Single Crochet Stitch Video Tutorial

A white single crochet swatch on a burlap surface with a wooden crochet hook, a matching ball of yarn, and a brass crescent moon piece. Text on the image reads: Single crochet stitch video tutorial. Banana Moon Studio.

One of the smallest, most basic crochet stitches, is the single crochet. Learn how to make this stitch with this single crochet stitch video tutorial! This stitch is abbreviated “sc” in written crochet patterns.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for details.

How do you single crochet step by step

A single crochet stitch falls in between a slip stitch and a half double crochet stitch height-wise.

The first step is to insert your crochet hook into the next chain or stitch. Go under both loops. Please ignore my hand in these photos. I was just trying to keep my swatch from curling for the photos.

A white single crochet stitch swatch on a burlap surface with a wooden crochet hook and a small brass crescent moon shaped piece. A hand holds down one corner of the crochet swatch. The crochet hook is inserted under both loops of a crochet stitch. Text on the image reads: Banana Moon Studio.

Next you’ll yarnover. “Yarnover” is pattern speak for wrapping your yarn around your hook. You might see it abbreviated yo in a written pattern. In this case, you’ll yarn over just be bringing the yarn across the front of your hook.

Next, pull that yarnover through the stitch or chain. Now you’ll have two loops of yarn on your hook.

Now you’ll yarnover again by going around the back of your hook and then around the front.

Last, you’ll pull that yarnover through both of the loops on your hook.

That finishes one single crochet stitch.

If you are making a whole crochet piece in single crochet, you start with a crochet chain. You can make it as long or as short as you want. This chain will form the bottom edge of your piece, you’ll want to make it about as long as the desired width of your piece, but keep in mind that adding stitches will stretch it out a little, making it longer.

For the first row of single crochet, skip the first chain. The loop on your hook is not a chain. The correct, or standard way to work into chains, is to look at the side of the chain that resembles a braid, and to go under both loops of the chain. However, I really like to turn the chain over and go under the one loop of the chain that’s on the bottom. It gives the starting edge of my piece a nicer look.

When you have worked a single crochet stitch into every chain except the first one that you skipped, you chain one, turn your piece, and then work a single crochet stitch into every stitch across the row.

Written instructions for a single crochet swatch

If you are new to written crochet patterns, I suggest you get my free, printable crochet abbreviations list. Crochet patterns are written with lots of abbreviations and specific formatting.

You can use any yarn or hook you want, but I recommend a yarn that is mid- to light-colored and has a smooth texture. It will be easier to work with. Save dark yarn and texture for when you have more experience. The label on the yarn should have a recommended hook size. If it doesn’t you can look at the bottom row of this chart for a suggestion. In general, small hooks are for thin yarn, and big hooks are for thick yarn.

So, here are those written instructions for a swatch like mine.

Ch 21

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and each remaining ch across, turn – 20 sts.

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Repeat Row 2 until you’ve reached desired length. Fasten off.