How to Crochet a Chain Stitch

The chain stitch is the first real stitch you’ll learn in crochet, and you’ll use it in almost every pattern you ever make. A row of chains is the base you build other stitches on. Chains also show up inside patterns as spaces, loops, and turning stitches.

This guide walks you through the crochet chain stitch one small move at a time. It covers how to hold the hook and yarn, how to count your chains, and how to keep them even. Once you can make a smooth chain of 20, you’re ready for single crochet.

What You’ll Need

Medium weight (#4) worsted yarn in a light, smooth color
A 5 mm (H-8) crochet hook, or one size bigger if you crochet tight
Locking stitch markers
Small scissors
A tapestry needle

Start with a slip knot already on your hook. If you haven’t learned that yet, see our guide on how to make a slip knot for crochet first.

How to Hold the Hook and Yarn

There’s no single correct grip, but these two are the most common. Try both and use the one that’s comfortable.

Pencil grip: Hold the hook like a pencil, with your thumb and index finger near the flat thumb rest.
Knife grip: Hold the hook with your hand over the top, the way you’d hold a butter knife.

Your other hand controls the yarn. A simple way to start is to drape the working yarn over your index finger, then let it run down across your palm. Curl your last two fingers loosely around it. Pinch the slip knot (or the bottom of your chain) with your thumb and middle finger.

That pinch matters. If you don’t hold the work below the hook, the loop spins around and your chains come out uneven.

How to Make a Chain Stitch

Step 1: Start with a slip knot on your hook. Hold the knot just under the hook with your thumb and middle finger.

Step 2: Yarn over. Wrap the working yarn over the hook from back to front. You can also turn the hook to catch the yarn instead. Either way, the yarn should sit in the hook’s little groove, called the throat.

Step 3: Turn the hook so the throat faces down a little. This keeps the yarn from slipping off as you pull.

Step 4: Pull the hook back through the loop that’s already on it, bringing the new yarn with it. You now have one new loop on your hook and one chain made.

Step 5: Move your pinching fingers up so they hold the stitch you just made.

Step 6: Repeat steps 2 to 5. Yarn over, pull through, move your fingers up. That’s the whole stitch.

Go slowly at first. Speed comes on its own after a few dozen chains.

How to Count Chains

Counting is where beginners get stuck most often, so take a minute to look closely at your chain.

The front of a chain looks like a line of little V shapes stacked one on top of the next. Each V is one chain.

Don’t count the loop on your hook. It’s the working loop, not a finished stitch.
Don’t count the slip knot. It’s just the anchor at the bottom.
Count every V in between.

For long chains, clip a stitch marker into every 10th or 20th chain. Then if you lose count, you only have to recount one small section.

Parts of a Chain

When patterns tell you to work “into the chain,” they mean one of these parts:

Part	Where it is	When you use it
Front V (two loops)	The side facing you	Count these
Top loop	Upper strand of the V	Most common place to work
Back bump	Ridge on the back side	Gives a neat, finished edge

For now, just get comfortable making and counting chains. You’ll learn which loop to work into when you start single crochet.

How Tight Should Chains Be?

Your chains should be loose enough that your hook slides into each one without forcing it. They should be firm enough that they don’t look loopy or sloppy.

A good check is to compare the chain to your hook. Each chain should be about as wide as the shaft of the hook. If chains are much smaller, you’re pulling too tight.

Many beginners chain tighter than they crochet. If your first row feels like a fight, try making your starting chain with a hook one or two sizes bigger. Then switch back to the pattern’s hook for the rest of the project. This is a common trick, and it gives you a straighter bottom edge.

Practice Ideas

Once you can make a chain, you can actually make things with it. These are good for practice:

A chain bookmark: Chain about 40, then knot both ends.
Gift wrap ribbon: Chain long strands in a bright color and tie them around a present.
Friendship bracelets: Chain three strands and braid them together.
Hair ties: Chain a short length and tie it around a ponytail.

Lion Brand Yarn has a free beginner video series, Get Started Crocheting with These 3 Videos. It shows the slip knot, the chain, and single crochet in order, which is a great way to see the hand movements in real time.

Common Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

Chains are too tight. Pull the new loop up onto the wider shaft of the hook, not the throat. Relax your yarn hand. If that doesn’t help, use a bigger hook for the starting chain.
Chains are different sizes. This usually means you aren’t holding the work below the hook. Keep moving your pinching fingers up every few stitches.
Yarn keeps slipping off the hook. Turn the throat of the hook slightly down as you pull through. Wrap the yarn from back to front, not front to back.
Splitting the yarn. If the hook goes through the middle of the yarn strand, back up and try again with a smoother yarn. Slow down as you pull through.
Counting the wrong things. Skip the loop on the hook and the slip knot, and count only the Vs.
The chain twists. A little twist is normal. Lay it flat with the Vs facing up before you start your first row.

Tips

Make a chain of 30, pull it out, and do it again. Repeat until it feels relaxed. Yarn is reusable, so practice costs nothing.
Use the same tension on your yarn finger every time. Even tension makes even chains.
Always make a few extra chains for long starting chains. It’s easier to undo extras than to add more later.
Look at your chains in good light. It makes the Vs much easier to see and count.
A wooden or bamboo hook grips yarn a bit more. That can help if your yarn keeps sliding off an aluminum hook.
If you’re left-handed, everything is the same in mirror image. Hold the hook in your left hand.

FAQ

How many chains do I make for a blanket or scarf?
Your pattern will tell you. If you’re making your own design, make a chain as wide as you want the piece to be, then add one or two extra chains for turning. Measure the chain lying flat, not stretched, so the finished piece comes out the width you planned.

Why is my starting chain tighter than the rest of my work?
Almost everyone chains tighter than they make other stitches. Your row of stitches then pulls the bottom edge in. Try a hook one or two sizes larger just for the starting chain, then switch back. Keeping the loop on the wide part of the hook also helps.

Is the loop on my hook counted as a chain?
No. The loop on your hook is always the working loop and never counts as a stitch. Count the V shapes from the first one above the slip knot up to the last one below the hook. That number is your chain count.

Once your chains look smooth and even, you’ve got the foundation for every stitch that comes next.