How to crochet: single crochet

So to continue from last week today we're going to do the single crochet. It's the easiest stitch and the first one everyone learns.

I'm going to show you on a swatch I made. If you're starting to do your single crochets from the chain you would be going into each chain into each single crochet space. To turn your work to go back in the other direction you need to chain one then turn (or turn then chain one, it doesn't matter). Make sure you count your stitches.

To begin, you'll see there is a space next to the stitch I just made, you will be inserting your hook into the next space.  When working into the chain it's a little more tricky because it's so flimsy, that's why it's extra important to count your stitches.  

Once you've inserted your hook, yarn over. 

Then draw the yarn through the stitch. You should now have 2 loops on your hook.

Yarn over once more.

Then draw the yarn through both loops that are on your hook. Tighten. There it is, your first single crochet!

When you look at your work you'll see that it makes holes, the size of the hole is dependent on the size of the hook you're using as well as your tension. For a single crochet you will always be going through one hole at a time. There are lots of stitches that go through more than one hole or no hole to complete but we'll get to that a different day. 

You'll see on the top of your stitches that it makes almost like a 2-stranded braid. For the single crochet make sure your hook goes under both strands. There are stitches that don't but again, we'll go over that a different day.

So, I hope that helped you learn how to make a single crochet. If you have any questions or comments please post them and I will answer them as quickly as possible.

See you next week when we'll be going over the half double crochet or hdc.