How to Make a Slip Knot and Foundation Chain

Almost every crochet project starts the same way: a slip knot to attach the yarn to your hook, then a foundation chain to build on. Once these two steps feel natural, every pattern becomes easier to begin.

What you'll need

• Medium-weight (worsted) yarn in a light color
• A 5 mm (US H-8) crochet hook, or the size suggested on your yarn label

How to make a slip knot

1. 1Leave a tail about 6 in (15 cm) long. The working yarn is the strand connected to the ball.
2. 2Form a loop by crossing the working yarn over the top of the tail.
3. 3Reach through the loop from front to back, catch the working yarn, and pull a new loop up through the first one.
4. 4Slide the new loop onto your hook.
5. 5Gently pull the yarn ends to snug the loop around the hook. It should slide easily along the hook without being loose or floppy.

How to make a chain stitch

1. 1Hold the slip knot's tail between the thumb and middle finger of your yarn hand, just below the hook.
2. 2Yarn over: wrap the working yarn over the hook from back to front.
3. 3Turn the hook's throat slightly downward and draw the wrapped yarn through the loop on the hook. That's one chain.
4. 4Repeat the yarn over and pull through for each chain your pattern needs.
5. 5Every few stitches, move your holding fingers up so they stay close to the hook. This keeps your tension steady.

Counting your chains

Seen from the front, each chain looks like a small sideways V. When counting:

• Do not count the loop currently on your hook.
• Do not count the slip knot.
• Count each V from the stitch nearest the hook back toward the slip knot.

On the back of the chain you'll see a line of small bumps, called the back bumps. Some patterns ask you to work into them because it gives a neat edge.

Working into the foundation chain

Patterns tell you which chain to start in, usually based on the height of the first stitch. For single crochet, you typically insert your hook into the 2nd chain from the hook. The chain you skip acts as the turning height. For double crochet, patterns often start in the 3rd or 4th chain from the hook.

Troubleshooting

• Chains are too tight to work into: relax your yarn hand, or use a hook one size larger for the foundation chain only.
• Chains are uneven sizes: pull each new loop to the full width of the hook shaft, not just the narrow throat.
• The chain twists: that's normal on long chains. Keep the front Vs facing you as you work the first row.

Next step: use your chain to make a practice swatch from the beginner's first steps guide.