Basic Stitches

If you are a beginner at crocheting, the first thing you should do is learn some basic crochet stitches. First, you will need to know how to make a chain, then how to work into the chain, and then I will tell you how to do a single, half, and double crochet.

If any of these are too difficult, I would recommend you get Crocheting School for further instructions.  It is a book all about crocheting.

Working a Chain

To begin, make a slip not around the hook. To do this, make a loop with your yarn. Pull the free end around and through the loop. Put your hook through the second loop and pull. Keep it loose, not too tight.

Bring the yarn around the back of the hook to the front so that you have a second loop on the hook in addition to the slip knot. Catch the top loop that you just made in the hook and slip the remaining loop over the hook so that you have one loop left.

Continue this process forming a chain. Make as many loops as your pattern calls for. If you are just going to use a simple stitch for the whole blanket such as the single, double, or half crochet, you can make the chain as long as you like.

Single crochet

To start with, you will have your hook in the final chain stitch you made previously. Insert your hook into the first loop on the left side of the chain. Wrap the yarn around the hook to form another loop as described above. Now you should three loops around the hook.

Pull the hook through the first loop as described above. Wrap another loop around the hook and pull it through two loops. Now, you should have one loop left. Continue along the chain for as long as you want the single stitch.

Half Double Crochet

The half double crochet is in between the single and double crochet. Wrap the yarn around the hook once and then insert it into the next stitch. Wrap the yarn around again and pull through one loop. Wrap the yarn one more time and pull the hook through all three loops.

Double Crochet

Hopefully by now you have a hang on this so the double crochet shouldn’t be hard. Wrap the yarn over and insert the hook into the next stitch. Wrap the yarn over and pull through one loop. Wrap the yarn over and pull through two loops and then wrap the yarn over and pull through two final loops.

Once you have these basic stitches down, you can start making a baby blanket. They are very simple, but if you are stuck or want more stitches or more detail, I recommend picking up a copy of Crocheting School.

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