Beginner Crochet Stitches

What I love about crochet is that it’s such a beginner-friendly craft. You only need one tool, a hook, some yarn, and a few basic stitches to get you started. Even knowing just one basic stitch (and a chain) you can start creating all kinds of fun things as small as a potholder and as large as a blanket! Once you master one stitch, you will have no problem learning all kinds of different stitches.

So, without further delay, let’s take a look at basic crochet stitches for beginners.

Slip knot

To begin each crochet project, you need a slip knot.

Not exactly a stitch, slip knot is still very important because it’s at the beginning of it all, it’s the first step in the project.

It’s the first loop you create in your crochet project. Even though it’s a very simple step in crochet, there are multiple ways of making a slip knot.

Here is one of the simplest ones I found:

If you want more detailed photos and my own way of making a slip knot, I have covered them in this post all about making a slip knot and crochet chain.

Chain (CH)

Once you learned how to make a slip knot, next comes the chain.

Chain (or CH) serves as a basis for your other stitches.

It can be as short (2-3 loops) or as long (a hundred or more loops) as it needs to be.

If you are crocheting something like a hat or a circle mat, you might need just a couple of chains to start this project as most of the “crochet in the round”, or in circle projects require.

On the other hand, if you are working on something large, like a king-size blanket, you might need 150-200 or more chains to start off.

Practicing making a chain is the best and easiest way for you to start training on your basic crochet skills like holding a hook, holding the yarn, and keeping an even tension throughout the whole process. And, you can use your practice chains as cute bracelets, eyeglasses holders, or hair ties!

While you are practicing your chain remember: the chain is not just a long loopy string you use to start your project, it’s also used as a part of many other stitches, especially lacy ones, as well as a turning chain, a spacer for bobble, shell and other cluster stitches. In patterns, the chain that begins the project is often called the “foundation chain”, “beginning chain”, or a “starting chain”.

Here is how you make a beginner crochet chain stitch:

Slip Stitch (SL ST)

Slip stitch (or SL ST) is the shortest crochet stitch, when the stitch height is concerned.

Because of that you will find it mostly used as a way to finish off items and connect pieces of a crochet project together.

It can also be used to add visual detail to a larger project, like the horizontal stripes in my Moonstone Beach Throw.

The slip stitch is great because it has many of the elements of other stitches and helps you prepare for learning those in the future.

You can use slip stitch exclusively to make the crochet project, but since this stitch is really short, it takes a while to make the project sizable. Because of that, I suggest you use it in smaller projects like potholders or coffee cup cozies.

Here is a great video to get you started with a beginner slip stitch:

To read more on Slip Stitch, check out this blog post.

Single Crochet (SC)

Single Crochet stitch (or SC) is one of those easy crochet stitches that many crocheters think of fondly as it was the stitch they learned first and made their first project with.

Even though SC stitch is also on a shorter side and it takes a while to make a sizeable project with it, it offers a real feeling of success.

When you learn how to make a single crochet, just with a chain and this beginner crochet stitch, you can make all kinds of projects: from a hat to mittens to kitchen towels to scarves to a baby blanket! Told you crochet is a great craft for beginners!

A single crochet stitch is used just by itself or with other stitches to create crochet fabric.

It can be in a row of single crochet all by itself or paired up with other, taller stitches to create a wavy effect.

It works well as a base for other more complex stitches like a popcorn stitch.

Single crochet is often used when the crochet fabric needs to be dense, with a minimal amount of holes. To read more about Single Crochet SC Stitch, check out my blog post here.

Here is how to make a single crochet stitch for beginners:

Half Double Crochet (HDC)

Half Double Crochet (or HDC) stitch is one of the crowd favorites.

It’s a step above the single crochet, but not as complex as the Double Crochet stitch.

HDC stitch is a natural progression when you learn how to crochet. It gives an interesting definition to the crochet fabric and an exciting next stitch to learn.

I personally love this stitch. I use it often in my designs and even though it’s not as fast as Double Crochet stitch, it’s just a classic and it’s pretty.

It’s slightly taller than an SC stitch and still offers pretty dense fabric, perfect to be used in totes, pillowcases, garments that you don’t want to be see through, but also in cowls, scarves and blankets!

To read more about all the fun things you can make with HDC, check out my post here.

For visual help with the half double crochet stitch for beginners please check out the video below:

Double Crochet (DC)

Double Crochet (or DC) stitch is the one that you see anywhere you look, it’s that popular.

It’s classic, let’s just say it. DC stitch is versatile and can be used to make anything you can imagine: from blankets to shawls to sweaters, from hats to scarves to cowls (see this free crochet pattern using double crochet stitches)

When you want to make a project that works up fast and looks good doing it, Double Crochet stitches are a great go-to.

It’s a tall stitch, so it helps you speed up the pace of your projects. If you want to make a quick project or gift, turn to DC stitch.

To read more about Double Crochet stitch and everything it offers, head over to this post.

Here is how to make double crochet stitch for beginners:

Half Double Crochet Back Loop Only (HDC BLO)

All the stitches above can be considered your basic, classic stitches that every beginner crocheter should have in their back pockets. So, how about we bring in a bit of fun, an extra stitch that will add some texture and interest to your work.

I’m talking about Half Double Crochet Back Loop Only (or HDC BLO) stitch. Don’t let the long name scare you – this stitch is a piece of cake to master since it comes from the HDC stitch you have learned above.

HDC BLO works just as HDC does, except when you start the stitch, the hook goes into the back loop only instead of both loops of the V at the top of the stitch.

This stitch is super cute and adds a horizontal ridge to the crochet fabric, or, when used in every row, can make your crochet look like knitting! So cool!

To see what else the Half Double Crochet Back Loop Only stitch has to offer, read this post.

Here is a good step by step video tutorial on how Half Double Crochet (or HDC BLO) for beginners is made:

What stitch is your favorite? Which one will you learn first? I love HDC the most (and its cousin HDC BLO) but all of the beginner stitches are great and I use them all on a daily basis in my crochet projects.

Once you learn these crochet stitches for beginners, you can make all different types of crochet projects. From these first stitches, you can go on on fun new stitches like crochet shell stitch, puff stitch, moss stitch, star stitch, granite stitch, cluster stitch, treble crochet stitches, and more, and will be well set for your journey as a crochet maker super-star!

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