And here's the written tutorial for the rest of us:
To begin with, what is a crochet chain?
A crochet chain, sometimes called a foundation chain, is a variation on the slip stitch, and is analogous to casting on when knitting. In order to start a piece of crochet, a certain amount of chains are completed, and all the rest of the work is built on top of this chain or around it if working circularly. It can also be used at the beginning of the row or round, when it is then called a turning chain; there, it acts to stabilize the edges, and can be thought of as a selvedge. Though it is not technically one, it performs much the same function.So, now that you know what this is and why its's important, what do you to begin? Some yarn and a crochet hook, of course.
To start, take a length and make a loop, like this, with the yarn that goes back to the ball on top and the cut end on bottom.
From there, put your fingers through, grab the working yarn with your fingers and pull to make a loop, like so:
If you find this incredibly fiddly and difficult to do, I am told that other people use the crochet hook to grab the yarn and pull it through, but I find that incredibly fiddly and difficult. So, if you hate one, try the other, you might like it better.
What you have done at this point is called a slip knot, so if my explanation and diagram are too confusing and you actually haven't completed it at this point, you can search "how to make a slip knot," and find another tutorial from someone who is better at it than me. I am good at knitting and crochet, not knot tying. Aside from whatever knot I use to tie my shoe laces, this is the only knot I know how to make. 🤷🏻 Sorry, not sorry, lol.
From there, you open up the loop, put the crochet hook in and pull on the ball side strand to tighten. You don't want to tighten it too much, otherwise it'll be very difficult for the crochet hook to slide around and do the things it needs to do. You can always hold the tail side and pull away with the crochet hook to make the loop bigger or pull on the ball side to make it smaller.
Now, wrap the yarn around the hook going from back to front, and pull it through the loop. That's it, that's one crochet chain; it's really that simple.
You can see here the structure of the chain there's a loop at the top, a little v that goes around, and a bump on the back. Every crochet chain will have the v and the bump, and you can count stitches either by counting the Vs or the bumps, whichever is more convenient for you. Some people swear by one method, some by the other, it really doesn't matter; they both function the same way. It's important to note that the number of Vs you have on the front will always match the number of bumps on the back. When you're counting to make sure you have the right number for your projects, you can count either the Vs or the bumps, and it shouldn't really matter one way or the other which you've counted.
While the crochet chain is typically used as the beginning of a project, you can also use it by itself to make bracelets, cords... Pretty much anywhere you'd need a sturdy string.
A way to check on your gauge and make sure that it's not too tight or too loose is to make sure that the loops on the front look relatively closed, where there's not a huge gap in the middle, and if you tug on it, it should be stretchy. If you can't stretch it, that's fine if you're using it as a cord, or for something where gauge isn't important, like a blanket. But if it's the foundation for a garment, you need the elasticity to make sure that the garment fits properly. If you find that the chain you've made it tight and inelastic, you can usually fix that by going up a hook size or too. The recommendations on ball bands and patterns are just suggestions based on statistical averages or the designer's personal preferences, so feel free to swap out hooks until you get a fabric you like. Sometimes you will need a different hook just for the foundation chain, and then the rest of the pattern you can work in the suggested needle. This is because each stitch type you make will technically have it's own gauge when you work it, based on how you move your hands to make the stitch, so if there's a big difference in how tight you pull the chains as opposed to bigger stitches, you may find using a bigger hook just for the chain brings back the elasticity you need.
Conversely, if you find making the chains really easy and relaxing, your foundation chain may be too loose and floppy., making the edges pucker out and sag. If that's the case, using a smaller hook just for the chain will fix that problem as well.
So, do you feel confident now? Leave me a comment below and tell me what you're going to make now that you know how to use the crochet chain stitch!
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