How to Single Crochet for Beginners

Single crochet is the shortest of the basic crochet stitches, and it’s the one most people learn right after the chain. It makes a firm, tight fabric that’s great for dishcloths, baskets, bags, and stuffed toys. Once you can work a few rows of single crochet, you’ve learned the basic moves every other stitch uses.

This guide explains how to single crochet in US terms, from the first row to turning and counting. It also covers how to keep your edges straight, which is the part that trips up most beginners. You’ll need to know how to make a slip knot and a chain first.

What You’ll Need

Medium weight (#4) worsted yarn in a light, solid color
A 5 mm (H-8) crochet hook
Locking stitch markers
Small scissors
A tapestry needle

Cotton or acrylic worsted yarn both work well. Cotton shows your stitches very clearly, so it’s a great choice for learning.

Abbreviations and Terms

Term	Abbreviation	What it means
Chain	ch	Yarn over, pull through the loop on the hook
Single crochet	sc	The stitch in this guide
Yarn over	yo	Wrap yarn over the hook from back to front
Stitch	st	One finished stitch
Turning chain	—	Chain made at the start of a row to reach the right height

US single crochet is called “double crochet” in UK patterns. If a pattern looks wrong, check which terms it uses.

How to Single Crochet: The First Row

Step 1: Make a slip knot and chain 16. That will give you 15 single crochet stitches across. The extra chain is for height.

Step 2: Find the second chain from the hook. Don’t count the loop on your hook. The first chain next to it is skipped, and the next one is where you start.

Step 3: Insert your hook into that chain from front to back. For your first try, go under the top loop only. It’s the easiest to find.

Step 4: Yarn over, then pull the yarn back through the chain. You now have two loops on your hook.

Step 5: Yarn over again.

Step 6: Pull that yarn through both loops on the hook. You’re left with one loop. That’s one single crochet done.

Step 7: Insert your hook into the next chain and repeat steps 4 to 6. Do this in every chain to the end.

When you finish the row, count your stitches. You should have 15.

Turning and Working the Second Row

This is where your fabric really starts. Take it slow.

Step 1: At the end of the row, chain 1. This is your turning chain. In single crochet, it does not count as a stitch.

Step 2: Turn your work over like a page in a book, so the end you just finished is now on the right (or on the left if you’re left-handed).

Step 3: Look at the top of your row. Each stitch has a sideways V on top made of two loops. Insert your hook under both loops of the very first stitch, the one right next to the turning chain.

Step 4: Yarn over and pull up a loop. You’ll have two loops on the hook.

Step 5: Yarn over and pull through both loops.

Step 6: Repeat in every stitch across. The last stitch is easy to miss, because it can be small and tucked in. Look for the final V at the very end.

Step 7: Count again. Still 15? Then chain 1, turn, and keep going.

Work at least 10 rows. By then, the motions will start feeling natural.

How to Keep Your Edges Straight

Crooked edges are the number one beginner problem with single crochet. Your piece either grows wider or shrinks with each row. Here’s how to stop that.

Work into the first stitch. The turning chain 1 doesn’t count, so your first single crochet goes into the very first stitch, not the second one.
Don’t work into the turning chain. At the end of the row, stop at the last real stitch. Don’t add an extra stitch into the chain 1 from the row before.
Mark the first and last stitches. Clip a stitch marker into the first and last single crochet of a row. Then on the next row, you’ll know exactly where to start and stop.
Count every row. It takes 15 seconds and saves you from ripping out 5 rows later.

Where to Use Single Crochet

Project	Why single crochet works
Dishcloths and washcloths	Dense fabric that scrubs well
Amigurumi toys	Tight stitches hold stuffing in
Baskets and bags	Sturdy and holds its shape
Borders on blankets	Neat, clean edge
Hats worked in the round	Warm with few gaps

For your first real project, try a simple square dishcloth in cotton yarn. Chain 26, work 25 single crochet across, and keep going until it’s a square.

If you’d like to see it in motion, Lion Brand Yarn’s free beginner series, Get Started Crocheting with These 3 Videos, ends with single crochet. It’s slowed down so you can follow along.

Common Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

The piece gets wider. You’re adding stitches, usually by working into the turning chain at the end of a row. Count each row and stop at the last real stitch.
The piece gets narrower. You’re skipping the first or last stitch. Use stitch markers on both ends until you can spot them easily.
The first row is very tight. Your starting chain is too tight. Make the chain with a hook one size bigger, then switch back.
Holes or gaps in the fabric. You may be working into only one loop. For regular single crochet, put your hook under both loops at the top of each stitch.
Yarn keeps splitting. Point the hook’s throat down slightly as you pull through, and try a smoother yarn.
Fabric is stiff as cardboard. Relax your yarn hand and pull each loop up onto the wide shaft of the hook, not the narrow throat.

Tips

Learn on the same yarn and hook until you can work 10 rows without counting errors. Then try something new.
Say the steps under your breath: “in, over, pull up, over, through two.” It really helps at first.
A slightly loose stitch is easier to fix than a tight one. Don’t strangle the hook.
Hold your work close to the hook, and move your fingers up every few stitches.
Don’t panic about uneven tension. It evens out with practice, usually after a project or two.
Taking out stitches (crocheters call it “frogging”) is normal. Pull the hook out and gently pull the yarn to undo back to your mistake.

FAQ

Does the chain 1 count as a stitch in single crochet?
No. In single crochet, the turning chain 1 only lifts your yarn to the right height. It doesn’t count as a stitch, and you don’t work into it on the next row. Your first single crochet goes into the very first stitch at the base of the chain.

What’s the difference between single crochet and double crochet?
Single crochet is short and makes a tight, dense fabric. Double crochet is about twice as tall because you yarn over before inserting the hook and pull through two loops twice. Double crochet grows faster and makes a softer, more open fabric, which is popular for blankets.

Why does my single crochet look slanted?
A slight slant is normal, because each stitch leans a little in the direction you work. Turning your work at the end of each row makes the slant go back and forth, so flat pieces look straight overall. Working in the round without turning often makes a gentle spiral lean, and that’s normal too.

Once single crochet feels easy, you’ll find the taller stitches come together much faster.