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How-To Crochet (page 1 of 4)
materials source: Craft Yarn Council of America
crochet instructionsHolding The Crochet Hook
crochet instructions
Place the hook in your right hand, holding it between your index finger and thumb, as you would hold a pencil.
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Hold the hook in an "overhand" clutch, similar to the way you might hold a tennis racquet, or a spoon while making cake batter.

Slip Knot and Chain Stitch (ch)

how to crochet
crochet instructions
To Chain Stitch, first make a Slip Knot as shown above.
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Hold the hook in your right hand while keeping an even tension on the yarn with the left hand. This diagram illustrates a common method of keeping control of yarn tension.
crochet stitches
Pull yarn from back of the hook over and around the front of the hook, pulling yarn through the loop to form the first chain.
how to crochet
Note that the loop on the hook is not counted as a chain stitch on a foundation row. Chains should be as large as the shank of the hook and uniform.

Foundation Row
The first row of any crochet stitch must be worked into a chain stitch.

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Through the front loops:
The most common way is to hold the chain with loops facing, working under two loops of the chain. This leaves the third loop of the chain.
crochet stitches
Through the back ridge (Japanese Method):
Roll chain so the back center loop is facing you. Work crochet stitch through this loop only. This leaves the remaining two chain loops at the beginning of the work making it look like the last row.
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