
Crochet 101: Getting Started with Crochet
Hello!
I’m here today with some pretty exciting news! In light of the coming new year, and the fact that many like to learn new skills as a resolution, I thought, why not do a beginner’s crochet series of tutorials? I mean, who doesn’t love a good how-to, right?
So here’s how things are going to work. Every Tuesday (Tutorial Tuesday, anyone?) for the next few weeks, I’m going to post a new beginner-friendly video tutorial, because I don’t know about you, but I learned best from videos!
Here’s a list of the tutorials I’ll be introducing! And don’t worry, I’ll be sure to come back and update each post with links as soon as those tutorials go live.
- Getting Started with Crochet: Slip Knots, Chain Stitch (ch), + Common Terms
- Single Crochet (sc)
- Double Crochet (dc)
- Half Double Crochet (hdc)
- Treble Crochet (tr)
- Slip Stitch (sl st)
- Finishing Touches
In each of these videos, I take a deep dive into common crochet terms, how to work a particular stitch or technique, and the structure, or anatomy as I like to call it, of those stitches.
Getting Started with Crochet
Today’s tutorial is going to center on getting started. In this video, I cover how I hold everything, my non-traditional way to make a slip knot (in case the traditional method ever confused you like it still does me haha), common terms like working loop, back bump, tension, etc., and how to chain stitch.
Crochet Speak
Aside from all the stitch names, it is essential to familiarize yourself with the basic terms associated with crocheting. You will see these terms in the photos that follow as well as defined for you below. They are also covered in the videos. I’ll be adding to this list of terms each week as we cover additional material.
Yarn Tail or Yarn End: the literal end of your yarn
Working Yarn: the part of the yarn that feeds directly from the skein (pronounced skane), ball, or cake
Working Loop(s): generally refers to the single loop on a crochet hook between stitches, but can also mean the loops on your hook as you are in the middle of working a stitch
Yarn Over (abbreviated as ‘yo’): the act of wrapping the working yarn over your hook from the back to the front
Top ‘V’: references the top view of a stitch, which looks like a ‘V’
Back Bump: the bottom loop of yarn in a chain stitch, opposite the Top ‘V’
Tension: how tightly or how loosely you work your stitches.
Chain Stitch (abbreviated as ‘ch’): yarn over, pull through working loop
Video Tutorial
The full video tutorial can be watched from start to finish here. In the following paragraphs, I’m going to break it down a bit and give you the minute marks that coordinate with these particular points.
Photo Tutorial
While much of what I talk about is really best shown to you in a video, I thought it might be beneficial to supplement the video with some photos as well.
Slip Knot – A Non-Traditional Method
The video tutorial begins to cover the slip knot at the 0:53 minute mark. To see how I hold my yarn, skip to the 5:30 mark.
Chain Stitch
The video tutorial begins to cover this at the 6:02 mark.
Working into a Chain Stitch – Traditional Method
Skip to 13:30 in the video.
Working into a Chain Stitch – Alternative Method
Skip to 15:11 in the video.
How’d You Do?
Whew! That was a lot of info for one post! I hope you found it helpful and are well on your way to crocheting! Keep practicing those techniques and your chain stitches, and really focus on holding everything and getting a consistent tension.
Next week, I’ll be back with the next video in this series, where I’ll show you how to single crochet! So practice, practice, and I’ll see you again next week!
Until next time!

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