How to Work Into the Chain

Once you have worked the beginning chain, you are ready to begin the stitches required to make your crochet project. The first row of stitches is worked into the foundation chain or starting chain. For practice, crochet six chains loosely.

The video and information below will demonstrate working single crochet into the chains.

When counting your chain stitches at the start of a pattern -- which you must do very carefully before continuing -- note that the loop on the crochet hook is never counted as a stitch and the starting slip knot is never counted as a stitch.

Stop and look at the chain. The front looks like a series of interlocking V’s, and each stitch has a bump, or bar, at the back. There is also a front loop (the side of the V closest to you) and a back loop (the side of the V farthest from you).

You will never work into the first chain from the crochet hook unless your instructions state otherwise. Depending on the stitch, you will work into the second, third, fourth or a following chain from the crochet hook. The instructions will always state how many chains to skip before starting the first stitch.

When working a stitch, insert the crochet hook from the front of the chain, through the center of the V and under the corresponding bar on the back of the same stitch. If you have done it correctly, you should have two bars of yarn over the top of your hook.

Excluding the first stitch, you will work into every stitch in the chain unless the crochet pattern states differently, but not into the starting slip knot. Be sure that you do not skip that last chain at the end.

Back Bar of Chain (abbreviated back bar of ch or chs)

As noted above, starting chains have a bump, or bar, in the back. Working into that back bar makes the bottom of your stitches look just like the top. It’s a way to make your crochet look a bit more polished.