Making a Chain

Start with a slip knot.

Before making a chain, decide how you are going to hold the crochet hook. The knife hold:

The pencil hold. (I prefer this one.)

Grasp the end of the yarn still attached to the ball with your pointer and middle fingers. Hold the free end down below with your thumb and ring finger.

To make a chain, bring the hook under and behind the yarn so the yarn catches on the hook.

Start pulling the caught yarn toward you. Allow the yarn to slip a bit through your pointer and middle fingers a little bit.

Pull the yarn through the loop already on the hook.

You have now made one chain stitch.

Repeat as many times as you like.

Now you will have a string of chains. This is the foundation to most crochet projects.

Chain Drawings:

A line art reference for making chains:

When counting chains you start with the first chain away from the hook.

Working into the chain:

There are two ways to work into the chain for your project's foundation row.

The first is to insert the hook into the back ridge of each chain.

The second is to insert the hook under the top two strands of each chain.

Choose whichever you like best.

*Line art drawings from Ripple Wraps for Baby by Leisure Arts.