How to crochet

Knife Grip

Hold the hook in your dominant hand as you would hold a knife.

Pencil Grip

Hold the hook in your dominant hand as you would hold a pencil.

Forefinger Method

Wrap the ball end of the yarn around the little finger of your opposite hand, pass it under the next two fingers, and over the forefinger. Hold the work steady with your middle finger and thumb, then raise your forefinger when working to create tension.

Middle-Finger Method

Wrap the ball end of the yarn around the little finger of your opposite hand, then over the other fingers. Hold the work steady with your forefinger and thumb, then raise your middle finger while crocheting to create tension.

A slipknot creates the first loop on the hook.

1. Make a loop in the yarn around 10–20 cm (4–8 in) from the end. Insert the hook through the loop, catch the back strand of yarn, and pull it through to the front.

2. Pull the ends of the yarn to secure the knot around the hook. Be careful not to tighten too much, otherwise it will be hard to pull the first loop of the chain through.

Tip

Don’t pull the knot too tight on the hook. A little space makes it easier to work the first chain.

Most crochet projects begin with a chain. This stitch is perfect for practicing your hold and tension.
1. Holding the hook with the point facing up in your dominant hand, and the yarn in the other, grip the slipknot with the yarn-holding hand. Work a yarn round hook (yrh or yoh) by passing the hook in front of the yarn, under, and around it.

2. Roll the hook round in your fingers towards you to catch the yarn and pull it through the loop on the hook. One chain is made.

3. Ensure the stitches are even—not too loose or too tight—and repeat to make a length of chain.

Tip

Keep your chains even — not too loose, not too tight. This will make the foundation row neat and easier to work into.

Slip Stitch

A slip stitch is usually used to join one stitch to another, or to move across stitches. When worked all over, you usually pick up the back loop only.

Insert hook into the stitch or chain. Yarn over hook (as if making a chain). Pull a loop through all stitches/loops on hook to finish slip stitch.

Counting a Chain

The right side of your chain looks like a little plait of “V” shapes. Each “V” is a stitch and must be counted.

• Do not count the slipknot as a stitch.
• Begin counting when you pull through the first loop.
• Afterwards, the slipknot counts as the first stitch, but not the working loop on the hook.

Double Crochet

The smallest stitch, creating a dense fabric ideal for amigurumi.

1. Insert hook into the chain or stitch, front to back. Yarn over hook and draw through, leaving two loops on hook. Yarn over hook again.
2. Draw yarn through both loops to finish the stitch. Double crochet complete.

Half Treble Crochet

Slightly taller than double crochet, with a softer drape to the fabric.
1. Yarn over hook, insert hook into stitch (front to back), and draw loop through. You now have three loops on the hook. Yarn over again.

2. Draw yarn through all three loops to complete the stitch.

Treble Crochet

The treble crochet (tr) is a tall, airy stitch that works up quickly. It’s great for light projects like scarves, shawls, and lacy patterns where you want fabric with flow and drape.
1. Yarn over and insert
Yarn over the hook, insert it into the stitch, yarn over again and pull through. You now have 3 loops on the hook.

2. Work through the first two loops
Yarn over and pull through the first 2 loops on the hook. Now you have 2 loops left.

3. Work through the last two loops
Yarn over once more and pull through the remaining 2 loops. Treble crochet complete.

Tip

Treble stitches are tall, so watch your tension. If they lean or twist, slow down and keep your yarn feed steady.

Fasten Off

Fasten Off

When you finish your last stitch, make 1 chain and cut the yarn, leaving a tail of about 10–15 cm. Pull the tail through the loop on the hook and tighten gently to secure.

Tip: Use a yarn needle to weave in the tail through the stitches on the back of your work. This hides the end neatly and helps prevent unraveling.

Counting Stitches – Double Crochet (dc)

• Each dc stitch looks like a small “V” on the top edge of your work.
• Count each “V” across the row — each one equals 1 stitch.
• Do not count the loop left on your hook.
• The turning chain at the start of the row may or may not count as a stitch, depending on the pattern.

Tip: In most patterns, the chain 1 turning chain at the start of a dc row does not count as a stitch.

Counting Stitches – Treble Crochet (tr)

• A tr stitch is taller, but at the top it still forms a “V” like other stitches.
• Count each “V” across the row as 1 stitch.
• Do not count the loop on your hook.
• Most patterns count the turning chain 3 at the start of the row as the first stitch.

Tip: If your row looks one stitch short, check whether your pattern counts the turning chain as a stitch — that’s a common mistake for beginners.

Increasing

Increasing adds stitches to your row or round, allowing your fabric to expand.

• To increase, simply work two or more stitches into the same stitch of the previous row.
• This technique is commonly used for shaping sleeves, widening garments, or making round motifs grow larger.

Decreasing

Decreasing reduces the number of stitches, shaping your fabric to become narrower.

• To decrease, work two stitches together into one (for example, inserting the hook into the next stitch, pulling up a loop, then inserting into the following stitch before completing them as one).
• This is essential for creating armholes, necklines, or the rounded tops of hats.

Joining in a New Colour

Changing colours in crochet is a simple way to add interest, create patterns, or make stripes and blocks of colour. Learning to join a new yarn neatly ensures your work looks clean and professional, whether you’re making granny squares, striped designs, or tapestry crochet.

• To join a new colour, complete the final yarn-over of the last stitch in the old colour with the new yarn.
• Secure the yarn ends neatly by crocheting over them or weaving them in with a needle.
• This technique is often used for granny squares, stripes, or tapestry crochet.

Working Around a Ring

One of the most traditional methods is to crochet around a small ring of chain stitches.

Make a short chain (usually 4–6 stitches) and join the ends with a slip stitch to form a ring.

Work your first round of stitches into the centre of this ring.

This technique creates a strong, stable centre and is often used for granny squares and motifs.

Tip

To prevent the centre from being too tight or puckered, gently pull the tail of your starting chain as you work your first round. This helps the ring lie flat and makes your motif more even.

Working into a Short Chain

Instead of forming a ring, you can start by working into a short chain.

Make a chain of 2–4 stitches.

Work all of the stitches for the first round into the very first chain stitch.

This method gives a firm starting point but may leave a small hole in the centre.

Tip

To minimize the hole, try tightening the initial chain slightly or using a smaller hook for the first round. You can also weave the starting tail through the centre after finishing to close any gap.

Adjustable Ring (Magic Ring)

The adjustable ring (often called the “magic ring” or “magic loop”) creates a neat, closed centre.

Form a loop of yarn, leaving a tail.

Insert the hook into the loop, yarn over, and pull through to make the first stitch.

Continue working the required number of stitches into the loop.

Finally, pull the yarn tail to close the ring tightly.

This method is very popular in amigurumi and projects where you don’t want a hole in the middle.

Tip

To make it easier to work your first round evenly, hold the loop loosely at first. Once all stitches are in place, gently pull the tail to close the ring tightly without distorting the stitches.

• beg – beginning
• BL – back loop
• BP – back post
• BPdc – back post double crochet
• BPhtr – back post half treble crochet
• BPtr – back post treble crochet
• ch – chain
• ch-sp – chain space
• cl – cluster
• cont – continue
• dc – double crochet (US = sc, single crochet)
• dc2tog – double crochet 2 stitches together (decrease)
• dec – decrease
• dtr – double treble crochet
• dtr2tog – double treble crochet 2 stitches together
• FL – front loop
• FP – front post
• FPdc – front post double crochet
• FPhtr – front post half treble crochet
• FPtr – front post treble crochet
• htr – half treble crochet (US = hdc)
• htr2tog – half treble crochet 2 stitches together
• inc – increase
• lp – loop
• patt – pattern
• prev – previous
• ps – puff stitch

• rem – remaining
• rep – repeat
• rnd – round
• RS – right side
• scallop – group of stitches worked in one stitch to form a fan
• sk – skip
• sl st – slip stitch
• sp – space
• st – stitch
• tog – together
• tr – treble crochet (US = dc)
• tr2tog – treble crochet 2 stitches together
• trtr – triple treble crochet
• trtr2tog – triple treble crochet 2 stitches together
• WS – wrong side
• yo – yarn over (US term, UK often says “yrh”)
• yrh – yarn round hook
• alt – alternate
• cc – contrast colour
• dc3tog – double crochet 3 together
• tr3tog – treble crochet 3 together
• dec cl – decrease cluster
• inc cl – increase cluster
• lp st – loop stitch
• pc – popcorn stitch
• sh – shell stitch
• tr cl – treble cluster