easily come out), Sl St into the remaining 9 Ch spaces (Sp), Ch 1 (Note: The chain (Ch) 1 helps keep the row straight and at the proper height going into the single Crochet stitch (Sc)) and turn.

Row 1: Chain (Ch) &  Row 2: Slip Stitch (Sl St) together

Single Crochet (abbreviation for pattern reading Sc):

To complete a single crochet stitch (Sc), Insert hook into Chain (Ch) or stitch (St) and Yarn over (Yo), pull through chain (Ch) or stitch (St), Yarn over (Yo), pull through both loops leaving on one loop on the hook, repeat till destination is reached.

Pattern continued-

Row 3: Sc in the next stitch from the hook, Sc into the remaining 9 Sl St Sp(s), Ch 2 (Note: The chain (Ch) 2 helps keep the row straight and at the proper height going into a double crochet stitch (Dc)) and turn.

Row 1, Row 2 & Row 3: Single Crochet (Sc) together

Double Crochet (abbreviation for pattern reading Dc):

To complete a double crochet stitch (Dc), Yarn over (Yo), Insert hook into Chain (Ch) or stitch (St) and Yarn over (Yo), pull through chain (Ch) or stitch (St), Yarn over (Yo), pull through two loops leaving two loops on the hook, Yarn over (Yo), pull through the last two loops leaving one loop on the hook, repeat till destination is reached.

Pattern continued-

Row 4: Dc in the next stitch from the hook, Dc in the remaining 9 Sc Sp(s), Ch 3 (Note: The chain (Ch) 3 helps keep the row straight and at the proper height going into a Triple crochet stitch (Tc)) and turn. 

Row 1, Row 2, Row 3 & Row 4: Double Crochet (Dc) together

Triple Crochet (abbreviation for pattern reading Tc):

To complete a triple crochet stitch (Tc), Yarn over (Yo) twice, Insert hook into Chain (Ch) or stitch (St) and Yarn over (Yo), pull through chain (Ch) or stitch (St), Yarn over (Yo), pull through two loops leaving three loops on the hook, Yarn over (Yo), pull through another two loops leaving two loops on the hook, Yarn over (Yo), pull through the last two loops leaving one loop on the hook, repeat till destination is reached.

Pattern continued-

Row 5: Tc in the next stitch from the hook, Tc in the remaining 9 Dc Sp(s), Ch 1 (Note: The Chain (Ch) 1 helps keep the stitch (St) from coming out), fasten off and weave in ends.

Row 1, Row 2, Row 3, Row 4 & Row 5: Triple Crochet (Tc) together

One more thing I want to go over is that a pattern can be worked in rows (straight lines) or rounds (Circles). The pattern I did today was in rows, it was only meant to show you how to read patterns and work the stitches.

Hope you enjoyed my post today, my next post will be on modification of basic stitches and continued pattern reading.

Happy pattern reading!


© Hooking Rainbow 07/27/2013. All rights reserved.