Understanding The Basic Crochet Stitch

Posted by admin on July 23rd, 2007 filed in Articles

Crochet is a beautiful past time for both fun and relaxation. Wherever you are or whatever place your in, you can always do crochet and that is the shear joy of it. You are not really restrained in anyway to what you can achieve. A crochet stitch is easy to learn, and once you have a few basic stitches ‘in the bag’, you can start to sift through some beginners patterns. Once you have mastered the basic principals, you will be armed to try your hand at some of the more difficult crochet stitch and patterns.

Some of the greatest beginner projects include baby and doll blankets, scarves and even some easy purses. All that is needed to start you on the road to crocheted projects is a hook (a size “H” is an easy one for a beginner to handle), and a ball of yarn. It is also a good idea to have an instructional manual at hand that can provide you with directions on how to finish your crochet stitch, along with graphics so that you can clearly see how the yarn works through the hook.

Keep your manual nearby where you can easily use it as a reference, because you will more than likely refer back to it many times during your crochet experience – whether you need to learn new crochet stitch, refresh yourself on pattern abbreviations, or simply need a tip for a finishing technique.

One, Two, Three, Let’s Start Crocheting!

The basic crochet stitch you will need to learn about is a slip knot. This consists of making a loop with your yarn, and then pulling your yarn strand through the loop to make a ring. Pull the knot snug, and slip your hook through the ring. You are now ready to begin with a chain stitch. The chain stitch is the foundation stitch for all crochet. Nearly every pattern you work will call for a row of chain stitches to begin your crocheted piece.

After you have really got the hang of the crochet stitch (which will really not take you more than a few seconds), you are ready to start exploring the world of the crochet stitch. The most basic crochet stitch to learn will be the single, double and triple stitches. These are all done in an identical manner – the only difference will be the amount of times you bring your yarn around your hook before completing the stitch.

A really cool method to learn the basic crochet stitch is by working a granny square. This pattern will show you the basic chain stitch, the double crochet, and a slip stitch which is used for joining rows that are worked in rounds. With the know how of how to make a granny square, you are on your way to the development of blankets, purses, scarves and ponchos. Granny squares are wonderfully versatile and only limited in design and colour by your imagination.

The key here is to take your time and not to rush. Just enjoy the experience of learning how to master the crochet stitch and don’t be tempted to try and run before you can walk. Once you have learned the basic crochet stitch in a granny square, you will be ready to move on to other types of patterns for scarves and blankets. The capabilities of what you can achieve here are unlimited in the projects you can create with just a few basic crochet stitches. So go grab your hook and yarn, and get ready to have some fun with the amazing crochet experience!