Resources Archives | Edie Eckman

June 30, 2020June 30, 2020

Learn New Crochet Stitches with the Crochet Stitch Workshop

There’s so much more to crochet than granny squares and ripple stitch! Take your crocheting in a new direction this summer when you learn new crochet stitches in my Crochet Stitch Workshop, a series of online classes.

Each 90-minute video-conference session stands alone, so you can take just the ones you are interested in, or take the whole series. Classes are priced individually.

Where Does it Happen?

It’s all online, so you can be anywhere! Just register for the classes you want, and you’ll get an invitation to the Zoom Meeting.

When Are the Sessions?

Live interactive streaming sessions take place on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. Eastern during July and August.

Note that these sessions are not recorded, so you’ll need to be there to participate.

How Does It Work?

You’ll receive a handout with text and charted instructions for several different stitch patterns using the technique. You’ll watch a live-streaming demo of the techniques and the stitch patterns. Then you’ll be able to practice your choice of stitch pattern(s).

I’ll be right there to answer your questions and help you through any trouble spots, just like I would if we in the same room together.

This post contains affiliate links.

Are There Any Prerequisites?

We’ll be using American crochet terminology. You should be familiar and comfortable with the basic crochet stitches: chain, single crochet, half double crochet and double crochet.

You should know how to read a crochet pattern. Understanding symbol crochet diagrams is also helpful, but not required.

Crochet Answer Book 2nd Edition by Edie Eckman — The Crochet Answer Book is a classic pocket reference.

If you need to brush up on your basic crochet skills, check out The Crochet Answer Book by Edie Eckman. Subscribe to Edie’s YouTube channel for video tutorials. Look at Crochet: Basics & Beyond for additional links.

What Stitches Will I Learn?

Topics include:

Front Loop & Back Loop Stitches
Clusters, Bobbles & Popcorns
Puff Stitches
Cables
Ripples & Chevrons
Bullion Stitch
Crocodile Stitch

See how easy it is to learn online from an experienced teacher, in the comfort of your favorite chair! Register now!

Still Have Questions?

Ask your questions in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer.

June 11, 2020June 18, 2020

Tips for Learning in an Online Knitting or Crochet Class

Knitting classes and crochet classes are almost the definition of “hands-on”. But now that we can’t be together physically, what’s it like to take a knitting or crochet class virtually?

Is it even possible to learn a new skill in these circumstances? The answer is an emphatic yes! Even in a distanced world, you can make the most of your next virtual knitting or crochet class.

This post contains affiliate links which may provide a small income to me if you buy something, but they won’t cost you anything extra.

You may already be familiar with video learning from YouTube or platforms like Creativebug and the (former) Bluprint/Craftsy. You may have found that those one-way classes are perfect for you, and that you don’t need live interaction with your instructor.

But if you want more, try out virtual classes with a live teacher. You’ll find more and more of these online as teachers pivot from teaching at large in-person events to virtual classrooms. Learn how with these best tips for learning in an online knitting or crochet class.

Tip #1 Use reliable internet that supports streaming

It’s no fun when your screen locks up or the little “buffering” wheel goes round and round. Make sure others in your household are not hogging shared bandwidth. Have them do something else while you are in class.

Can you go to a place that has a better connection? Most public libraries have public internet, and even if the library is not open, you may be able to connect from a parking lot or sitting area just outside the library.

Try to let the teacher know ahead of time if you know that your internet is unreliable and you might get kicked off at any moment. They might have to let you back into class at some point, and a heads-up on that is helpful. Find out if the class is being recorded and if it will be available afterward in case you can’t access it during class time.

You may want to leave your camera off as much as possible to help with streaming. Turn it back on when/if you need to show yourself or your work.

If you have a choice of devices, you’ll want the one with the most screen real estate.

Tip #2 - two large iMac monitors — Photo by **Tranmautritam** from **Pexels**

You’ll need to be able to see the instructor’s hands on close-up shots. You’ll want to be able to see their face, and maybe those of your fellow students. It’s also helpful to see chat comments and questions in a sidebar (on some platforms).

Don’t count on using your phone as your main screen. You won’t be able to see well enough, and some of the teaching platforms don’t have as many features available on the mobile versions.

Tip #3 Know how to use the hardware and software

Well before class starts, do a dry run with your equipment.

Download the app you’ll be using. If you already have the app, check for updates. Sometimes updates take a while, so allow time to install them.

Make sure your speaker or headphones/earbuds work with your device. Check that your microphone is working and you have allowed the app to access it. If you don’t know how to do these things, ask for help from a family member or friend. Or Google it.

Practice using the platform. Most of the platforms have a free version. Set up a time to meet with a friend so you can become familiar with the features and quirks of the program.

At some point, you may need to show your work to your teacher. Especially if you are having trouble executing a technique, it will be important for the teacher to see your hands.

Think about how you can do this. Is there a way for you to set the camera above your hands, shooting down (at least temporarily)? Can you hold your hands up to the camera (which presents the reverse side of the work to the viewer)? Can you move the camera to your lap, so the teacher can see the work from your perspective?

Sit in a comfortable seat, with the screen on a table or stand where you can see it easily. Remember that you’ll need your hands to crochet or knit! Keep your lap free for your work.

If it’s an interactive class, where the instructor and other students need to see you, try to set the camera angle so that it gets your full face. You don’t want them looking up your nostrils or just at your forehead!

Make sure you have adequate task lighting, with the light in front of you. Turn off lamps and close the blinds behind you to prevent harsh backlighting which throws your face into shadow.

Place any class supplies within reach, including notions like scissors and yarn needles. Keep some extra yarn handy, as well. You don’t want to have to step away to look for a missing notion, and you won’t have a fellow student next to you to let you borrow their scissors!

Think about the things you might want to have with you in a regular in-person class: water bottle, pencil, notebook. Have those things handy, as well.

Turn off the TV. Put your cell phone in another room, or turn off the ringer. Try to be in a room by yourself, or at least have the kids and pets in another room. Don’t be doing laundry or other tasks while in class.

mother with laptop and baby on her lap — Photo by **Tatiana Syrikova** from **Pexels**

You’ve probably paid for the class, so get your money’s worth by concentrating on the class just as you would if you were attending in person.

Disappointing advice, I know. You don’t have to wear hard pants, but do make sure you are dressed. You may be on video, and even if you think only your upper half will show it’s safer to have all your clothes on!

woman wearing jeans — Photo by **Heitor Verdi** from **Pexels**

Some people suggest that wearing “real” clothes will signal to your body that it’s time to work (or learn), so there’s that, too.

There are always unexpected background sounds in any meeting. Sirens, lawn mowers, barking dogs, shouting children, people talking in the next room, someone asking what’s for dinner. Multiply this by the number of students in the class, and it can get noisy fast!

Unless you need to say something, turn your microphone to mute (there’s a setting on the platform you are using). Your teacher may mute you, as well. You can always unmute yourself when you have something to say.

What Old Rules? The ones you followed back in the days when you took live classes in person with teachers and other students right there in the room with you!

Make the most of your next knitting or crochet class

There are lots of things you can (still) do to make the most of your classes, whether they are online or in person. Things like check the prerequisites, do your homework, show up on time, and more. Read Twenty Tips to Make the Most of Your Next Knitting or Crochet Class.

Yes, I know you are at home in your comfy chair, with yarn in your hand. You have your favorite beverage nearby and you are ready to settle in to learn something new.

You didn’t have to get a baby sitter or a pet setter. You didn’t have to take a road trip or get on a plane. You didn’t have to get up early, deal with rush hour, find a place to park, locate a classroom in the bowels of a convention center. You didn’t have to pick a place to sit that was close enough to see the teacher but—God forbid!—not in the front row.

But the familiarity of home has a downside. Namely, you aren’t quite as excited to learn as you might be if you had gone to more trouble to get to class. After all, by now you may have attended a Zoom meeting or fifteen, and haven’t found them all that exciting.

Build up the excitement and enthusiasm you’d feel if you were traveling to a new venue. Pretend that’s what you are doing.

Pack a bag with all your class materials, throw in snacks and a water bottle, and put it by the door.

Now take a 15-minute walk in your neighborhood to clear your mind. You need the exercise before you sit before your screen for an hour or more. And if you were at a fiber event, it would probably take you a 15-minute walk to get to your classroom!

When you come back home, pick up your bag, go into the room you have decided to use as your “classroom”. Come a bit early and chat with your fellow students, do a little show-and-tell, and generally settle in before the teacher starts class.

This whole experience of interactive learning online is new to most of us.

stacked stones-be patient in an online class

It’s new to your Instructors. Instructors are learning to use their classroom skills in a new environment. Lesson plans have had to change. We are learning the new technology along with our students while we navigate classroom management, invitations, privacy, screen sharing and other hosting duties at the same time.

It’s new to your fellow students. Along with you, they are learning the ins and outs of muting, camera set-ups, and all the distractions that come from life. All this, while trying to learn whatever it is that the teacher is trying to teach!

Be patient with your teacher, with your fellow students, and most of all with yourself as you adapt to this new way of learning. With practice, we’ll all become more comfortable with interactive online learning in our yarn world.

Next Steps

closeup of hands with crochet in progress from online class

As more in-person events go virtual, it’s a whole new world out there for teachers and students alike. Technology platforms and teaching/learning best practices are changing daily. I’ll try to update this post (and add new ones) as I myself practice and learn more about virtual learning.

The best way to see how live and interactive online knit and crochet classes work for you is to try it!

For more online learning opportunities, check out my Workshop Schedule.

June 4, 2020

What Does “Work Even” Mean?

Knitting and crochet patterns often say work even. What does “work even” mean? What about work even in pattern, or continue in pattern?

Learn what work even means and why it’s such a useful term to know.

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This post contains affiliate links, which may pay me a small income if you buy something. They don’t cost you anything extra.

Work Even Defined

In a knitting or crochet pattern, work even simply means “keep doing whatever you’ve been doing without increasing or decreasing”.

If you’ve been increasing, for example on a top-down hat, stop increasing and continue working on a constant number of stitches.

In this example of a crocheted top-down hat, the first five rounds have been increase rounds, but in Round 6, you stop increasing and start “working even” on 40 half double crochet stitches.

Rnd 5: Ch 1, hdc in same st and in next 2 sts, 2 hdc in next st, [hdc in next 3 sts, 2 hdc in next st] around, join with slip st to top of first hdc—40 hdc.
Rnd 6: Work even.

An alternative wording to this Round 6 might be:

Rnd 6: Ch 1, hdc in each hdc around, join with slip st to top of first hdc—40 hdc.

If you’ve been decreasing, stop decreasing and continue working on a constant number of stitches. Here’s a knitting example:

Rows 1, 3 and 5 (RS): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1—2 sts decreased.
Rows 2, 4 and 6: Purl.
Rows 7-10: Work even.

An alternative wording here might be:

Rows 7 and 9: Knit.
Rows 8 and 10: Purl.

Continue working in stockinette stitch without increasing.

Work in Pattern

Whether you’ve been increasing or decreasing, when you begin to work even, continue working in whatever pattern you were doing during the shaping.

- If you were knitting stockinette stitch, continue knitting stockinette stitch.
- If you were working double crochet, continue working double crochet.
- If you were doing a fancy stitch pattern, continue doing that same stitch pattern, adjusting the edge stitches as necessary to maintain the pattern without interruption.

Sometimes patterns will say work even in pattern or continue in pattern. These mean the same thing. If the instructions don’t specify “in pattern”, but simply say “work even”, the “in pattern” is assumed.

Continue in (established) pattern is also used without meaning “work even”. In that case, it means that you should maintain the stitch pattern as established while the shaping takes place.

For example, after describing how to do a decrease, the instructions for the the Right Front armhole shaping on a crocheted sweater might say:

Continuing in pattern, decrease 1 st at armhole edge every row 2 (2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 3, 4) times – 34 (35, 38, 40, 41, 42, 42, 44) sts remain.
Work even until Right Front measures 3½ (4, 4¼, 4¾, 5, 5½, 6, 6½)” [9 (10, 11, 12, 12.5, 14, 15, 16.5) cm] from bottom of armhole, ending with a WS row.

After defining the particular stitch pattern used in a sweater, instructions for a sleeve might say:

Cast on 35 (36, 37) sts. Work even in pattern for 2″ [5 cm], ending with a RS row.
Next row (Inc Rnd, RS): K1, m1, work in pattern to 3 sts, m1, k1—2 sts increased.
Continue in pattern for 15 (13, 11) rows.

Repeat these 16 (14, 12) rows 3 (4, 5) more times—43 (46, 49) sts.
Work even until sleeve measures 7.25 (7.75, 8.5)” [18.5 (19.6, 21.5) cm].
Bind off.

Combined With Shaping

While the examples above show work even used after a shaping section, it can also be used to indicate how often to work shaping.

A crochet pattern might say:

Next Row (Decrease Row:) Ch 1, sc in first st, sc2tog, sc in each st to last 2 sts, sc2tog, sc in last st, turn—2 sts decreased.
Work even 3 rows.
Repeat these 4 rows 5 times.

A knitting pattern might say:

Next Rnd (Increase Rnd:) K1, yo, knit to last st, yo, k1—2 sts increased..
Work even 3 rnds.
Repeat these 4 rnds 5 times.

Work Evenly

Sticklers for grammar (and I am one) might be tempted to write “work evenly”. After all, work is a verb, and evenly is the adverb that would modify work. Resist that temptation!

Work even is the industry term, or term of art, that we use to mean “keep going without changing stitch count”, while work evenly would mean “keep your stitches the same size”.

Work evenly would always be assumed, don’t you think?

Why Do Instructions Use It?

So why do instructions use the term work even, rather than spelling out row-by-row instructions?

The term is a kind of pattern shorthand, in the same way that there are shorthand terms in recipes. The examples above are simple ones, but there are times in more complex patterns where spelling out every row or round would be cumbersome.

If your recipe says “beat eggs”, you understand that means to lightly mix the eggs and eggs yolks together. Unless you are a brand-new cook, you wouldn’t expect the recipe to say “lightly mix eggs and egg yolks together”. If all recipes spelled out instructions that much they would be too long!

In the same way, it can be shorter for pattern designers to write work even than to spell out each row or round.

And now that you know what work even means, you’ll be able to tackle those pattern instructions with confidence!

Want to learn more about knitting and crochet terminology? Check out Knit: Basics & Beyond and Crochet: Basics & Beyond.

May 29, 2020May 29, 2020

Easy Colorblock Knitted Washcloths (or Dishcloths)

Easy Knitting Colorblock Washcloths-6 designs shown

Whether you use them as dishcloths or as washcloths, knitted squares are a useful and popular project for knitters of all skill levels. Who doesn’t love a beautiful, soft hand-knit cloth to pamper their face, or a cute and sturdy cloth for that thankless chore that is kitchen cleanup?

This collection of six knitted washcloths (or dishcloths) helps you brush up on your knitting skills. Links to video tutorials help you with unfamiliar techniques.

With these patterns, knitting garter stitch was never so rewarding! Relax into the meditative rhythm of all-over knit stitches and enjoy the beauty of color.

Beginning knitters will be comfortable knitting stripes, then progress to knitting on the bias. After that, step up to the joy that is a mitered square. Garter stitch intarsia techniques take you from beginning to intermediate skills in easy steps. There’s no purling needed!

This post contains affiliate links, which help support me but don’t cost you anything extra. Many thanks to Trailhead Yarns, who provided the yarn for this project.

Easy Knitted Colorblock Washcloths by Edie Eckman- rolled up

The free pattern for the easiest cloth, Team Colors, is presented below. Buy a printable downloadable pdf of all six patterns, and knit your cares away.

The Yarn

Use a cotton or cotton-blend fine- or light-weight yarn to make these soft and absorbent projects. The pattern calls for five colors, so this is a perfect time to try out a colorful pack of mini skeins!

Basket of 5 colors of yarn ready to knit

For the cloths pictured I used Trailhead Yarns Appalachian Trail Yarn Crew mini-skeins. Appalachian Trail is 65% cotton, 35% nylon. I used about 108 yds [99 m] each of five colors to complete all six washcloths.

Other knitters who tested the pattern had good success with Cascade Ultra Pima Fine, Ultra Pima DK, or Premier Yarns Cotton Fair.

Finished Dimensions

The finished size will vary based on the yarn and needles you use, and your particular gauge. The washcloths shown measure about 6 3/4″ [17 cm] square.

Size is not crucial in this project, but if you substitute yarns, choose a needle size that results in a fabric that is not too dense and not too loose.

Easy Colorblock Washcloths arranged in a basket

Materials

Fine-weight yarn: approximately 40 yds [36.5 m] each of two colors (Color A & Color B) for the Team Colors cloth below.

US size 2 [3 mm] knitting needles or size to obtain appropriate gauge

Gauge

30 sts and 22 rows = 4″ [10 cm] in garter stitch in fine-weight yarn

See note above about gauge.

Instructions

Team Colors

With Color A, long-tail cast on 50 stitches.

Rows 1-23: Knit. You have 12 garter stitch ridges. Cut A.

Rows 24-75: WIth Color B, knit. You have 26 garter stitch ridges in B, Cut B.

Rows 76-99: With Color A, knit. You have 12 garter stitch ridges in A.

Bind off. Weave in ends.

What’s Next?

Knit: Basics & Beyond offers links to help you improve your knitting skills.

Check out these other easy knitting patterns:

May 22, 2020June 12, 2020

How to Become a Crochet Designer

You enjoy creating new designs instead of relying on other people’s patterns. Your friends want to make the items you’re designing. How do you become a crochet designer?

There’s a lot to learn, but you’ve got to start somewhere. Here are my ten best tips for becoming a crochet designer.

This post contains affiliate links.

Crochet, crochet, crochet

Crochet a lot. Crochet many different types of things: hats, scarfs, afghans, pillows, amigurumi, shawls and sweaters. Crochet items where gauge matters so that you understand how important gauge is. Crochet sweaters for women, for men, and for children so that you understand ease and fit.

Pay attention to the techniques you use and try to understand the “why” behind what you are doing. You may learn that you don’t enjoy crocheting a specific type of project or with a certain type of yarn. Or you may find new favorites!

The more you crochet and the more varied your projects are, the faster you will learn the designer skills.

Learn from Others

Study what other crochet designers have done, and see what techniques they use.

As you learn new techniques, make sure you’re learning from reputable sources. Blog posts and videos made years ago may have a lot of views. This makes them show up at the top of a list when you do a search. And they may be at the top of the list because they are useful and answer your questions.

Yet not every post or video you’ll see will be accurate. It may be that things have changed recently and new terminology has come into fashion. There may be more than one “right” way of doing something. The information given may not cover the whole story.

Take time to look at many sources for information. Learning from books, blogs, and videos will increase your knowledge. Books like Design Your Own Crochet Projects by Sara Delaney can speed you on your way.

Take classes to up your skill level. Many in-person classes are on hold right now, but they are an excellent way to build your skills. Bloggers and teachers who teach at national shows such as the CGOA’s Chain Link or Stitches events are a good place to start.

You can see all my available classes here.

And of course, there are thousands of YouTube videos to choose from. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for lots of crochet instruction.

Swatch, Swatch, Swatch

Swatching is the process of making a small sample of fabric using the yarn, hook, and stitch pattern(s) you’ll use in a project.

Most people think of swatching as a chore they have to do to match a pattern gauge. But swatching is much more than that! It’s a crucial tool for designers.

Swatching allows you to try out ideas before you commit to making an entire project. If you have a problem with the yarn or hook, or don’t like the stitch pattern, it’s better to find that out early on. Why wait until the middle of the project to find out you don’t like it?

Swatching allows you to get a feel for the fabric you are making. You can decide if that fabric behaves the way you want it to for your project. Play with combinations of hook, yarn and stitch pattern to get the exact fabric you want.

Crocheting is forgiving of experimentation, and that’s what swatching is all about. And yes, a good swatch also gives you important information about gauge.

Watch How to Measure Gauge in Single Crochet.

Make Friends with Stitch Dictionaries

While we are on the topic of experimenting, grab a stitch dictionary or three and try out different stitch patterns. Add stitch patterns to your design toolbox!

Try out a variety of patterns, hooks, yarns, and projects. This kind of play (it’s called swatching!) allows your creative juices to start flowing.

Here are some great places to start with stitch dictionaries:

Every Which Way Crochet Borders

Indepensable Stitch Collection

Japanese Craft Book - Crochet Motif Edging 300 Patterns

Japanese Craft Book 300 Crochet Patterns

The Big Book of Crochet Stitches

The Crochet Stitch Bible

Crochet Stitch Dictionary

The Complete Book of Crochet Stitch Designs

Crochet Stitches Visual Encyclopedia

Continuous Crochet Motif 60

Understand the Math

Designing for crochet is all about math. You are going to be using arithmetic in all your crochet designs, whether you realize it or not.

Knowing how gauge factors into everything is a start, but there is a lot more to know. You will save huge amounts of time, and lots of trial and error, if you take the time to learn the math behind the crochet.

Understanding the math ensures that your projects will turn out to be the size and proportions you intend. Don’t be scared! We are talking 4th-grade level calculations, and calculators are allowed! Learn more in my Math for Crocheters class.

Prepare a Professional Pattern

Have you ever felt discouraged trying to read a crochet pattern? An incomplete or poorly written pattern can make you throw your hook in the air with frustration!

Crocheters are more likely to trust you and want to make your patterns if they are easy to read and understand. Publishers and editors love designers who can compose well-written patterns.

Save yourself time and effort by coming up with a designing system. Develop your idea, make the project, and write the pattern in one integrated, seamless workflow.

Crochet Pattern Writing Workshop graphic

In my online course Crochet Pattern Writing Workshop, you’ll start to create this type of workflow. You’ll develop a style guide so your patterns are consistently formatted. You’ll learn to write clear instructions. Improve the overall quality of your patterns for a more professional presentation.

Use a Tech Editor

A technical editor, or tech editor, checks your pattern between when you design it and when you publish it. They ensure that all of your math checks out and that you haven’t left out crucial instructions. A tech editor is a crucial step in presenting accurate, well-written patterns.

For more about tech editors, read Working with a Technical Editor.

Want to hire me as your tech editor? I’d love to help you become a better crochet designer!

Style Your Photos

Easy Little Baskets photograph — Easy Little Baskets

Think about how you’ll be taking photos. Don’t just take a picture of your project on the kitchen table with mess in the background. Use natural light whenever possible, and the best camera you have available. (Maybe you need to borrow a family member’s phone!)

Putting other items in the picture with the project to style it makes the photo more interesting and memorable, and encourages people to click on your pattern.

For more on this topic, read Show and Tell: Photographing Handmade Textiles.

Publish Online

Anybody can be a published designer when you publish online!

Put patterns up on your blog or on pattern sites such as Ravelry, Etsy, or AllFreeCrochet.

Many crocheters expect patterns to come as downloadable and printable PDFs, not as pamphlets from their local stores. Make sure that those who find your patterns are able to find you and any other patterns you may have. Include your email address or website on each pattern.

Promote Your Patterns on Social Media

Let your friends and family know about your pattern, and encourage them to share it. Your cousin who doesn’t crochet may have a best friend who is looking for their next pattern.

Use those beautifully-styled photos you took! Broadcast your news on all the channels you can think of: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter. Consider making a promotional video for YouTube or other video platforms. Tell the world about your awesome design!

For more information on promoting your patterns, read my interview with Marie Segares, AKA Underground Crafter, and author of Design It, Promote It, Sell It.

More Resources

There’s so much to learn about becoming a crochet designer! Check out Knit & Crochet Design Resources for some helpful links.

Do you have questions about crochet design? Ask them in the comments below.

May 8, 2020May 8, 2020

How Many Foundation Chains Do I Need?

Crocheters often wonder how many foundation chains they need to result in their desired number of stitches.

It can be confusing! Sometimes you chain 4 more than the number of stitches you want, but other times you chain just one more. How do you figure out how many foundation chains you need?

I could tell you how many chains you need to get the number of stitches you want on the first row. You could look back to this blog post every time you want to know the answer (see below). That would be awesome for my website traffic, but not so great for helping you learn. I’d rather have you understand how to figure out for yourself how many foundation chains you need.

I’m using American crochet terminology in this article. If you are in the UK, refer to this conversion chart.

What’s on the first row?

The first thing you must know is how many stitches you want on the first row, and what type of stitches they are.

If you are designing your own project, you’ve worked a gauge swatch and done the math to figure out how many stitches you need. If you are following a pattern, you can follow the pattern instructions, or adapt it as needed.

The first stitch of the first row is crucial, because the number of foundation chains depends on the height of the first stitch of the row.

Turning Chains

Crochet stitches are created below the level of the hook. When you start a new row or round, you have to bring the hook up to that new level before working the stitches on the next row.

photo showing turning chain for double crochet — Stitches are created below the level of the crochet hook. A turning chain is the ladder that allows the hook to reach the level of the next row.

Think of the turning chain as a ladder that carries your hook up to that next level. The taller the first stitch of the row, the more steps you need to take on your ladder to reach that height. In other words, you need more turning chains for taller stitches.

The very first turning chain is part of the foundation chain. That means you have to crochet extra chains to incorporate the turning chain.

This first turning chain is created when you insert your hook into the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th (or more) chain from the hook. The skipped chains count as the turning chain.

You also need to know whether you are counting the turning chain as a stitch. In single crochet, the turning chain is usually not counted as a stitch. In half double, double, or treble crochet, the turning chain is often—but not always—counted as a stitch.

Photo showing turning chain and where first single crochet goes into a foundation chain

For more information, read Where to Put the First Stitch of a Crochet Row and How to Prevent Gaps at the Beginning of Crochet Rows.

Table showing number of turning chains for different stitches when the turning chain counts as a stitch and doesn't count as a stitch

Foundation Chains for Single Crochet

Now that you know you need one turning chain for single crochet (sc), and that turning chain is not going to count as a stitch, you can figure out how many chains you need.

Let’s say you want to end up with 10 single crochet stitches on the first row. You need one for each stitch, plus one turning chain, so you need a total of 11 chains to result in ten stitches. I think it’s easier to understand using stitch symbols.

10 sc on first row + 1 turning chain = 11 foundation chains

Crochet symbols for foundation chains and Single crochet row

Foundation Chains for Half Double Crochet

The calculation for half double crochet (hdc) will depend on whether you are using the turning chain as a stitch. When it gets a bit more complicated like this, I often sketch it out on a piece of paper to remind myself how many foundation chains I need. It makes more sense to me when I see it in a visual format like a stitch diagram.

Assume we are using a chain-2 turning chain for this half double crochet. If I want 10 hdc on the first row, and I am not counting the turning chain as a stitch, I need to add 2 chains.

10 hdc on first row + 2 turning chains = 12 foundation chains

Stitch diagram showing foundation chain when turning chain is not used as a hdc

If I want 10 hdc on the first row, and I am counting the turning chain as a stitch, I need to add 1 chain.

10 hdc on first row + 1 turning chain = 11 foundation chains

Stitch diagram showing foundation chain when turning chain is used as a hdc

Foundation Chains for Double Crochet

Double crochet is like half double crochet, in that you have to know how you are treating the turning chain, and how many chains you are using. Assume we are using a 3-chain turning chain for this double crochet.

If I want 10 dc on the first row, and I am not counting a chain-3 turning chain as a stitch, I need to add 3 chains.

10 dc on first row + 3 chains = 13 foundation chains

Stitch diagram showing foundation chain when turning chain is not used as a dc

If I want 10 dc on the first row, and I am counting a chain-3 turning chain as a stitch, I need to add 2 chains.

10 dc on first row + 2 chains = 12 foundation chains

Stitch diagram showing foundation chain when turning chain is used as a dc

Can you work out for yourself how many foundation chains you would need for treble crochet?

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Learning More

Crochet Answer Book 2nd edition by Edie Eckman cover image — The Crochet Answer Book is a classic pocket reference.

Now you understand the relationship of the foundation chain to turning chains, to the height of stitches, and to whether the turning chain is used as a stitch. And now you can figure out how many foundation chains you need in every situation!

Have more questions? Refer to The Crochet Answer Book. It has answers to questions like these, and all your crochet questions, in a handy format. It’s a compact reference that you can stick in your project bag and have ready at all times, even when you can’t get online.

You can hire me as a consultant or tech editor to help you with all your crochet needs. And I teach online and all around the country, as well!

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Still wishing you had table for a quick answer? Here it is:

Table showing number of crochet chains to add for different types of stitches in the first row.