How to Single Crochet for Beginners

Single crochet is the most basic and most-used stitch in crochet. It creates a tight, dense fabric that's perfect for amigurumi, dishcloths, and sturdy projects. If you can chain, you're ready to learn single crochet.

The stitch is simple: insert your hook, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops. That's it. But let's walk through it step by step.

Working single crochet into a chain

After making your foundation chain, skip the first chain from the hook (this is your turning chain). Insert your hook into the second chain from the hook, going under the top two loops of the chain.

Inserting hook into a chain stitch to begin single crochet

Yarn over and pull up a loop. You now have two loops on your hook.

Two loops on hook during single crochet

Yarn over again and pull through both loops on your hook. That's one single crochet completed. Continue across the chain, making one single crochet in each chain.

At the end of the row, chain one (turning chain), turn your work, and single crochet into each stitch across. The chain one does not count as a stitch.

Several rows of neat single crochet stitches

Tip: Count your stitches at the end of every row until you're confident. It's very common to accidentally skip the last stitch or add an extra one at the edges.

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