Before you are eager to kickstart your dream crochet project, other than having yarn and crochet hook ready, you have to learn how to hold the crochet hook and yarn. Then, you must know how to do the 5 basic crochet stitches.
The 5 basic crochet stitches in US terminology are chain (ch), single crochet (sc), half double crochet (hdc), double crochet (dc) and slip stitch (sl st). These 5 basic stitches are more than enough to crochet beautiful and innovative crochet pattern such as amigurumi, granny squares, blankets, bags and cardigans. Once you have mastered the 5 basic crochet stitches, you are one step closer to master the advanced stitches.
In this post, I’ll walkthrough how to make the 5 basic stitches by crocheting a simple leaf, guided with pictures. Leaf has all the 5 basic stitches. Prepare your crochet hook, yarn and scissors.
Slip Knot
Before we start chaining, we have to make a slip knot first. It is not a part of 5 basic stitches that I listed earlier. Depending on crochet project, other than slip knot, a crocheter starts a project with magic ring.
Below is the step by step process how to make a slip knot:
Chain (ch)
Chain is the foundational stitch that you must know. Without chains, you cannot proceed with single crochet, half double crochet or double crochet. Chain act as a foundation where other stitches are worked on the chain later.
As a beginner, doing chain seem a little difficult as you need to familiarize your hand to crocheting. This is so important for you to find your own style of holding hook and yarn. Beginners are usually getting uneven size of chains at the beginning. That’s ok and normal, no worries. After some practices, the uneven chain will eventually get even size. That’s the sign that you are already comfortable with your own style holding crochet hook and yarn.
With that, I recommend beginners to repeat chaining until your hands get it.
In diagram, chain stitch is illustrated by an oval. If there is two ovals, meaning you have to crochet 2 chains.
Below is the step by step process how to make a chain.
For crochet leaf, make 9 chains.
Single crochet (sc)
Single crochet is the main stitch to make amigurumi – soft toy plushies made by crocheting process. It is not limited to amigurumi, it is also widely used in any projects. In some cases, single crochet is used to finish the edges at the last row of crochet project.
In UK crochet terminology, single crochet is known as double crochet (dc). Make sure you know which language you are using.
In diagram, single crochet stitch is illustrated by a small ‘t’ letter or an ‘x’.
Single crochet is the shortest stitch among half double crochet and double crochet.
For our case in crocheting a leaf, it started with shortest stitch, then higher stitch towards the middle of the leaf, then reduce to the shortest stitch towards the end. Hence, single crochet is used after making chains.
Below is the step by step process how to make a single crochet. For crochet leaf, make 1 single crochet at the second chain, making it total 1 single crochet stitch:
Half double crochet (hdc)
Half double crochet is also known as half treble (htr) crochet in UK terminology. It is a higher stitch compared to single crochet but not as high as double crochet. It has same function as double crochet but it gives a more compact and dense effect compared to double crochet. Comparing to double crochet, assuming that two projects are done in a same size, project that is done with half double crochet is more time consuming compared to project that is done using double crochet.
In diagram, half double crochet stitch is illustrated by a capital ‘T’ letter.
A crochet leaf has an increment height of stitches. Hence, after crocheting single crochet, we need to crochet 1 half double crochet in the next two stitches, making it total 2 half double crochet stitches.
Now, we already have a leaf with 2 single crochet stitches and 2 half double crochet stitches.
Double crochet (dc)
Double crochet is also known as treble (tr) crochet in UK terminology. It is the highest length of stitch compared to single crochet and double crochet. It has same function as half double crochet but it gives a more loose effect compared to half double crochet. Comparing to half double crochet, assuming that two projects are done in a same size, project that is done with double crochet is quicker compared to project that is done using half double crochet.
In diagram, double crochet stitch is illustrated by a capital ‘T’ letter with a stroke on its body.
A crochet leaf has the widest area at the middle of the leaf; that is the spot where we require to do double crochet stitches. In this case, we need 1 double crochet in the next 2 chains, making it total of 2 double crochet stitches.
After finishing double crochet;
- Work 1 half double crochet in the next 2 stitches (total 2 half double crochet stitches)
- Work 1 single crochet in the next stitch (total 1 single crochet stitch)
Now, you have a crochet leaf. Yeay! Make sure that you have:
- 2 single crochet
- 4 half double crochet
- 2 double crochet
Slip stitch (sl st)
Slip stitch has the same name as UK term but its abbreviation is written as ‘ss’. Slip stitch is always used as:
- Finishing edges
- Joining two motifs. I always use slip stitch to join granny squares
- To start crocheting at different location without cutting the yarn
In diagram, slip stitch is illustrated by a shaded oval or a dot.
We are going to do slip stitch across the leaf. Below is the step by step how to make slip stitch:
Summary of how to crochet leaf
In summary, this is how to make a crochet leaf using 5 basic stitches:
- ch 9
- 1 sc at 2nd st
- 1 hdc at the next 2 st
- 1 dc at the next 2 st
- 1 hdc at the next 2 st
- 1 sc at the next st
Congratulations! You just graduated from the 5 basic crochet stitches mini course (I shall say this is a mini course :D). Now you can turn your yarn to your wildest creation, be it a blanket, bag, cardigan, throws, cases and many more!