Stitch Instructions
Here are the basic crochet stitches to start
Slip Knot
Make a circle with the yarn, with the tail on top. Enter in the circle from top, hold from the middle of the tail and pull a loop through the circle, Place your hook in the small loop and gently pull the tail to close the loop. The closed loop on your hook is your skip knot.
Chain (ch)
Put your hook inside the slip knot. Wrap your yarn around the hook, pull the yarn through the loop on your hook. This is a chain, counts as a stitch, it looks like a “v”.
Single Crochet (sc)
Insert your hook under the stitch that looks like a “v”. Wrap your yarn around your hook and pull the yarn through. Now you have two loops on your hook. Wrap the yarn around your hook again and pull working yarn through 2 loops on your hook, so you have 1 loop left on your hook and you just did your single crochet.
Increase (inc)
Make 2 single crochet inside the same stitch.
Decrease (dec)
Put your hook under 1st stitch and pull a loop, put your hook under 2nd stitch and pull another loop. You will have 3 loops on your hook. Wrap the working yarn around your hook an pull through all loops on your hook.
Invisible Decrease
Similar to a decrease, but looks better. Put your hook under one arm of “v”-the arm that’s closer to you. Do the same for the next stitch. Pull your working yarn under both of these loops. Wrap your working yarn on your hook and pull through both loops on your hook.
Slip stitch (ss)
Insert your hook under the “v” pull the yarn through the loop, as well as the loop on your hook, all in one move.
Double Crochet (dc)
It is a 2-stage stitch. First wrap yarn around your hook, make a sc, only pull 2 loops on your hook to end your sc. Then wrap your yarn around hook and pull through 2 loops left on your hook. Half-Double Crochet (hdc): start like DC, pull all 3 loops at once.
Triple Crochet (tc)
It is a 3-stage stitch. Wrap yarn 2 times around your hook, make a sc, only pull 2 loops on your hook similar to DC, repeat 3 times to finish the triple crochet.This is a taller stitch.
Magic Ring (MR) -1
Hold your yarn and pull a long tail. Make a circle with the tail and hold the intersection of the tail and the circle.
Magic Ring (MR) -2
Going inside the circle with your hook, pull a loop from the working yarn through the circle and make a chain over the circle and tail.
Magic Ring (MR) -3
Make similar stitches: going inside the circle with your yarn, pull a loop from working yarn and make a stitch closing these two-loops over your hook. This is a single crochet (sc) around the magic ring. Repeat the number of sc suggested in your pattern, Note that all sc has to be over both circle and tail of the yarn. (Tip: try to keep the circle and the tail at the same place, do not roll one over the other) Once finished, mark your first stitch -the one you did first- under the “V” with your stitch marker. Make sure all “v”’s are facing outside of the ring. Gently pull the tail end of the yarn. This will close your magic ring. If you feel resistance repeat the process, ensuring that you follow the tip above.
Color change/ adding new yarn-1
Start your regular stitch, when you have 2 loops on your hook leave a short end and cut your working yarn. Take the new color and pull that through 2 loops on your hook.
Color change/ adding new yarn-2
Behind your work, tie the 2 small ends of these yarns to each other so they do not untie. You will still have your old color appear on this stitch, but for the next one you are ready with your new color.
Fasten Off
Cut the yarn, pull one end of the loop on your hook to finish your work. If there is an opening on your work, use a yarn needle and sew the stitches going through one leg of the “v” stitches and close.
