Mastering the Chain Stitch: A Crocheter’s Guide
Welcome to the wonderful world of crochet, where the chain stitch reigns supreme! Getting this stitch just right sets the stage for your entire project. Too tight, and it’s back to square one! That’s why nailing the chain stitch is the key to crochet success, and I’m here to guide you through it!
In this post, we’ve got everything you need to know about the chain stitch, along with two step-by-step photo guides to help you master it. Ready to dive in and start crafting? Click here to jump straight into practice!
Chain Stitch Cheat Sheet
Materials
- Crochet hook
- Yarn
Abbreviation
CH
Instructions
- Make a slip knot
- Yarn over
- Pull through
- Repeat 2 – 3
What Do You Need To Make a Foundation Chain?
To make a foundation chain you only need yarn or anything that resembles it. In one of the guides below, we will teach you how to make a chain stitch using only your hands. So if you haven’t had the time to purchase a hook, no worries! You can still practice or make crochet projects using the chain stitch.
How To Do a Chain Stitch?
To kickstart the chain stitch, you’ll need a slip knot. If you’re unsure how to make one, don’t worry! Check out this post for a step-by-step guide. Once you have a working stitch, use one of the methods below.
How To Do Chain Stitch By Hand
Hold The Yarn
Hold the slip knot between your left hand’s thumb and index finger. Make sure that the working stitch is at the top and the working yarn is below it.
Adjust The Size Of The Working Stitch
Look at the working stitch – it is the loop coming out of the slip knot. Pull on one side of the loop and then on the other. You will see that when you pull one of them it will tighten the slip knot and the other makes the loop bigger.
Make the working stitch large enough so that you can put your thumb and index finger through.
Position The Working Stitch
Still holding the slip knot with your right-hand, position the side of the loop that makes the loop bigger closer to you. You might need to twist or rotate the working stitch – do it.
Make a Chain Stitch
From above put your left hand’s thumb and index fingers through the loop. Grab the working yarn. Keep your left hand’s fingers tightly gripping the working yarn in one spot and pull it through the loop.
Keep pulling the new loop until you close the working stitch and make a new one. This is your first chain stitch!
Continue Crocheting
Move your right hand from a slip knot to this new chain stitch. Repeat steps 2 – 5.
If the working stitch is too large pull on the working yarn to make it smaller.
How To Do a Chain Stitch Using a Crochet Hook
Brief Instructions
1. Yarn Over
2. Pull Through
To kick off the chain stitch, you’ll need to begin with a slip knot.
Hold The Yarn
- Place the slip knot (later the last finished stitch) on top of your left hand’s index finger.
- Let the yarn’s tail drop between the thumb and index fingers.
- Let the working yarn drop between the middle and index fingers.
- Keep this position at all times while building the chain.
Hold The Crochet Hook
There are two types of crocheters here. Pick the one that feels more You.
Hold The Crochet Hook Like You Would Hold a Knife
- Grip it from the top with the thumb and index fingers and then wrap the rest of the fingers around it. Your index finger and thumb should be on the widest part, but closer to the hook.
- Rotate the hook’s head to be facing you
Hold The Crochet Hook Like You Would Hold a Pencil
- Grip it from the bottom with your thumb and index fingers. Then rest the hook on the rest of your lightly bent fingers. Your index finger and thumb should be on the widest part, but closer to the hook.
- Rotate the hook’s head to be facing you
These are the two most common ways of holding a crochet hook. But if you have another way that feels more comfortable to you – keep it! There’s truly no right or wrong way to do it, as long as you’re comfortable and having fun!
Position The Working Stitch
Look at the working stitch. Pull on one side of the loop and then on the other. You will see that when you pull one of them it will tighten the slip knot and the other makes the loop bigger.
Still holding the slip knot with your left hand position the side of the loop that makes the loop bigger closer to you. You might need to twist or rotate the working stitch – do it.
Insert the hook through the working stitch so that the side of the loop that makes it bigger is in front of the hook and the other behind it.
Do a Chain Stitch
- Slide the hooks head on top of your index finger and under the working yarn
- Rotate the hook’s head to the ceiling so that it hooks the working yarn
- Rotating the hook’s head towards the stitch or slip knot that is already done pull the yarn through.
This is your first chain stitch! If it looks too big, you can pull on one side of the working stitch that tightens it – if you have done everything right it should be the one further away from you.
Continue The Crochet Chain
Move your right hand from a slip knot to this new chain stitch. Repeat steps 1 – 4.
With practice and if you’re doing everything exactly as described you will be able to skip steps 1 to 3 because the loop will always be in the same position. It means the loop’s side that is closer to you should make the loop larger, and the one further away – make the previous stitch smaller.
Commonly Asked Questions
What Is a Chain Stitch In Crochet?
Chain stitch is one of the basic crochet stitches. It is a stitch that you learn after a slip knot and use in almost all crochet projects.
Where Can You Use Chain Stitch?
- To start almost all crochet projects, even the ones that start in the circle!
- To add extra stitches to the working project.
- To leave a gap in your project for a button or a handle.
- On its own to make easy and cute beginner crochet projects.
Why Do You Need To Learn How To Make The Chain Stitch?
Chain stitch is the stitch that is used to make a foundation for all projects that are not worked in a circle and even replace a magic ring. It is also useful when you want to extend the number of stitches to the side of the project or to make a gap in your crochet work.
Chain Stitch vs Foundation Chain
These two are frankly one and the same! A Foundation chain is a chain that consists of chain stitches. In a pattern, you can find some people saying “chain 5”, make “5 chain stitches”, or “a foundation chain of 5”, which is the exact same thing.
What Yarn Should You Use?
For learning a crochet chain stitch I would recommend you to use a cotton or cotton blend, dk or worsted size yarn that is brightly colored and non-furry like this one.
It will make it easier for you to count the stitches, clearly see the size of each stitch, and correct mistakes by untying the foundation chain without having to cut the yarn.
What Crochet Hook Should You Use?
- For the double knit yarn you should use a 4.5mm – 5.5mm (UK) size hook or 7 – I/9 (US)
- For aran weight, you should use a 5.5 – 6.5mm (UK) size hook or I/9 – K/10 (US)
- If you’re using other yarn sizes you can read “the crochet hook size guide”
What if my working stitch is too large?
Don’t worry, it will most definitely happen at some point! In that case, just pull on the working yarn with your left hand. It will make the loop smaller.
Why is it important to position the working stitch correctly?
It is the easiest way to make sure you’re doing the same chain stitch. If you position the working stitch differently, you will make a stitch look slightly different. Look at the photo below. Can you see the difference?
Right: working stitch positioned wrong
How to make stitches the same size?
The trick I like to use is to pull the loop of the working stitch back to the thickest part of the crochet hook and pull on the tail of the yarn until it’s snuggly wrapping the hook. Then use this new-sized working crochet stitch to pull the yarn through. In this way, you can easily make the stitches the same.
If you want the stitches smaller or larger than the thickest part of the hook, you’ll have to just be patient and keep the fingers holding the yarn close to the hook. And practice practice practice!
How to make it easier to pull through?
If you’re finding it hard to pull the yarn through these are a few things that might help you.
- Make sure you keep the fingers holding the yarn close to the hook
- Make sure to make the working stitch big enough to be able to easily pull the hook through. The goal is to make them loose enough that you can later insert the hook inside the stitch!
- Rotate the crochet hook towards the chain when pulling the yarn through
Why does it matter how you wrap the yarn over the hook?
The stitches that you made with a hook on top and a hook at the bottom of the yarn look different! The ‘v’s that make up chain stitches have a different form. You can see this in the images below:
B. Yarn Over
How do you count stitches?
If you look closely at the chain stitch it resembles a bunch of v letters stacked on top of each other. To be able to count them straighten a small part of the chain and count either left or right sides of the v in the chain. Just don’t mix up which side you’re counting! It can make you count a stitch twice.
What if my foundation stitch always becomes too tight?
Many crocheters, especially beginners, find themselves with chain stitches that are too tight. You can use a small trick to make them larger. Just pick a hook a size or 2 larger than the one recommended on the yarn. It will make the stitches larger, but don’t forget to change back to the recommended hook after you make the foundation chain!
What’s next?
If you want to practice your chain stitch check out these beautiful crochet projects that are only using this stitch. And if you feel ready to move to another beginner stitch that is used for most crochet soft toys, look at this double crochet stitch tutorial.
I would love to hear how are you getting on with the chain stitch. Share in the comments!
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