YOUR GUIDE
Subscribe at http://www.simplycrochetmag.com WWW.SIMPLYCROCHETMAG.COM 87
CHAIN STITCHUse this stitch to make your foundation chain
1 Holdthehookinyourright
hand,andboththeyarnend
andtheworkingyarninyour
lefthand.Movethehookunder
andovertheyarntowrapit
around anticlockwise.
2 Pullthehooktowardsthe
slipknot,catchingtheyarnin
thehook,andpullingit through
theslipknotloop.Thisforms
yourfirstchain(ch)stitch.
Repeatsteps1 and 2 to form a
chain length.
3 Thisis whatyourrowof
chainswilllooklike.Holdthe
chainwithyourlefthandnear
thehook,tokeepthetension.
Keepgoinguntilyouhavethe
numberofchainsthat’s stated
in your pattern.
MAKING A SLIPKNOTThe first loop on the hook
1 Holdthetailoftheballof
yarninyourlefthandand
drapetheyarnclockwiseover
thetopofit toform a loose,
circular loop.
2 Holdtheloopbetweenleft
thumbandforefinger,then
insertthecrochethook
throughthecentreofthe loop
from front to back.
3 Catchtheballendofthe
yarnwiththehookandpullit
backthroughthecentreofthe
loop,taking the yarn through
with it.
4 Pullbothendsoftheyarnto
tightentheknot,thenpulljust
theballendtotightenthe
loopsoit’sclosetothehook,
but not touching it.
PENCILMETHOD
Holdthehooklikea pencil,in
yourrighthand(ifyou’re
right-handed),about3-5cm
fromthehookedend.If your
hookhasa flatarea,you’llfindit
comfortable to hold it here.
KNIFEMETHOD
Holdthehookbetweenyour
thumbandforefinger,about
3-5cmfromthehookedend,
restingtheendofthehook
againstyourpalm.Thiswill
give you lots of control.
METHODONE
Passtheballendoftheyarn
betweenthelittlefingerand
thirdfingersofyourlefthand
(ifyouareright-handed),then
behindthethirdandmiddle
fingers, over your index finger.
METHODTWO
Looptheballendoftheyarn
looselyaroundthelittlefinger
ofyourlefthand,thentakeit
overthethirdfinger,behindthe
middlefingerand over your
index finger.
Eachchainorloopcountsas
onestitch.Nevercountyour
firstslipknotortheloopon
thehook(calledtheworking
loop).Sothatyoucanbe
accurate,makesurethe
chainis nottwistedandthat
the front is facing you.
How to count chains
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
1
HOLDINGTHEHOOK
Tr y thes e m e tho ds and s e e w hich work s b es t
HOLDINGTHEYARN
Even tension results in even stitches
Overthenextfewpages,you’ll ndsimplestep-by-stepguidestomany useful
stitches and techniques that you’ll use every time you pick up a hook
Crochet essentials
Forvideodemos
help,seeourYarniversityandexpert
atwww.youtube.com/channel
SimplyCrochetMag
HOW-TO
VIDEOS