In need of a good DYI project or want to brush up on you crochet knowledge, well my dears, you have come to the right place.
1..2..3..to start
There are 3 easy steps to creating what's called "the starting chain" or "foundation chain" or "base chain". So whatever the lingo, almost all crochet starts with a starting chain which is a series of loops that begins with a slip knot and once it's made, it is a long, straight piece that looks similar to a metal chain. You then work the first row of other stitches into the chain to start making your crochet fabric. Throughout the rest of the blog we'll go over the 3 steps that are the gateway to your creativity.
First and Foremost, the Slip Knot
Making a slip knot is the No. 1 step in many crochet projects. A slip knot is a type of knot that you use to attach the yarn to the crochet hook so that you can begin making your chains. You begin by making your loop (pic 1), slip the hook underneath the yarn that is connected to your yarn ball and bring the end of your hook around so the yarn is wrapped around it (pic 2), pull the yarn through the loop on your hook (pic 3), it now looks like a loose knot and all you need to do is pull it tight so the loop is the same size as the shaft of your hook (pic 4). Until you start your chain you can keep adjusting the size of the knot by either pulling up on the loop or down on the strand of yarn attached to your yarn ball.
Coming in Second...
Is yarn placement! Before we discuss yarn placement, here is some quick terminology: Working Yarn = the yarn that is attached to your yarn ball. It is the strand you use to crochet with; Tension = how tight or loose you hold your working strand of yarn.
In your dominant hand you will hold the hook and in your other hand you hold the working strand and how you hold your working strand determines how tight or loose your tension is. Tension determines how your stitches look. If you hold your yarn too tight your stitches will be small and tight, they can pull and pucker your project, and it makes it hard to crochet the next row, but if your tension is too loose your stitches will be too big, your piece will not hold shape, you can't get the correct measurements, and the overall appearance of the project can look sloppy.
Tension is not a hard skill to learn, it's just a skill that takes practice and finding the best way to hold your yarn. In the above pic are 4 different styles of holding your working strand. I hold my yarn like the picture on the bottom row, left side, where the yarn is only wrapped around the pointer finger. Here's a couple of tricks I've learned. One, once my yarn is in position, DO NOT hold onto the yarn. Let your fingers be more of a guide to hold the strand steady while you crochet. Two, even after you've practiced your tension and it's still too tight or loose, use a different size of hook. If you're too tight, use one hook size bigger than recommended, and too loose do the opposite, use a hook size smaller.
Last but not Least
And finally the chain itself. Just like that worm or frog you dissected in school, we're going to dissect the anatomy of the chain.
Take a look at the pic in the middle, starting on the left you have your slip knot you just learned how to do and the yarn tail from making the slip knot. Then you have your front and back loops that make the shape of an 'V', the backside of the chain (back bump), your working loop that
stays on your hook, and finally your working yarn strand.
The picture on the right shows what the front side (right side) and the backside (wrong side) of your chain will look like. You'll want to pay attention to what side is facing you because as you are chaining, you can get your chain twisted. It won't have a huge effect on your project, but you won't have a neat straight edge at the end.
Now onto the fun part, making your chain.
Once you have your slip knot in place, and your working strand comfortably situated around the other hand: (1) you'll slip the hook underneath your working strand and bring the end of your hook around so the yarn is wrapped around it, (2) pull the yarn through the loop on the hook, (3) repeat steps one and two until you chain the number you need.
Counting the number of chains you need is simple. Like the chart below, you just count the FRONT (or top) loop.
Video Instructions
If you're like me sometimes you need to read and see it for it to click. I found an easy to follow video that goes over slip knots and chaining...and remember practice does make perfect!
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