Crochet Stitches: Foundation Single Crochet

Video Transcript:

This lesson is about the foundation single crochet stitch. Instead of starting projects in the traditional format using the chain, I’ll show you a neat trick to skip that one tedious step. The foundation single crochet stitch combines the chain with the first row of single crochet stitches.

The foundation single crochet is great for most any project, but it’s especially great when you have a lot to chain. Another benefit to this stitch is its elasticity compared to starting with the normal chain. The foundation single crochet has more stretch and provides a more consistent tension at the base of your projects like the neckline, hem, sleeve cuff, whatever.

I was so delighted to learn of this stitch some years ago. I begin most of my non-motif projects with the foundation single crochet stitch. I feel it’s a huge time saver and gives you a better, neater, more stable base to start with. 

Start with a slipknot. Chain (ch) 2.  Insert your hook into the first chain. Yarn over (YO) and draw up a loop by pulling the yarn through. Chain (ch) 1 – pull the yarn through the first loop.  Yarn over (YO) and pull through the 2 remaining loops on the hook. You’re going to need to pinch this area while you’re completing the rest of the stitch so that it doesn’t tighten up on you when you’re ready to re-enter that stitch.

Let’s do that again. To start the next stitch, insert your hook under the two loops you were holding on to. Yarn over (YO) and draw up a loop, yarn over (YO) and pull through the first loop creating the chain and then yarn over (YO) and pull through the remaining two loops on the hook. And that creates your single crochet stitch.

When you start the next stitch you find those two loops, insert your hook, yarn over, draw up a loop, yarn over pull through one loop creating the chain, yarn over pull through two.

So now we have three single crochet stitches with a chain on the bottom.

Again, insert your hook under the two loops, yarn over, pull through, yarn over pull through one loop creating that chain, yarn over pull through two.

We are going to keep going for 15 stitches.

Mind you, I’m holding tight right here with these two fingers.

Okay, so I’m at 15. Let’s continue.

So instead of having to dig into those tight little chains, you already have your first row of single crochet. Ta-da!

I just chain one and turn the piece. Insert hook in the first stitch (under both loops) and continue to single crochet down the row. MInd you, you can put whatever stitch on here that you want. This foundation is much more stretchy than if you were to use the basic chain and then a single crochet row.

I’ll go ahead and finish this up. And remember to count your stitches.

And voila, here are a few rows of single crochet on top of the foundation single crochet stitch.

I hope you enjoyed learning this method and find it time saving and as helpful as I do. Let me know what you think of the foundation single crochet stitch below. 

Thank You

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Create a great day! And Happy Hooking!