Chain Stitch Crochet Tutorial

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Learning to work a chain stitch is one of the first lessons a new crocheter needs. A chain works as a foundation for the rest of a pattern, and is also used to increase the height of a row. This chain stitch crochet tutorial will teach you three different ways to work into a chain and everything you need to know about this basic crochet stitch.

Tools for This Tutorial

A Crochet Hook

You definitely need a crochet hook to practice and learn crochet. There are lots of different hook types out there. Crochet hooks are made from several types of materials including plastic, wood, and aluminum. There are 2 common hook head types, tapered and in-line.

Knowing the type of hook you will personally like best might take a while to figure out. I recommend starting with a basic set of aluminum hooks. They have some weight to them, but don’t bend or break easily.

Susan Bates hooks are my personal favorite. I have a standard beginner set and a variety of hooks with polymer clay handles from Etsy.

The standard beginner set have no special handle, they are great because they are relatively inexpensive, and the set I recommend has all the sizes a beginner will need for their first projects.

The polymer clay handle hooks are perfect for someone who wants to get serious with crochet and loves to personalize their tools. They have tons of options available!

Finally, an ergonomic set of hooks like this Clover Amour set is perfect for hands with lots of other stuff going on. They are perfect to crochet with for long period of time and reduce hand fatigue and strain.

Yarn

Another obviously needed item to learn crochet is yarn. I recommend an acrylic yarn in a light, but not white color. Such as this Vanna’s Choice Yarn, which is a medium or worsted weight yarn (size 4). This is a good size to work with as it is large enough for you to clearly see your stitches, but not so big that it is confusing to look at. Use a size H or I hook with this size yarn.

Chain Stitch in Patterns

The chain stitch is commonly used in pattern for all skill levels. You will find it used in beginner, easy, intermediate, and advanced patterns.

The most commonly used abbreviation for the chain stitch is Ch. But always check your pattern abbreviations and notes for any variations in this.

Chain stitches are of course also found in pattern diagrams, the symbol for the chain stitch is pictured below. This is a universal symbol used in patterns from all languages.

Chain Stitches as Pattern Foundations

Chain stitches are frequently used as the foundation row for patterns of all types. The first row of patterns that use chain stitches as the foundation row usually read: Chain (Or Ch) ##. The # symbols represent the number of chain stitches you are being instructed to work.

Example: A pattern might read Ch 123, meaning it wants you to chain 123 stitches. Or it could read Ch 1, which would mean you should chain 1 stitch.

Many beginners find that when they work chains as a foundation row it can be too tight to work into the chains comfortably. If you find this is you, I recommend two things:

1. Stop pulling on your yarn after you make a chain. The size of the hook you are using determines the size of your stitch, so if you pull on your yarn too much you are making those stitches smaller and tighter, which makes it harder to work into the chain.
2. Use a bigger hook to work your chain stitches, then switch to the size hook called for in the pattern before beginning the first row.

Chain Stitches to Add Height

Chain stitches are also commonly used at the end or beginning of the row. This is especially true when the pattern worked flat. It is also sometimes the case when a pattern is worked in the round and joined with a slip stitch at the end of each row.

These are usually called turning chains, because they are the chains made when turning to work along the other side. The stitches made in the next row determines how many turning chains to work. If the next row is single crochets, you will work 1 turning chain. If the next row is half double crochets or double crochets, you will work 2 turning chains. When the next row is treble crochets, you will work 3 turning chains.

Turning chains help to bring your hook up to the level with the top of the next row of stitches. Since each of the above listed stitches is a little taller than the last one, each set of turning chains has 1 more.

The numbers for turning chains I have given above, are the numbers I personally use when designing a pattern. But keep in mind that other designers may use a slightly different number of turning chains. Make sure you read the directions for the pattern you are working to know what the designer calls for.

Counting your Stitches

Learning to count not just your chains, but all the stitches you work is an essential skill for crochet. It is how you check over the row you just completed to know if you have the correct amount. When you look at the photo below, each of the “bumps” you see counts as 1 chain.

Sometimes the turning chains you are instructed to make count as stitches. Other times you’ll be told the turning chains do not count as a stitch. Check the pattern notes and directions to see which type of pattern you are following.

Chain Stitch Crochet Tutorial

To work a chain stitch, you need to have your yarn attached to your hook. If you need help doing this, check out this post where I show you several ways to attach your yarn to a hook.

Once you have your yarn on your hook, you are ready to start making chains!

Making a chain stitch is really very simple, with only two steps to the process.

Yarn over – Abbreviated as YO in many patterns. This is the act of wrapping your yarn from back to front around your hook.

Use the hook to pull the yarn over loop through the loop already on your hook.

After you’ve pulled the yarn over through the existing loop you should only have 1 loop left on your hook. Slide that loop down to the shaft or shank of the hook. This is what makes sure the crochet stitch you are working (in this case a chain stitch) is the proper size.

GREAT JOB!! You’ve just completed 1 chain stitch! 🙂

Now, repeat the process until you have the designated amount of chain stitches… Let’s do another together….

Yarn over

Use the hook to pull the yarn over loop through the loop already on the hook.

Work 16 chains, 15 of them will be your foundation row. The 16th stitch is your turning chain.

Now that you have worked the chain stitch crochet tutorial section, I’ll go over 3 different ways of working into the chain you’ve just made!

3 Ways of Working Into The Chain

For this section of the tutorial, we will be working single crochet stitches. You may want to check out my single crochet tutorial here if you are unfamiliar with working this stitch.

First Way: Working Into The “Back Bumps”

After you’ve worked your chain stitches, turn chain over and look at the back side.

See those little bumps in the back? Each of those bumps represent 1 chain. And it is into those bumps that you will insert your hook to work your stitches.

Work a single crochet into each of the back bumps until you get to the end of the foundation row.

Once you are done stop and look at your work. the bottom edge of the swatch you were just working on has the same V like stitches as the top edge has. This neat looking edge is one advantage of working into the back of the chain.

Another advantage of working into your chain this way is that the chain remains stretchy, like the rest of your work.

Once you’ve tried this method, take your hook out of the loop and pull on the working end until your stitches unravel and you have just the chain stitches left. When you pull out enough stitches, put your hook back into the loop at the end of the chain. I suggest recounting your chains to make sure you still have 16, and it’s good practice for counting 🙂

Second Method: Working Into the Top Loop Only

Take a look at your chain stitches… See the top loop on each of the stitches? For the next method of working into the chain you are going to insert your hook following the path of the yellow arrow below, into the front of the chain and grab only the top loop to work each stitch.

The top loop is represented by the black arc in the photo below.

When you work a stitch into each top loop along the chain your finished swatch will look like the photo below.

The bottom edge of your work will look the same as the edge in the photo below.

Once you’ve tried this method, take your hook out of the loop and pull on the working end until your stitches unravel and you have just the chain stitches left. When you pull out enough stitches, put your hook back into the loop at the end of the chain.

Third Way: Working into the Bottom Loop

The third method of working to the chain also involves inserting your hook into the front of the chain. In this case you will be inserting your hook so that the bottom loop (the one outlined in green below) is left under the hook.

You will have the top and back bump loops on top of your hook. Look at the top of your hook after you insert it into your chain you should see 2 loops, similar to the photo below.

After you have worked a stitch into each chain to the end of the foundation row, your finished swatch will look like the photo below.

When you look at the bottom edge of your work, you should see something similar to the photo below.

Keep Practicing!

Now that you have a good understanding of the chain stitch in all its many forms, keep practicing! Crochet is a skill that takes time to learn, so be patient with yourself.

Things that feel strange at first, can become muscle memory over time. You will develop your own way to comfortably hold your hook and yarn.

If you found this chain stitch crochet tutorial helpful, please share it on your Facebook and Pinterest profiles so others can find it too.