Crochet tutorial – Single Crochet (UK: Double Crochet)

Hello everyone, I’m Maria Elisa from Needles and Skeins! The third appointment with our crochet lessons has arrived soon, as I promised in the last post! After learning how to make slip knot and chain stitch and how to work the Slip Stitch. We now begin to face the real crochet stitches, starting with the Single Crochet (abbreviation: sc). In British English this stitch is called Double Crochet (abbreviation: dc).

To review the previous stitches follow BettaKnit Channel on Youtube!

This stitch is the easiest one in crochet work, but it’s really versatile. Single Crochet has a dense fabric, in fact it’s used to make Amigurumi dolls…but it’s perfect for any other structured piece.

With Single Crochet it’s really possible to realize every kind of project, from clothing like cardigans and tops, to household items such as carpets, coasters and baskets. Using the Tapestry Crochet technique you can also apply geometric and colorful patterns to various objects, such as bags and placemats.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0Gvf2DwMPI]

Single Crochet step by step:

  1. Make a Slip Knot and then make a foundation chain.
  2. Pay attention to the tension of the yarn: the yarn should be wrapped around the shaft of your hook (not the throat!), not too tightly.
  3. Insert the crochet hook into the middle of the second stitch from hook. (Single Crochet uses a turning chain of 1 stitch, which is why you skip the first stitch of your foundation chain).
  4. Move the hook under, then over the yarn.
  5. Scoop up the yarn with the groove of your hook, and pull it through the chain. There are now both the loop and the yarn on your hook.
  6. Scoop up again the yarn with the groove of your hook, and pull it through both loops. You have now crocheted your first Single Crochet!
  7. To continue working in Single Crochet, insert the hook in to the next chain and repeat steps from 4 to 6 until you have crocheted into the last stitch of your foundation chain.
  8. To work across a row which has already been crocheted make a turning chain of 1 stitch.
  9. Insert your hook into the next stitch (not the turning chain you just made). Make sure to go below to both loops.
  10.  Complete the stitch repeating steps from 4 to 6. Keep working in this way until you reach the end of your row.

It’s really much easier to work the Single Crochet than explain it, you will gain speed and accuracy with just a bit of exercise. You can practice making some samples, or throw yourselves headlong and start with simple projects, with a square or rectangular shape: coasters, placemats, bookmarks…there are much more than you think! Show us your progress by sharing photos on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, using the hashtags #bettaknit, #ilovebettaknit and #needlesandskeinsGANG.