Single Crochet Stitch

Rather than just presenting different crochet sts, I thought it would be good to start off with a project that uses some basic crochet stitches. Our first project, a kitchen towel hanger, uses chain st, single crochet, double crochet, slip st, and picot st.

For this project you'll need some size 10 crochet thread (This project is great for using up left-over thread.), a size B (2.5 mm) hook, and a terrycloth kitchen towel.

To start off, cut the towel in half. We begin the project by working a single crochet stitch into the fabric of the towel (1st picture). Directions for working a single crochet stitch follow:


The single crochet stitch is abbreviated sc in patterns as in sc 2 in next ch sp (single crochet twice in the next chain space) or sc 3 in next st (single crochet 3 times in next st).

A word of warning: This is American terminology. The British term for the same stitch is double crochet (dc).

As with all crochet stitches, one starts with a single loop on the hook. In the picture at the right, I started with a loop created by making a slip stitch knot around the hook (just as one often does in starting a cast on in knitting).

There are 2 steps to making the stitch.

First, with the yarn in back, draw a loop through. In this case, I used the crochet hook to poke a hole through the terrycloth dish towel. Then I wrapped the thread around the hook and pulled the thread through. (Terrycloth is woven loosely and so it is possible to poke holes through it without snagging the fabric.) There are now 2 loops on the hook.

Second, wrap the thread around the hook again (as in the first picture) and then pull the thread through both loops.

The stitch is complete and one is left with one loop on the hook.

To make the edging, I then did 2 chain sts before making the next single crochet. (Directions for making a ch st are in the previous post.) Directions for this row would be written out as:

Row 1: sc 1, *ch 2, sc 1* to end

The second picture show several repeats of the pattern, ending with a chain 2. The chain 2 forms what is called a chain space. This helps space out the single crochet stitches. The row ends with a single crochet.

Next time, we'll talk about how to single crochet into a chain space and also how to crochet into the top of a single crochet stitch.