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Whether you are new to crochet or just looking to clarify some of the basic stitches or abbreviations you might see in various patterns, we’ve put together this guide of basic crochet stitches and all of their variations in this crochet stitch glossary!
Chain Stitch (ch)
Most crochet patterns start with a chain stitch and so it’s the very first basic crochet stitch to learn!
A chain is a single loop stitch. To chain, you wrap the yarn around the hook and pull through the loop before it.
Foundation chains are typically series of chain stitches that begin most crochet patterns – and so it’s very common for every pattern you start with to begin as “Chain X Number”.
To chain, simply yarn over by wrapping the yarn around your hook, insert into the last loop and pull through.
Slip Stitch (sl st)
Another very basic stitch to know as a beginner is the slip stitch. Slip stitches are often used in decreases in patterns, as well as when joining rows when working in the round.
To make a slip stitch, drop your current loop on your hook, insert the hook into your work per the pattern, and then pick up the dropped stitch and draw through. This is used as a joining-stitch where very close work is wanted, or for “slipping” from one point to another without breaking thread.
Single Crochet (sc)
The next basic stitch you will want to learn is the single crochet stitch.
To make a single crochet, with a loop on your hook, insert hook in work, take up thread and draw through the loops on your hook and the next stitch of your work at the same time.
Single crochet is very close to the slip-stitch, for which it is frequently used, and also close to a chain stitch. It is a very dense stitch and our favorite for yarn eating crochet stitches if you need to use a lot of yarn fast!
Double crochet (dc)
Double crochet is the next one to learn after single crochet.
To double crochet, Having a loop on your hook, yarn over, insert hook into your work, yarn over, and draw through the first two loops, yarn over again and draw through the last two loops on the hook.
Half Double Crochet (hdc)
Half double crochet is not nearly as common as double crochet, but since you learned double crochet, you might as well learn the half double crochet at this point.
Half double crochet lives somewhere between the single crochet and the double crochet stitch, and you would start it just like you would a double crochet stitch, but instead of yarning over and pulling through your loops twice, you would only pull through them once.
Treble crochet (tr):
Yarn over your hook twice, hook through work, yarn over and draw through work, making four loops on the needle, over and draw through two, over and draw through remaining two.
Half treble or short treble crochet (h tr):
Like treble, until you have the three stitches on needle; thread over and draw through all at once, instead of working them off two at a time.
Long treble crochet (1 tr):
Like treble until you have the three stitches on needle; thread over and draw through one, (thread over, draw through two) twice.
Double treble crochet (d tr):
Thread over twice, hook in work, draw through, making 4 stitches on needle; (over and draw through two) three times.