How to Single Crochet

Learn how to make a single crochet stitch in this latest tutorial that includes written, photo, and video instructions.

The Single Crochet stitch is the first stitch most people tackle when they’re learning to crochet once they’ve mastered making a slip knot and crocheting a chain.

I personally found the Single Crochet stitch even easier than learning how to crochet a chain - so hopefully you will too!

In this post you'll learn:

• What a single crochet stitch is and what they are used for

• How to read and identify Single Crochet stitches in a crochet pattern

• How to crochet a Single Crochet

• How to count Single Crochet stitches

• Two exercises to try so you can practice making Single Crochet stitches

What is a single crochet stitch?

A single crochet stitch is one of the most common crochet stitches that you will come across in crochet patterns.

Many amigurumi (stuffed animals and dolls) are predominantly made up of single crochet stitches in the round to create 3D crochet shapes. To crochet ‘in the round’ simply means crocheting in a circular direction instead of crocheting back and forth in rows.

Pip the Penguin is an example of an amigurumi created by the use of single crochet stitches in the round.

An example of crocheting single crochet stitches in the round (e.g. in a circular direction).

Single crochet stitches are also used regularly in other types of projects from garments to homewares and fashion accessories. These one-dimensional pieces are often created by crocheting back and forth in rows.

Crocheting back and forth in rows

Single crochet stitches are also pften used to create borders on these one-dimensional pieces by crocheting along the outside of the entire piece of crochet.

Single crochet stitches used as a border around a flat crochet piece.

The single crochet is the most common type of crochet stitch. From my own personal experience, it is also the easiest stitch to learn. This is a big reason why I recommend learning how to single crochet next, after you learn how to crochet a chain.

Single Crochet stitches in a crochet pattern

Before learning how to crochet a single crochet, it is important to learn how to identify this stitch in crochet patterns so you can recognise when it needs to be used.

Single crochet is the US terminology for this stitch. I currently only ever use US terminology when designing my crochet patterns, however it is also likely you will come across crochet patterns that are written in UK terms as you start to crochet more often.

In the UK the Single Crochet stitch is called a Double Crochet. This does get a little confusing, as Double Crochet is a different type of stitch in US terms. So it is very important to identify what terms the crochet pattern you're using has been written in - UK terms or US terms. 

Most written crochet patterns will state whether they are using UK or US terms. If the pattern doesn’t include this information, the accompanying photos within the pattern should help you identify what terms the pattern is using.

Don’t worry about this too much yet, however to help you in case you are jumping ahead, I’ve included an image below showing the difference between a Single Crochet and Double Crochet with the associated US and UK terms.

The different between Single Crochet and Double Crochet in US & UK terminology.

The most obvious difference between a Single Crochet and Double Crochet stitch in US terms is the height of the stitches. To outline this difference simply look at the stitch height in the image below. You may notice that the single crochet stitches are roughly half the height of the double crochet stitches.

The height difference between a single crochet and a double crochet stitch in US terms.

The focus of this blog post is on the first stitch you see in this image - the single crochet. So if you are using a pattern written in US terms, this stitch is called a Single Crochet. And if you're using a pattern written in UK terms, this stitch is called a Double Crochet.

The abbreviation used for Single Crochet in US terms is sc.

So in a written pattern an example of how this might look is below.

R2: 10 sc, 1 ch, turn (10)

Broken down, this crochet pattern row above means:

• R2: This is the row number within the pattern. So simply put this is the crochet instructions for row 2 of this project.

• 10 sc: This means crochet 10 single crochet stitches. You’ll notice sc is used as the abbreviation here. 

• 1 ch: This means chain 1. Remember the how to crochet a chain stitch tutorial? You’ll need to know how to chain before you’re able to practice your single crochet stitches for this tutorial. 

• Turn: This means turn your work in preparation for crocheting back the other way across your work, i.e. in preparation for starting Row 3 in this case.

• (10): The 10 in brackets is the total number of stitches in this row. You'll notice that this number doesn't count the chain stitch. This is because the chain stitch is solely used for turning your work so you can continue onto the next row in the pattern. Therefore it isn't counted as a stitch in the actual row of the pattern. When this is the case, the crochet pattern will usually state something along the lines of 'turning chains are not counted in the total stitch count'.

In UK terms the Single Crochet is called a Double Crochet. Therefore the abbreviation for this stitch in UK terms is dc. 

If the same crochet pattern row above was written in UK terms instead of US terms, it would look like this:

R2: 10 dc, 1 ch, turn (10)

This simply means to double crochet 10 stitches, chain 1, and turn. But remember in UK terms Double Crochet is exactly the same stitch as Single Crochet in US terms. So this is the exact same crochet pattern but it is written in UK terms instead of US terms. No different crochet stitches or techniques are required.

The other type of crochet patterns you may come across are crochet charts. In crochet charts the symbol for a Single Crochet (US terms) and Double Crochet (UK terms) are the same. However, there are two potential symbols that may be used. One symbol looks like the letter X and the other looks like a plus/addition sign in mathematics (+). These symbols are shown in the image below.

The symbol used to identify a single crochet stitch (US Terms) in crochet pattern charts.

Since I'll be focusing on written patterns in this crochet tutorial, I won't go into too much more detail about the crochet chart. However, I did want you to be able to recognise the symbol for this stitch in case you ever come across a crochet chart.

It does help and crochet charts are quite simple to follow once you get to grips with all the basics of crochet. But I am solely focusing on the crochet basics in these posts to help you get started. So let's crack on! 😀

How to Single Crochet: Photo Tutorial

Now that you know how to identify a single crochet stitch in a pattern, it's time for the fun part - let's learn how to crochet a single crochet stitch!

Before you're able to crochet a single crochet stitch, you do need a base of some kind to crochet into. For example, a chain stitch or a previous row of stitches. Essentially, you can’t crochet a standard single crochet stitch without something for the stitch to go into. 

The steps involved in a single crochet stitch are outlined below. I recommend just reading through these steps first. After reading, go and grab your yarn and crochet hook and we’ll run through an exercise to get you started. There will also be photo tutorials and video tutorials to help you get started with single crochet.

The single crochet steps are:

Step 1: One loop on your crochet hook

When starting your single crochet stitches, you should already have a loop of yarn attached to your crochet hook. How the loop is formed on your crochet hook will depend on the crochet pattern you are using and its instructions.

Step two: Insert hook into next crochet stitch

Insert the crochet hook into your next stitch. This ‘next stitch’ will often be stated within the pattern.

In this example, I’ve inserted the crochet hook into a single crochet stitch in the row below.

Step 3: Yarn Over

Step three is simply to yarn over. Remember this means to grab the yarn with the crochet hook. The yarn should move over the shank of hook and under the head of the hook, which is why it's called yarn over.

Step 4: Pull yarn through stitch

Now you simply need to pull the yarn (that your crochet hook is hooked on to) towards you and back through the stitch.

The crochet stitch you pull the yarn through is the same stitch you inserted your hook into in step two. So essentially in this step you are pulling your crochet hook back out of that same stitch along with the extra loop of yarn that you’ve picked up with your hook.

At the end of this step, you will now have two loops of yarn on your crochet hook. Your crochet hook should also be back in the same position when you first started in step 1.

Step 5: Yarn over again

Now with two loops on your crochet hook, yarn over again. Remember this means that the yarn travels over the shank of your hook and under the head of your crochet hook.

Step 6: Pull through two loops

The final step is to pull the yarn through the two loops on your hook.

If you refer back to the image in Step 5, all you are doing is pulling your crochet hook down towards and through the two yarn loops on your hook.

After this step, you will have one yarn loop on your crochet hook and you’ve finished your first single crochet stitch.

And that’s all there is to crocheting a single crochet stitch. It really is as simple as that. I've included a video below to demonstrate the steps as well in case you prefer to watch the stitch in action. Before you have a wee look, just a reminder that this example shown is after I’ve already crocheted a row of single crochet stitches. What I am going to show you next is how to crochet a single crochet stitch starting with a chain.

Now it’s time to grab your yarn and hook and get set-up to actually crochet. 

As a reminder, before we start this exercise, remember that when the yarn sits around your crochet hook it should sit on the shank of the hook. The shank of the crochet hook is the part of the hook that determines the size of your crochet stitches. 

You should also ensure you keep enough tension in your yarn when crocheting the stitch so that when the yarn is wrapped around your hook, it is over the shank securely.

Let’s get started! 

Start by crocheting 11 chains.

This is called your foundation chain and does not count as a row in your project. It is simply created to give you a starting point (or ‘foundation’) to be able to crochet your row 1 stitches into. 

If you need a reminder on how to crochet a chain, you can visit this blog post here.

Once you have crocheted 11 chains (don’t forget to count them), we can start crocheting a single crochet stitch. 

From this position we want to turn the work as our crochet hook will be going into each chain stitch that we've just crocheted. 

Now insert your hook into the second chain from the hook. This is chain 10 as shown in the image above and is where we'll make our first Single Crochet.

From this position your crochet hook simply needs to be inserted into the top side of the chain as shown in the image below. 

At this point, you have completed steps 1 and 2 of the single crochet steps above.

Insert crochet hook into 2nd chain from hook to start your first single crochet stitch.

Yarn over and pull your crochet hook back towards you back through the chain stitch you inserted your crochet hook into. This instruction relates to step 3 and 4 in the single crochet tutorial above. Once you’ve completed this step, your work should look like the below image with two yarn loops on your crochet hook.

Two yarn loops are now on your crochet hook.

Yarn over again and pull your crochet hook through the two loops on your crochet hook. This relates to step 5 and step 6 in the single crochet tutorial above.

Your crochet piece should now look like this, with one single crochet stitch complete.

1 single crochet complete.

It’s as simple as that! You’ve just crocheted your first single crochet stitch - congratulations! 

Now I recommend inserting a stitch marker into your first single crochet stitch. This will help with counting your stitches later on.

Now simply keep practicing your single crochet stitches following the steps above by crocheting into each of the remaining 9 chains. The completed 10 single crochet stitches are shown in the image below.

10 single crochet stitches.

How to count Single Crochet stitches

Once you’ve done the exercise above, it’s time to learn how to count your single crochet stitches

Starting from the stitch where you placed your stitch marker, count all of the visible V’s at the top of your stitches. Each ‘V’ is one single crochet stitch and is shown in the image below.

How to count single crochet stitches.

After the exercise above you should have a total of 10 single crochet stitches completed. If you don’t have 10 single crochets, it’s most likely that you have accidentally skipped a chain stitch by accident.

To check if this is the case, simply pull on your yarn tail slowly to undo your stitches one at a time and start the exercise again until you’re comfortable with reaching the desired 10 single crochet stitches.

You may be tempted to just skip past counting your stitches, however if you do not count in crochet your projects will not look how they are meant to. Counting your stitches and your rows is a necessity in crochet, so I highly recommend trying to get this right at the beginning. It will make your crocheting experience much more enjoyable in the long run if you do. 

Once you’re comfortable with crocheting 10 single crochet stitches into a chain of 11, you may be wondering why we had to start our foundation chain with 11 chain stitches.

What is a turning chain?

The extra chain is considered a ‘turning chain’ in the foundation row. Essentially this additional chain adds height to our crochet work when we turn to crochet the next row of the pattern in the opposite direction. 

Simply put, turning chains are like steps. They lift us up to the next row so we are able to continue crocheting. They sit at the end of the rows and are not counted as stitches in the total stitch count of each row because the chains aren’t adding anything to the crochet pattern itself. They are simply there to allow us to continue crocheting.

Practice exercises for Single Crochet

Now that you’ve learned how to crochet a Single Crochet stitch, here are two exercises to help you practice your single crochet stitches.

Exercise 1: Continue crocheting

This exercise allows you to continue crocheting after completing the introductory exercise above.

Firstly, I will outline the crochet pattern in US terms that you have already completed.

Start: 11 ch

R1: In 2nd ch from hook sc in each st (10)

The ‘st’ abbreviation in row 1 above simply means ‘stitch’. So this is the row you have already completed. 

Now I’ve added one extra step at the end of Row 1, so you can continue crocheting and move onto Row 2. Can you spot the change in Row 1 below?

R1: In 2nd ch from hook sc in each st, ch 1, turn (10)

I’ve added an additional chain and the word ‘turn’ to Row 1 of the crochet pattern. This means chain 1, and turn your work so you can crochet in the opposite direction. These two additional steps are shown in the image below.

Chain 1 and turn your crochet work.

This then allows you to start Row 2 of the crochet pattern, outlined below.

R2: 10 sc (10)

Now you will crochet 10 single crochet stitches - 1 single crochet stitch in each of the 10 single crochet stitches that you crocheted in Row 1.

To crochet into a single crochet stitch, simply insert your hook into the middle of the stitch so both sides of the ‘V’ are on top of your hook as shown below. 

Insert your crochet hook into the next single crochet stitch.

Then complete your next single crochet stitch as usual:

1. One loop should already be around your crochet hook from the chain you just completed.

2. Insert hook into single crochet stitch (two V’s should be at the top of your crochet hook).

3. Yarn over.

4. Pull through stitch. You’ll now have two loops on your hook.

5. Yarn over again.

6. Pull through the two loops on your hook.

Now completely ignoring the chain stitch, insert your stitch marker into your first single crochet stitch of Row 2 so you can count your stitches at the end of the row.

Insert a stitch marker into your first single crochet stitch of round two.

Repeat the steps above for the next 9 single crochet stitches. 

Once you’ve done this you’ve finished Row 2.

Now starting from the stitch marker, simply count your Row 2 stitches and ensure there are 10 single crochets.

Row 2 single crochet stitches complete.

I recommend undoing your stitches at this stage and repeating the exercise a couple of times until you get used to counting your single crochet stitches and turning your work. Once you feel comfortable, exercise two is ready and waiting.

Exercise 2: A simple crochet pattern to get you started

The next exercise is a simple crochet pattern for you so you can continue practicing your single crochet stitches. Here it is…

Start: Ch 6

R1: In 2nd ch from hook sc in each st, ch 1, turn (5)

R2 - 10: 5 sc, ch 1, turn (5) - 9 rows

R11: 5 sc (5)

You’ll notice that the third line of the pattern above says R2 - 10. This simply means repeat this line of the pattern from row 2 to row 10. So there are 9 rows within this pattern that repeat the exact same stitches. 

I have a few top tips to help make this exercise a little easier for you:

1. Use a stitch marker in the 1st single crochet of each row to keep track of your stitches

2. Write each row number down once you’ve completed it so you don’t lose your place in the crochet pattern

3. Try to keep your yarn tension consistent, so the top of each of your single crochet stitches look roughly the same size. 

The difficult part of this exercise is keeping your edges relatively straight at the sides of your work. If you follow the tips above, this will help a lot with this.

But don’t worry if your lines are not perfectly straight, this will come in time. Just keep practicing and don’t give up!  

Once mastered, your crochet project should look like this.

Single crochet practice exercise two complete.

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That brings us to the end of this single crochet tutorial. I hope this information helps you on your crochet journey and I can’t wait to see how you progress.

If you do try any of these exercises and would like to share your work with me, please do send me photos! You can do so by connecting with me on Instagram, Facebook, or by sending me an email. Of course, if you have any questions at all, please do feel free to reach out at any stage.

Until next time, happy crocheting,

Cilla x