Chapter 3

Basic Techniques

Proper techniques begin with how to hold hook and yarn correctly so that you’re comfortable with them when working on a project. Let’s begin with holding the hook. There are two ways to hold your hook:

1. Hold it as though you were holding a pencil – position and apply a light grip on the hook, or
   
   
2. Hold it the same way as you would grip a spoon when mixing something thick.
   
   
3. And now the yarn:  a basic technique is to make a slip knot, attaching the yarn to your hook. Three simple steps to tie the slip knot:
   
   
4. Loop the yarn around your left index finger
   
   
5. Let the yarn slip from your finger, holding the loop between your thumb and index finger,
   
   
6. With the hook held by your right hand, draw the loop up and around the hook.
   
   
7. Then pull each of the ends gently in opposite directions. This will tighten the knot and make it smaller.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

The technique of feeding yarn into your work takes a bit of practice. With your left hand, pick up the yarn, and with the palm of your left hand facing up, thread the yarn through the fingers. Practice holding the yarn so that it “flows” naturally through your fingers. Move your index finger up and down to increase or decrease the tightness of the yarn. As you progress, you will feel a rhythm that works best for you, making the movement more natural and effortless.

Catching the Yarn Technique

This is known as a yarn over (abbreviation:  yo). Your index finger plays a crucial role in yarn over movements. Each time you catch the hook, you guide the yarn by moving your index finger up and down. To do a yarn over:

1. Pass the hook under and over the yarn from back to front,
   
   
2. If you’re having problems wrapping the yarn around all your fingers:  instead of wrapping the yarn, just let it flow behind your index finger, in front of your middle and ring fingers and back behind your little finger.

Chain Stitch Technique (cs)

Going counterclockwise, loop the yarn over the hook (or else you can hold the yarn still and adjust the hook accordingly). Draw the yarn through to form a new loop without tightening the previous one. Repeat the same steps as many times as you need to make chains as specified in the pattern. A good point to remember when counting chains correctly is not to count the first slip loop as a chain. To count them afterwards, make sure they are not twisted and you are looking at the front; then count back, but don’t include the loop that’s still on the hook.

Single Crochet (sc):

1. Insert the hook into the work (or second chain from hook), wrap the yarn over the hook and draw the yarn through the work only.
   
   
2. Wrap the yarn again and draw it through both loops. You just made 1 sc.

Half Double  (hdc) Technique

1. Wrap the yarn over the hook and insert the hook into the work (or third chain from hook);
   
   
2. Wrap the yarn over the hook, draw through the work only and wrap the yarn again;
   
   
3. Draw through all 3 loops on the hook.

Double Crochet Technique  (dc)

1. Wrap the yarn over the hook and insert the hook into the work (for 4th chain from hook);
   
   
2. Wrap the yarn over the hook, draw through the work only and wrap the yarn again;
   
   
3. Draw through the first 2 loops only and wrap the yarn again;
   
   
4. Draw through the last 2 loops on the hook.

Treble Crochet Technique (tr)

1. Wrap the yarn over the hook twice and insert the hook into the work (for 5th chain from hook);
   
   
2. Wrap the yarn over the hook, draw through the work and wrap again;
   
   
3. Draw through the first 2 loops only and wrap the yarn again;
   
   
4. Draw through the next 2 loops only and wrap the yarn again; draw through the last 2 loops.

Turning Chains

This is where your foundation chain ends and you have to add rows above it. To prepare for making a new row, you make turning chains. When you get to the end of a row, you need to determine how tall your successive rows should be, and this entails crocheting a certain number of chain stitches to bring your work to the desired height of the next row. Note that the taller the stitch, the greater the number of extra chains you have to make.

Here is the number of turning chains you’ll need for each stitch:

1. Slip stitch = 1 turning chain
   
   
2. Single crochet = 1
   
   
3. Half-double crochet = 2
   
   
4. Double crochet = 3
   
   
5. Triple crochet = 4

The Button Stitch

There is also what is called the bullion stitch (and bullion stitch bars). To do this, make sure the hook is thicker toward the handle and thinner toward the point than those used for other kinds of crochet.

To make an ordinary bullion stitch, your foundation chain has to be loose. Wind the yarn evenly several times around the hook; pass the hook through one stitch of the chain, 1 over is made and drawn through the loop, then another over is made, which is drawn through all the loops on the hook.

Bullion stitch bars are made the same way, the yarn is wrapped at least 10 or 12 times around the hook, and the over is drawn through all the loops except the last 2, which are joined by 1 fresh over. Hold the twists of the yarn firmly between the thumb and forefinger to make it easier to draw the hook through.

Cluster Stitch (also called pineapple stitch)

This is used as an insertion between rows of double crochet.

1. Make 1 over, insert hook under 1 stitch of the preceding row, make 1 over and draw it through as a loop;
   
   
2. Make another over, insert the hook a second time under the same stitch and draw it through with another loop;
   
   
3. Make a 3rd over, insert the hook a 3rd time under the same stitch and draw 1 loop through;
   
   
4. Make a 4th over, insert the hook again and draw another loop through, make another over and draw the hook through the first 8 loops on the hook;
   
   
5. Make another over and draw it through the last 2 loops, 1 chain, miss 1 stitch of the preceding row, and repeat all steps.

Persian Stitch

Instead of a loose, flat thread, use either one of the following to practice this technique:  thick, firm thread like DMC 6 cord crochet cotton, DMC special quality crochet cotton (nos. 1 to 10), DMC knotting cotton (nos. 10 to 30), or DMC flax thread for knitting and crochet nos. 3 to 12.
This stitch is worked on from the right side only:

1. Draw 1 loop through on each side of a stitch of the previous row so that there are 3 loops on the hook, including the one made by the last stitch;
   
   
2. Make 1 over and pass it through all 3 loops;
   
   
3. Draw another loop through beside the left-hand arm of the stitch just made to form the right hand arm of the new stitch, and another loop through the next stitch;
   
   
4. Make 1 over and draw it through all 3 loops.

If you’re really into crochet and want to be successful with your projects, don’t be discouraged by your first attempts. The more you work on your mistakes, the better your skills will be.

We have just provided the very basic crochet techniques in this section. Start with these until you get the hang of it. Crocheting is like tennis:  the more you hit the ball “over” the court, the better your shots will be.

One’s grip on the racket should feel natural and comfortable, not forced. The same is true with how you hold your hook. One expert crocheter once said, if you’re stressed about something while you’re crocheting, that stress will show in your work.

Maybe the yarn is too tight or you missed a few important loops or chains?  Give yourself plenty of time to achieve a good comfort level.

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