The six basic crochet stitches – with photos

Almost everything you crochet is a combination of six basic stitches. Learn them in order and you can follow most patterns. These are the same descriptions that come with my patterns, with a photo of each stitch.

Chain (ch)

Make a slip knot on your hook. With the yarn behind the hook, yarn over and pull it through the loop on the hook. Repeat until the chain is as long as you need.

Chains are the start of nearly everything you crochet, and they are also used to step up between rows.

Slip stitch (sl st)

Insert the hook into a stitch from the previous row. Yarn over and pull the yarn through both the stitch and the loop on your hook in one movement.

A slip stitch adds no height. It is used to move sideways, close a round, or give an edge a firm finish.

Single crochet (sc)

Insert the hook into a stitch, yarn over and pull through. You now have two loops on the hook. Yarn over again and pull through both loops.

Single crochet gives a dense, sturdy fabric with no gaps. That is why it is the backbone of bags and amigurumi, where the stuffing must not show through.

Half double crochet (hdc)

Yarn over first, then insert the hook into a stitch, yarn over and pull through. You now have three loops on the hook. Yarn over and pull through all three at once.

The half double sits between single and double crochet in both height and density. It gives a soft fabric that still holds together.

Double crochet (dc)

Yarn over, insert the hook into a stitch, yarn over and pull through – three loops on the hook. Yarn over and pull through the first two loops, then yarn over again and pull through the last two.

Double crochet is taller and airier, and the work grows quickly. It is common in granny squares and in garments meant to drape.

Treble crochet (tr)

Yarn over twice, insert the hook into a stitch, yarn over and pull through – four loops on the hook. Then yarn over and pull through two loops at a time, three times over.

The treble is the tallest of the basic stitches and gives an open, lacy fabric. Perfect when something should be light and airy.

What is a stitch?

A stitch is a single crochet action. Stitches are several of those actions, or the loops they create in your work. So when a pattern says "work 20 sc", it means twenty single crochet stitches along the row.

Where to go next

Once those six stitches are second nature you can follow almost any pattern. Start with something small and flat, like a pouch or a simple bag, before taking on a garment where the fit has to be right.

Not chosen your yarn and hook yet? Read the guide to choosing yarn and hooks first. Every one of my patterns lists the stitches it uses, so you can see at a glance whether a project sits at your level.