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Crochet starts with four things: a slip knot, a chain, a way to hold the yarn so it feeds evenly, and one working stitch. Everything else in crochet is a variation on pulling loops through loops with a hook. If you can make a chain and a single crochet, you can make a scarf tonight.
This page pairs a short video with written steps for the first stitches, then points you to the longer tutorial for each one.
The one thing that makes it work is tension: letting the yarn run over your fingers at a steady, light pull. Loose and even beats tight and neat at the start.
Watch: How to Start Crocheting Video Tutorial
Watch how the hook is held and how the working yarn runs over the fingers of the other hand; the stitches follow from those two habits.
Crocheting is a fun and easy way to create all sorts of things, from clothing to blankets! In this video, Alyssa teaches you the first stitches you need to know in order to crochet. Once you have these down, you'll be able to start crocheting some amazing items!
What You Need
A worsted weight yarn and a 5.0mm (US H-8) or 5.5mm (US I-9) hook. Worsted is thick enough to see each stitch and thin enough to work comfortably. Choose a smooth, light-colored yarn; dark, fuzzy, or novelty yarns hide the loops you need to find.
Abbreviations (US terms): ch = chain; sl st = slip stitch; sc = single crochet; dc = double crochet; yo = yarn over; st = stitch. A fuller list is in 70 crochet abbreviations and definitions.
How to Start Crocheting Written Steps
Step 1: Slip knot. Make a loop in the yarn, pull a second loop of the working yarn through it, and slide the loop onto the hook. Tighten until it moves on the hook but doesn't fall off.
Step 2: Hold the yarn. Run the working yarn over your index finger and under the next two, or whatever lets it slide with light resistance. Pinch the slip knot between thumb and middle finger.
Step 3: Chain. Yarn over (wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front) and pull it through the loop on the hook. That's one chain. Repeat for as many as you need.
Step 4: Single crochet. Insert the hook into the second chain from the hook, yarn over, pull up a loop (two loops on the hook), yarn over, and pull through both loops.
Step 5: Double crochet. Yarn over first, insert the hook into the fourth chain from the hook, yarn over, pull up a loop (three loops), yarn over and pull through two, yarn over and pull through the last two.
Step 6: Turn and keep going. At the end of a row, chain 1 for sc or chain 3 for dc, turn the work, and work back across the tops of the stitches.
Step-by-Step: How the Stitch Works
- The chain is the foundation: each chain is a loop pulled through the one before it.
- Every working stitch starts the same way: put the hook into a stitch, yarn over, and pull a loop back out. What makes sc different from dc is how many yarn overs you add before and after.
- Single crochet closes with one pull-through, so it's short and dense. Double crochet adds a yarn over at the start and two separate pull-throughs, which makes it twice as tall and gives the fabric more drape.
- Rows stack by working into the top of each stitch below, under the two strands that look like a small V. The turning chain lifts the yarn to the height of the new row.
Tips and Common Mistakes
- Chains too tight to get the hook into are the most common first problem. Make a slightly larger loop on each chain than feels right.
- Count stitches at the end of every row. Losing one stitch per row makes a triangle; it usually means the last stitch of the row was missed.
- Don't work into the turning chain on sc rows (chain 1 doesn't count as a stitch). On dc rows, the chain 3 does count, so skip the first stitch and work into the turning chain at the end.
When You'll Use This
Every crochet project starts with a chain and a working stitch, so these steps come up every time you pick up a hook. Single crochet makes dishcloths, bag bodies, and amigurumi; double crochet makes scarves, blankets, and the granny square. The full written guide, how to crochet: step-by-step guide for beginners, goes deeper on each step, and 5 easy crochet patterns for beginners gives you something to make once the chain feels natural.
Related Stitches
- Beginner Crochet: How to Hold Yarn and Tension — the habit that fixes most beginner problems.
- Beginner Crochet: Starting Chain — the chain on its own, slowly.
- Beginner Crochet: Slip Stitch — for joining and finishing edges.
- Beginner Crochet: Double Crochet — the stitch behind most blankets.
- Browse every crochet stitch tutorial
Yarn for This Stitch
Start with a smooth worsted weight yarn in a light color and a hook from the crochet hooks collection. Once the stitches are steady, a sport weight like Darn Good Twist Sport Weight Silk Yarn, hand-dyed by artisans in India, is a good second yarn for a lighter scarf.
If you'd like a new skein to practice on every month, Yarn of the Month sends three hand-dyed skeins with a knit and crochet pattern written for them, $29 a month plus shipping.
How to Start Crocheting FAQ
What's the easiest crochet stitch for a beginner?
Single crochet. It has the fewest steps and makes a firm fabric that's easy to count. Learn the chain first, then sc, then dc.
What size hook should a beginner use?
A 5.0mm or 5.5mm hook with worsted weight yarn. It's large enough to see what you're doing and small enough to control.
How long does it take to learn to crochet?
Most people can chain and single crochet in one sitting. Even tension takes a few hours of practice.
