Follow these easy step-by-step instructions to master the basics of crochet, from holding the hook, to foundation stitches and colour changes!

PEN METHOD
There’s no right or wrong way to hold your hook, but many crocheters find it comfortable to hold it as they would a pen.

KNIFE METHOD
Others prefer the knife method, with the end of the hook resting against the palm of the hand for extra control of the hook.

The key is to ensure tension in the yarn. This technique shows the tail held between index finger and thumb, and working the end over the middle finger.

This technique shows the tail end held in between the thumb and middle finger and the working end wrapped around the index finger – see what works best for you!

Holding the tail end firmly, wrap the working end of the ball of yarn around two fingers to make a loop.

Pull a loop from the working end of the ball of yarn up through the centre of the loop you’ve just made.

Remove the loop from your fingers and you should have something that looks like this.

Pull the tail end of the yarn to close the slipknot – it’s now ready to be popped onto your crochet hook and pulled tight to close.

This is what the start of any crochet project looks like – a slipknot on a hook.

To begin making your first chain, first wrap the yarn around the hook (yrh).

Pull the hook towards the first loop on the hook – always be sure to move the crochet hook, and not the yarn, to make your stitches – this will catch the yrh in the head of the hook.

Continue to move the hook until you pull your yrh through the first loop on
the hook – you’ve made your first chain stitch!

Once you’ve made the required length of chain, you should be left with something looking like this. This is your foundation row, into which Row 1 is worked.

The starting chain instructions often include the turning chain in them already. This example shows a treble crochet, so the stitch is worked into the 4th chain from the hook to create the height needed for the first stitch.

This is what the first treble stitch into a chain looks like – you will then continue to make the next stitch in the next chain all along to the end to create your first row.

Once you reach the end of a row, it’s time to work back along the other way. To do this, you need to turn the work. This example shows a treble once again, so we’ve made a three chain turning chain.

Then simply turn the work before continuing to work the next row. This produces what is known as a right side (RS) and wrong side (WS) to the crochet fabric – something you’ll come to recognise in no time at all.

Different stitches have different sized turning chains; double crochet is one chain (which is often not counted as a stitch), half treble is two chains, treble is three chains and double treble is four chains.

To work in the round, first of all you need a centre ring, into which the first round of stitches are worked into. There are many ways to do this, but for this example, we are first making a chain of four stitches.

Next, slip stitch into the first chain you made to create a centre ring.

We are creating treble stitches again, so next up, we make a chain of three for the turning chain.

The stitches are then worked directly into the centre ring – not into the actual chain stitches themselves, as we did when working into a row. This allows us to work many more stitches into the ring without leaving a large hole in the centre.

A magic ring is a key technique used in the making of toys (also known as amigurumi). It allows you to have even greater control of the size of the hole at the centre ring of your project.

To start off, follow the first few steps for making a slipknot by making a loop around your fingers with the working end of the yarn.

Pull through a loop of the working end of the ball of yarn – place your hook into the new loop; however, this time don’t pull the tail to make a slipknot. Hold the centre ring in your fingers to stop it moving.

In this example, we’re double crocheting into the magic ring. To secure the magic ring, make one chain.

Then continue to work the number of required double crochet stitches directly into the magic ring, ensuring both the loop and the tail end are caught in the stitches.

Pull the tail end of the yarn and the magic ring will close up as tightly as it is able, depending on the number of stitches.

Insert your hook into the next stitch from front to back.

Wrap the yarn round the hook (yrh).

Pull up a loop through the stitch. You will now have two loops on the hook.

Yarn round the hook again.

Pull through both loops on hook. You’ve made your first double crochet.

This stitch is a common decrease in double crochet. First up, work a double crochet stitch as far as Step 3. Then insert your hook into the next stitch, yrh and pull up a loop. You will have three loops on the hook.

Yarn round the hook again.

Pull through all three loops on the hook.

To increase the number of double crochet stitches, simply make more than one double crochet in the same stitch as shown in this example.

Slip stitches are used as joining stitches and in places where you need to move along a row or round without impacting the height of the row. Insert the hook into the next stitch.

Yarn round the hook, pull up a loop not only through the stitch, but also the first loop on the hook.

First up, yarn round the hook.

Insert the hook into the next stitch, yrh and pull through one loop. There are three loops on the hook.

Yarn round the hook again.

Pull through all three loops. One half treble stitch made.

For a Half treble 2 together (Htr2tog), work as for half treble until Step 2. Repeat steps 1 and 2 once again - there are five loops on the hook. Yrh and pull through all five loops.

First up, yarn round the hook.

Insert the hook into the next stitch and pull up one loop. There are three loops on the hook.

Yarn round the hook and pull through two loops. There are two loops left on the hook.

Yarn round the hook again and pull through the remaining two loops. One treble crochet stitch made.

Work as for a treble crochet stitch up to Step 3.

Yarn round the hook again, insert into the next stitch and pull up one loop. There are four loops on the hook.

Yarn round the hook again and pull through two loops.
There are now three loops on the hook.

Yarn round the hook again and pull through the remaining three loops.

Crochet colourwork can make for some fantastic results. To change colour mid-row, first work the stitch until the penultimate step in colour 1. Yarn round the hook in the new colour.

Pull through both loops to complete the stitch and continue to work the next stitch in the next colour.

Once secured, you can either fasten off the old yarn or keep it attached if you’ll be working it in again soon – this is called stranded colourwork.

Tension squares are particularly important for projects where size does matter, so be sure to work up a square in pattern that’s slightly larger than 10cm square. Grab your ruler and count your stitches. Too many? Try a hook size up. Too few? Try a hook size down.