Simply Crochet

Chain stitch is abbreviated as ‘ch’ in patterns and is the foundation of a lot of projects.

Step one

Make a slip knot.

Step two

Catch the ball end of the yarn with the hook, so that the yarn wraps anticlockwise around it. This movement is called ‘yarn round hook’, which you’ll see abbreviated as ‘yrh’. You’ll do a lot of this.

Step three

Gently pull the hook, and the yarn wrapped around it, back towards the loop on the hook.

Step four

When you get to the hook, pull the yarn through the first loop, to make a new loop on the hook.

Congratulations! This is your first chain stitch.

Step five

Repeat steps 2-4 until you’ve made about 20 chain stitches (also called chains). Hold the stitches firmly, just below the hook, moving your fingers up the chain as you go.

Step six

Keep making short chains like this until you can make even chain stitches and the whole process feels quite natural.