Never held a crochet hook? Follow one lesson at a time to make a small practice rectangle. Learn the movements, check your stitch count and keep track of the steps you have tried.
US single crochet (sc) is called double crochet (dc) in UK patterns. The movement is the same.
LESSON 01 · GET COMFORTABLE
A few simple tools are enough.
Start with a short practice sample. You can choose a finished project after you can see and count the stitches.
Smooth, light-coloured yarn
A plain yarn makes individual loops easier to find. Keep the ball band so you can check its details.
A matching crochet hook
Start with a hook size suggested on the yarn label. Look for the measurement in millimetres.
Scissors and a yarn needle
Use the needle to tuck in the ends later. Two removable stitch markers can help you find the row edges.
Sit where you can see the loops clearly. Hold the hook like a pencil or a small knife, whichever feels comfortable. Your other hand guides the yarn; it does not need to grip it tightly.
Find the hook size and the yarn's suggested hook size. You are choosing a starting point for practice, not matching a finished garment size.
LESSON 02 · ONE LOOP ON YOUR HOOK
Make an adjustable starting loop.
The working yarn leads to the ball. The tail is the loose end. A slip knot gives you a loop that can sit on the hook.
- Leave a tail about 15 cm (6 in) long. Cross the tail over the working yarn to make a loop.
- Reach through that loop and pull a small folded section of the working yarn through it. You are pulling through a new loop, not the whole yarn ball.
- Hold the new loop while gently tightening the original loop into a knot. Put the new loop on the hook and adjust the working yarn until it slides along the hook's full shaft.
The loop should move on the hook. If it clamps down tightly, loosen it and try again. This loop is not your first chain.
LESSON 03 · BUILD A FOUNDATION
Make 11 chain stitches.
- With one loop on the hook, bring the working yarn over the hook from back to front. This is a yarn over.
- Catch that yarn and draw it through the loop already on the hook. You have made one chain; one active loop remains on the hook.
- Repeat until you have 11 completed chains. Move your supporting fingers along the chain so you can hold close to the hook.
Count the completed V shapes. Leave out the active loop on the hook and the slip knot. For this practice piece, 11 chains will give you 10 stitches in the first row.
Where will the first stitch go?
Tap the chain you would work into for this exercise. Count away from the hook.
not counted
A counting map, not a drawing of hand positions. Scroll sideways to see the full chain.
For this sample, skip the nearest chain and use the second chain from the hook.
LESSON 04 · TURN CHAINS INTO FABRIC
Work your first row of 10 stitches.
You will use single crochet (sc). Keep the 11-chain foundation from the previous lesson.
- Skip the chain nearest the hook. Insert the hook under the top strand of the second chain. Use the same chain-loop placement for the rest of this foundation row.
- Yarn over and pull that yarn through the chain. You now have two loops on the hook.
- Yarn over again and pull through both loops. One loop remains; your first stitch is complete.
- Work one single crochet in each of the remaining nine chains. You should finish with 10 stitches.
One stitch, one movement at a time.
1 loop on the hook
Insert the hook into the chosen chain. The original active loop stays on the hook.
The diagram shows loop counts only. It does not animate the yarn path or hand movements.
LESSON 05 · KEEP THE EDGES
Turn, then count 10 again.
- After the first row, chain 1 and turn the work. In this exercise, the turning chain does not count as a stitch.
- Work one single crochet into the first actual stitch, under both strands of its top V. Do not skip it.
- Continue once into each stitch, including the last stitch at the far edge. Count 10 completed stitches before starting another row.
A removable marker in the first and last stitch can help. As you work the next row, move each marker into the newly made edge stitch.
How many stitches did you count?
Count the completed top Vs. The active hook loop and the turning chain are excluded in this exercise.
Work under both top strands in these ordinary rows. The chain placement used for the foundation row is a separate step.
Help with turning chains and row edges ↗LESSON 06 · MAKE IT REPEATABLE
Practise five rows, then finish.
Continue the same way until your sample has five rows in total, including the first row worked into the chain. Each row has 10 stitches. Chain 1 and turn only when you are going to work another row.
Log rows you have made and counted.
Mark each row yourself after checking its 10 stitches. The counter cannot inspect your crochet.
Fasten off the practice sample
- After the last stitch of row 5, cut the working yarn, leaving about 15 cm (6 in).
- Pull the cut end completely through the final loop, then gently snug it down.
- Thread the tail through a yarn needle and weave it through nearby stitches in more than one direction without pulling the fabric out of shape. Secure the starting tail as well.
Count 10 stitches across the top and five rows from the bottom. Uneven stitches are useful practice: compare them and repeat the sample before moving to a larger project.
When you can measure a swatch, the stitch and row calculator can help plan a rectangular project's size. This practice sample is not a sized baby item.
Read the lessons in order, or return to the step you need.
No account needed. Progress is saved only if you choose to remember it.
Learn at your own pace
You can revisit any lesson without losing your practice marks. The checks explain common counting mistakes; they do not examine your crochet or certify that you have mastered a stitch. Pause, compare your loops with an illustrated tutorial and try the movement again when you need to.
Do these lessons work for left-handed beginners?
The stitch counts and loop sequence work with either hand. Hold the hook in your preferred hand and count chains away from the hook. The linked illustrations may show a right-handed view. Our left-handed crochet guide explains how to follow patterns without reversing every instruction.
Why does the stitch name change between US and UK?
US single crochet and UK double crochet name the same stitch. The selector changes the names used in these lessons, not the movement. These lessons do not teach US double crochet, which is a taller stitch. Use the full US/UK reference when reading another pattern.
What can I do after the practice sample?
Repeat it until the chain, stitch and turning movements feel familiar. Then learn to measure a swatch, use the stitch and row calculator for a rectangular body, or choose a project from the learning library. Follow the chosen designer’s instructions for materials, gauge and finishing.
When your sample changes shape
| What you notice | What to check first | A useful next attempt |
|---|---|---|
| The sides get narrower | Count the first and last actual stitches. The ch-1 turn is excluded in this exercise. | Mark both edge stitches and recount 10 before starting the next row. |
| The sides get wider | Look for two stitches in one top V, or an extra stitch in the turning chain. | Match each new stitch to exactly one stitch in the row below. |
| The starting edge pulls tightly | Compare the chain tension with the later fabric. | Repeat a short chain with a more relaxed grip; compare before making a longer sample. |
| The fabric looks uneven but still has 10 stitches | Compare loop size and whether you used the same hook and yarn throughout. | Repeat the small exercise slowly. A consistent count and a steady movement are separate skills. |
Learn to match symbols to these stitches in the visual crochet chart lesson. Once you can repeat a small sample, the bonnet comparison guide explains which extra skills each original designer pattern needs.
More visual help and references
The Craft Yarn Council’s beginner crochet lesson shows the chain, stitch, turn and finishing movements. Its practice block uses different starting counts. The 11-chain, 10-stitch, five-row exercise on this page is our own short practice plan and has no promised finished size.
For a fuller written explanation, open the chain-stitch lesson, single-crochet lesson or stitch-marker guide. Read how our guides are made.
Learning resources reviewed 18 September 2026. Diagrams and calculated examples are instructional; we have not physically crochet-tested these samples. How our guides are made.