How to Crochet with 5 Basic Stitches from Lantern Moon's blog

Crochet is a lovely yarn craft that produces fabric for sweaters, hats, scarves, blankets and many more. The craft has only five basic stitches while the rest are just combinations of them. If you are just starting with crochet, all you need to learn are the five basic stitches. In this blog, let’s take you through the crochet stitches.

Before you start, you need

1. Crochet hooks: While choosing the type of crochet hook you can either choose the single-ended crochet hooks or even the interchangeable Tunisian crochet hooks that come with the option of using a cord. Understanding crochet hook sizes is important for the craft as the general rule is bigger the hook size bigger the stitches and smaller the hook size, smaller the stitches. You’ll be needing this information when you plan your own projects as most crochet patterns cover the information.
2. Yarn: As you are learning the basic stitches, 4 ply medium-weight yarn is recommended. With this yarn you can easily see the stitches you make. For practice you can take any yarn in your collection as long as it is comfortable for you.

Now here’s how to crochet basic stitches, crochet is based on five. We will be exploring them below.

• Chain stitch (ch)

Chain stitches are the foundation of a crochet pattern unless specified to start in any other way and is the equivalent of ‘casting on’ in knitting.

• Single crochet (sc)

Insert the crochet hook into the second chain. Wrap the yarn over and draw the yarn through the chain only. Wrap the yarn again and draw the yarn through both loops on the hook. You will have one single crochet stitch.

• Half Double Crochet (hdc)

To make a half double crochet stitch, yarn over and insert the crochet hook into the third chain. Pull up three yarn loops in the hook. Yarn over and pull yarn through loops on a hook.

• Double Crochet (hdc)

To make a double crochet stitch, wrap the yarn over the hook. Insert the crochet hook into the third chain. Wrap the yarn over the hook, draw through the chain only and wrap the yarn again. Draw through all three loops on hook. Pull yarn through two loops. Pull the yarn over one loop and one double crochet stitch is made.

• Treble Crochet (tr)

The treble crochet stitch is made by wrapping the yarn over the hook twice. Insert the crochet hook into the fifth chain from the hook. Wrap the yarn over the hook, draw through the chain only and wrap the yarn again. Draw through the first two loops only and wrap the yarn again. Draw through the next two loops only and wrap the yarn again. Draw through the last two loops on hook and one treble crochet stitch is made.

• Slip stitch (sl st)

The slip stitch is a basic but foundational technique that helps all through your crochet craftwork. Whether it’s completing a round, fastening off the yarn, joining two pieces of fabric together, or moving within a pattern, the slip stitch is a master stitch.

Once you have had enough practice, go for beginner projects such as blankets, scarves, afghans, etc. Soon enough you will have wonderful crochet creations on hand.

Till then, happy crocheting!

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