Beginner's Guide to Crochet - UK (2019-10)

BASIC TECHNIQUES

After each row of double crochet stitches,

you need to turn the fabric and work the

turning chain (this is abbreviated as t-ch).

The picture (right) shows the work turned

and ready to work the t-ch (one chain for

double crochet) – the numbers show where

to work the dc stitches of the second row.

So what’s a turning chain? In crochet, you

need to make a t-ch at the start of every row

to bring the hook up to the working height of

the stitches in the next row. You usually

do this at the start of a row, but it was

traditionally worked at the end of the row,

hence its name.

Different stitches need a different length

of t-ch. When working dc fabric, you can

largely just ignore the t-ch because it usually

does not count as a stitch (unless the

pattern states otherwise). We’ll have more

on this later.

Use these ‘extra’ stitches to bring the hook up

to the height of the next row

TURNING CHAINS

1

Turn and work one chain (this is the turning

chain, see below right). Insert hook under

the v-shaped top of the first stitch from the

previous row. Make sure the hook passes

under both loops, as shown above.

3

Work a double crochet stitch into the top

of each stitch across the row. To finish,

work into the last double crochet stitch.

2

Work a double crochet stitch in the same

way as before (yrh, pull yarn through the

stitch, yrh, pull through two loops on hook).

4

Make sure you do not work a stitch

into the top of the turning chain of the

previous row. Repeat Steps 1-3 until you have

the number of rows you need.

If you’re left-handed, follow these steps for perfect rows of double crochet...

LEFT-HAND

3 2 1