Single crochet is a good stitch to learn because you can see one complete movement at a time: insert, pull up a loop, then finish. The stitches are short, so a small sample also makes changes in width easy to spot.
This guide uses US single crochet, abbreviated sc. A UK pattern calls the same stitch double crochet. Check the terminology before starting; changing the stitch name changes far more than the wording.
What one single crochet does
Begin with one loop on the hook. Insert the hook into the next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop. You now have two loops. Yarn over once more and draw through both. One loop remains, and one single crochet is complete.
In ordinary rows, work under both strands of the V at the top of the stitch unless the pattern specifies a particular loop. Front-loop and back-loop instructions create different fabrics; they are deliberate variations.
Try twelve stitches across
Make a slip knot and chain thirteen. Count the chain Vs, leaving out the loop on your hook. The slip knot is not an extra chain.
- Work a single crochet into the second chain from the hook.
- Continue with one single crochet in each remaining chain. You should have twelve stitches.
- Chain one and turn. In this exercise, that chain does not count as a stitch.
- Work into the first actual stitch, then once into every stitch across. Count twelve again.
- Repeat for a few more rows, checking the count at each turning edge.
The sample has no promised finished size. Its purpose is to help you see the structure. Your yarn, hook and tension determine whether those twelve stitches measure two inches, four inches or something else.
The two edge stitches deserve a marker
If your rectangle starts looking like a triangle, check the ends before blaming your tension. The first stitch can hide directly below the turning chain, while the last stitch may lean around the edge. Missing one per row makes the fabric progressively narrower.
Put a removable marker in the first and last stitch of a row. On the next row, work into the marked stitches and move the markers into the new edge stitches. This makes the boundaries visible while your eyes learn what to look for.
A widening sample has the opposite problem. Look for two stitches worked into the same place, or an extra stitch made into a turning chain that does not count. A loose edge and an extra stitch are different issues; counting helps separate them.
When the hook feels stuck
Try letting the loop sit on the full shaft of the hook rather than tightening it around the narrow throat. The throat is there to help the hook catch and draw yarn through; it does not set the final loop size.
Also check whether you are pulling the working yarn after every stitch. That extra tug can make the next row much harder. Aim for a repeatable movement and enough slack for the hook to pass through without forcing it.
Count the top, not every visible strand
One completed stitch normally contributes one V along the working edge. The live loop sitting on the hook is not another completed stitch. When you pause halfway through a single crochet, two loops on the hook still belong to one unfinished stitch.
After a few rows, turn the sample over and compare both faces. Then place it flat and count across the top again. This short exercise teaches more about finding stitches than racing through a much larger piece.
Where to use the skill next
Single crochet appears in toy construction, simple cloths and many blanket borders. Before moving to a fitted baby item, learn how to measure a swatch and follow the designer’s gauge. A tidy practice rectangle is a useful milestone; it does not establish a garment size.
Keep learning
Chain stitch · Counting stitches · Even tension