How to Crochet: Mastering Crochet Stitches and Techniques with Image Explanations

Do we have any crafters on Steemit? A while back we put together the ultimate guide to crochet for another project, it's pretty much an amazing bible. Anyway happy to share it with you :)

You have spent what seemed to be an eternity going through an infinite assortment of yarns and threads of different color, thickness, texture, price and quality, and selected the right crochet hook. You have flipped through a pile of crochet magazines, looked at patterns and unique designs, and made up your mind on what exactly you desire to create. Though you may feel you’ve done a lot already, that’s only the beginning. Now you need to start crocheting in order to make the image you have in your mind a reality. But to do that, you need to know how to read the pattern and implement crochet stitches and techniques. No worries; you’re in good hands, and we’ll explain exactly what to do and how.

21 Common Crochet Stitches and Techniques

Whether it’s a doily, a scarf, a sweater or a blanket you wish to make, the basic techniques for crochet stitches remain the same; and once you master those, the crotchet world is yours to conquer. What are you waiting for?

1. The very basis of most of your future crochet projects is a slip stitch. In order to make one, create a loop that resembles a pretzel. Insert the crochet hook through the loop and pull the section of yarn at the bottom through it. Tug on the yarn to tighten the knot. Make the slip stitch neither too tight nor too slack; instead leave it loose enough to be able to freely move the crochet hook.

2. The next stitch to master is the chain stitch. It is used to create the foundation for nearly anything you are going to crochet, as well as the creation of lacy patterns. After you have made a slip stitch, hold the base of it and yarn over the hook from back to front. Pull the wrapped yarn through the slip stitch. That’s your first chain stitch. Repeat the process as many times as necessary to reach the length required.

3. Single crochet is the next step. Insert the hook into the closest chain stitch. Wrap the yarn from back to front around the hook and pull it through the chain stitch. You have two loops on your crochet hook. Yarn over once again, and pull the yarn through both loops.

4. With an additional step, the half-double crochet stitch is similar to the single crochet one. Wrap the yarn from back to front around the crochet hook and insert it in the closest chain stitch. Wrap yarn around the hook again and pull it through the chain stitch. There are three loops on your crochet hook. Yarn over once again, pulling the yarn through all three hooks.

5. Double crochet technique is almost identical to half-double crochet; however, once you have three loops on the hook, instead of wrapping yarn over the hook and pulling it through all three loops at once, yarn over twice—pulling yarn though two loops each time.

6. Triple crochet is the next stitch to master. Wrap the yarn over the thread from back to front twice and insert the hook through the closest chain stitch. Yarn over the hook once more, and pull the yarn through the chain stitch. You have four loops on your crochet hook. Yarn over and pull it through two loops at a time, three times total.

7. The V-stitch is often used in lacy designs, and resembles the letter V. To create it, make a double crochet stitch, one or more chain stitches and another double crochet stitch placing the latter in the same chain stitch as the former.

8. The shell stitch is created by positioning three or more double crochet stitches in the same chain stitch. Similarly to the V-stitch, it is often used in lacy designs, though it creates a thicker and fuller pattern.

9. The cluster stitch resembles an upside down shell stitch, and is often used in combination with the above. Crochet three or more double crochet stitches, each in their respective chain stitch. There should be 4 or more loops on your hook. Wrap yarn around the hook, and pull yarn through all of them at once.

10. The popcorn stitch pops out and creates texture to the fabric. It combines techniques used to make the shell stitch and the cluster stitch. To form it, create multiple (usually five) double crochet stitches in a single chain stitch. Drop the loop from the hook and insert the hook through the top of the first double crochet stitch. Place the dropped loop back on the hook, wrap yarn around the hook, and pull it though both loops. This will tighten the top part of the formation and cause it to puff out over the surface of the pattern.

11. The picot stitch is often used in doilies and lacy patterns to add a decorative element to the edge. Although they are more common when crocheting with thread, it is not unusual to add them to yarn projects. To make one, start by forming a chain of three stitches. Insert the hook through the first chain stitch, wrap the yarn around the hook, and pull it through both loops. You’ve created a tiny chain loop that will adorn the edge of your crochet project.

12. The checkerboard stitch is best known for its use in so called “granny squares”. It consists of chains and double crochet stitches. In order to create a simple checkerboard stitch, make three double crochet stitches followed by three chain stitches. Alternate them in the rows above to achieve the checkerboard effect. 13. Fillet crochet uses double crochet and chain stitches similarly to the checkerboard stitch; though instead of a simple checkerboard, it creates more complex patterns. The fabric is often referred to as “grid”. Make open blocks by crocheting chain stitches and closed blocks by creating double crochet stitches. Alternating open blocks and closed blocks allows one to design text or images within the fabric.

14. The bullion/roll stitch is a technique that can be used to spice up your usual designs. The techniques involve creating a coil of yarn, and afterwards, pulling the yarn through the coil. To implement the technique, wrap the yarn around the crochet hook, and secure it by inserting the hook into the chain stitch. Pull the yarn through both, the chain stitch at the base and the coil wrapped around the hook. This may seem challenging at first, especially if you are using a thicker crochet hook. In order to facilitate the process, choose a rather slender hook. The length of the bullion or roll depends on the number of wraps.

15. The loop stitch has earned its name due to long loops it creates. It has unusual texture and adds a unique look to the final project. Start by creating a base: crochet a row of the stitch of your choice or follow the instructions you’ve chosen. Wrap yarn around your index finger. You can do it more than once if you wish to have more loops. Holding the loop over your finger, insert the hook into the next chain stitch, and pull the yarn through it from behind your finger. If you’ve wrapped the yarn around your finger more than once, pull it through all the loops you’re holding. You have two loops on the hook now. Yarn over, and pull yarn through both hoops. You have one or more loops depending on how many times you wrapped yarn around your finger. Carry on until you’ve completed the row.

16. Stitch spikes are long stitches of yarn that reach over several rows of stitches on both sides of the fabric being created, forming a double-sided pattern. In order to make stitch spikes, you need to create a base of several rows of the single stitch. Once you are ready, carry out a single stitch, but instead of inserting the hook in the same row, push it through several rows below. You can alternate between creating single crochet stitches and stitch spikes to add more texture to the fabric.

17. The basic Afghan/Tunisian stitch is a rather thick pattern that resembles a combination of tiny squares. Since it requires a line of loops on the hook, to make an Afghan stitch, you will need a special hook which is much longer than a regular one. Start with a slip stitch and a chain. Wrap yarn over the hook and draw it through the chain stich. Keep the loop on the hook and repeat the process until you have covered the length of the chain. You have a line of loops on your hook similarly to how you would if you were knitting. Wrap yarn over the hook and draw it through 2 loops. Repeat the process until you have a single stitch left on your crochet hook. Continue creating rows with basic Afghan stitching. You can use multiple colors to make the design more interesting and visually appealing.

18. Hairpin crochet is an extremely easy, yet beautiful technique that dates back to Victorian times and results in delicate, lacy patterns created by crocheting together loops of yarn. Apart from a crochet hook and yarn, you will also need a hairpin lace loom, which can be easily found in online and craft stores. Make a slip stitch, secure it on one of the prongs of the loom, and position it in the middle. Wrap the yarn around the prongs, and use the crochet hook to create single stitches that secure the new loops.

19. Broomstick crochet owes its name to a broomstick. In previous centuries, broomsticks were used to form loops of yarn that would later result in lacy designs. Nowadays, dowels, rods or thick knitting needles are used for this purpose depending on how thick the desired lace pattern is. Begin by creating a base using a stitch of your choice. At the end of the first row, pull the loop and secure it on the dowel or any other object of your choice. Continue by pulling up a loop from every stitch in the row and sliding it onto the dowel, until you have a row of loops before you. Pull the dowel out to slide off all loops from it. Place your crochet hook through 5 loops and form 5 single crochet stitches in the middle of them. Repeat the process until the end of the row.

20. Finger crochet is a new trend and is exactly what you imagine it to be – crocheting with fingers. The technique can be used with thicker yarn creating virtually any design of your preference simply by using the index finder of your dominant hand instead of a crochet hook.

21. Amigurumi is a Japanese crocheting technique usually used to create small stuffed toys or other figures. They are formed by means of the single crochet stitch, usually crocheting around a circle. Sections are made separately and sewn together. If inexperienced with this technique, it’s best to consult patterns and tutorials as they will provide information on exactly how many stitches and rows are needed for the desired design.

Reading Crochet Patterns Knowing how to master basic crochet stitches is only dealing with a half of the problem, another issue is to know how to read the patterns displayed in crochet magazines and websites. Although those normally include explanations of the most common symbols utilized, it is useful to commit them to memory as they facilitate and speed up the process of crocheting. Despite some possible differences, these symbols are generally universal and used in most crochet techniques.