How to Single Crochet for Beginners – Easy Step-by-Step Tutorial

If you can make a chain, you're ready to learn one of the most useful stitches in crochet: single crochet.

Single crochet is short, compact, and surprisingly versatile. You'll see it in everything from simple washcloths and bags to amigurumi.

The movement itself is easy. The part that usually trips up beginners is knowing where to put the hook and finding the first and last stitch of every row.

We'll concentrate on exactly that.

By the end of this tutorial, you'll have a small practice swatch you can keep as your first stitch sample.

Note: This tutorial uses US crochet terminology. Single crochet is abbreviated sc.

What Is a Single Crochet Stitch?

Single crochet is one of the basic crochet stitches.

It creates a relatively short, dense fabric with clearly defined stitches.

The complete movement can be remembered like this:

Insert → yarn over → pull up a loop → yarn over → pull through two loops.

That's it.

Once your hands remember those movements, the stitch becomes much easier.

What You'll Need

Keep your first practice session simple.

You'll need:

Medium-weight smooth yarn
5.0 mm crochet hook, or a size suitable for your yarn
Scissors
One or two stitch markers

Choose a light or medium-colored yarn rather than black or another very dark shade. Being able to see each loop makes learning much easier.

You don't need expensive yarn for this exercise. A smooth yarn that doesn't split easily is more important.

If you're not sure which yarn to choose, read our Best Yarn for Crochet Beginners guide.

Before You Start: Make a Foundation Chain

We'll make a small sample rather than a full project.

Make a slip knot and place it on your hook.

Then:

Chain 16.

Try to keep the chains relaxed.

They don't have to look identical. You simply need enough room to insert your hook into them comfortably.

If you're pulling each chain extremely tight, loosen your grip before continuing.

Step 1: Find the Second Chain From the Hook

Look closely at your foundation chain.

You'll see a series of small V shapes.

The loop currently sitting on your hook does not count as a chain.

Find the first chain below the hook, then the next one.

For this practice swatch, insert your hook into the second chain from the hook.

This is one of those details that feels awkward the first few times and then becomes automatic.

Beginner tip

Don't tighten your foundation chain immediately before inserting the hook.

If you can barely push the hook through, your chain is probably too tight.

Step 2: Insert Your Hook

Push the hook through the chain you've just identified.

Don't force it.

You want enough room for the hook to move through the chain while still keeping control of your yarn.

If the chain stretches slightly while the hook passes through, that's fine.

Step 3: Yarn Over

With your hook inserted, bring the working yarn over your hook.

The working yarn is the strand connected to the yarn ball, not the short yarn tail.

Use the hook to catch it.

This movement is called a yarn over, often abbreviated yo in crochet instructions.

Step 4: Pull Up a Loop

Pull the yarn back through the chain.

Stop for a moment.

Look at your hook.

You should now have:

Two loops on the hook.

Don't continue until you can clearly see both.

This tiny pause is useful when you're learning because it lets you check that each part of the stitch is correct.

Step 5: Yarn Over Again

With two loops still on your hook, yarn over once more.

Keep the loops sitting comfortably on the main shaft of your hook.

Avoid pulling them tightly around the narrow part of the hook.

Step 6: Pull Through Both Loops

Use your hook to pull the new yarn over through both loops.

After you've pulled through them, only one loop should remain on your hook.

You've just made your first single crochet stitch.

Before rushing to the next one, look at it.

That small stitch is the structure you'll repeat across the entire row.

Step 7: Single Crochet Across the Row

Now repeat exactly the same movement in every remaining chain.

For each stitch:

Insert your hook into the next chain.
Yarn over.
Pull up a loop.
You now have two loops on your hook.
Yarn over again.
Pull through both loops.

Continue until you reach the final chain.

Don't skip that last chain.

Missing the final stitch is one of the easiest ways for a beginner's crochet rectangle to slowly become narrower.

When you reach the end, stop and count your stitches.

With a starting chain of 16 and your first single crochet worked into the second chain from the hook, you should have:

15 single crochet stitches.

Step 8: Chain 1 and Turn

Now you're ready for Row 2.

Make:

Chain 1.

Turn your work so you can crochet back across the row you've just completed.

For this tutorial, the chain 1 is your turning chain and does not count as a single crochet stitch.

Your first single crochet will therefore go into the first actual stitch.

This is important.

If you accidentally treat the turning chain as an extra stitch, your edges can start growing outward.

Step 9: Find the Top of the First Stitch

This part deserves extra attention.

Look along the top edge of your first row.

Each single crochet creates a small V at the top.

Those V shapes show you where the stitches are.

Insert your hook under both top loops of the first stitch unless your pattern specifically tells you to work through only one loop.

Then make another single crochet:

Insert → yarn over → pull up a loop → yarn over → pull through two.

Continue across the row.

Step 10: Don't Lose the Last Stitch

The final stitch can be harder to recognize than the stitches in the middle.

That's why beginners often produce a triangle instead of a rectangle.

If you started Row 2 with 15 stitches, you should finish Row 2 with:

15 stitches.

Count them.

If you have 14, you've probably missed one.

If you have 16, you've probably worked into something that wasn't meant to be a stitch.

An easy solution

Put one stitch marker into the first stitch of your row.

If you're still having trouble recognizing the edge, mark the last stitch too.

You'll immediately know where the row begins and ends.

Practice Until You Have a Small Square

Continue repeating:

Single crochet across → chain 1 → turn.

Work approximately 12–16 rows or until you have a useful little practice swatch.

Count your stitches after every row while you're learning.

Don't worry if the first few rows aren't perfectly even.

Look at Row 1 and then look at your newest row.

If the newer stitches are becoming smoother, your hands are already learning.

Why Are My Single Crochet Edges Crooked?

Before blaming your tension, count your stitches.

Uneven edges are frequently caused by accidentally adding or skipping stitches—especially at the ends of rows.

Your swatch is getting narrower

You're probably missing a stitch.

Check the final stitch carefully and use a stitch marker if necessary.

Your swatch is getting wider

You may be accidentally crocheting into the turning chain or placing two stitches into one stitch.

Your stitch count is correct but the fabric still looks uneven

Now check your tension.

Some stitches may simply be tighter than others.

Why Is It So Hard to Insert My Hook?

Your stitches may be too tight.

Beginners sometimes pull the working yarn after every movement because it feels like the stitch needs to be secured.

It doesn't.

Let the loop rest comfortably around the shaft of your hook.

You should be able to insert the hook into the next stitch without fighting the fabric.

If your hands start hurting or you're forcing the hook through every stitch, stop and loosen your grip.

Why Do My Stitches Have Large Gaps?

The opposite can happen too.

If your yarn is feeding too freely, the loops can become unnecessarily large.

Try applying a little more control with the fingers holding your working yarn.

Don't suddenly pull every stitch tight.

Small adjustments create much smoother results.

How to Recognize a Single Crochet Stitch

Once you have several rows, examine your swatch instead of immediately putting it away.

Look at the top.

You'll see a row of small V shapes.

Look at the front.

You'll see the compact texture created by the short stitches.

Learning to read your crochet is almost as important as learning the hand movement.

Eventually you'll be able to look at your work and recognize:

where the next stitch is
whether you've skipped a stitch
where the row ends
whether your stitch count has changed

That skill makes following patterns much easier later.

Your 5-Minute Single Crochet Practice

You don't need to complete an entire project today.

Try this instead.

Minute 1

Make a short foundation chain.

Minute 2

Work slowly across your first row.

Minute 3

Chain 1, turn, and find the first stitch.

Minute 4

Work another row while concentrating on the final stitch.

Minute 5

Count your stitches and compare your two edges.

If the stitch count stayed the same, that's a successful practice session.

Unravel it and repeat tomorrow—or keep going until you've made a square.

Where Can You Use Single Crochet?

Once you're comfortable with the stitch, you don't need to keep making practice squares.

Single crochet can be used for many real projects.

Its compact fabric makes it especially useful for things such as:

Amigurumi
Simple bags
Washcloths
Coasters
Baskets
Borders
Small accessories

Pick something simple where exact sizing isn't critical for your first project.

You can start with a beginner-friendly Amigurumi project or choose one of our easy crochet projects to practice your new stitch.

Single Crochet FAQ

What is the abbreviation for single crochet?

In US crochet terminology, single crochet is abbreviated sc.

Is single crochet easy for beginners?

Yes. The stitch itself uses a short repeating sequence, making it a useful basic stitch to practice after learning the foundation chain.

How many loops should be on my hook?

After inserting the hook and pulling up a loop, you'll have two loops on your hook. After the final yarn over and pull-through, one active loop remains.

Does chain 1 count as a single crochet?

In the method used in this tutorial, no. The chain 1 provides height for turning, and the first single crochet is worked into the first actual stitch.

Always follow the instructions in the specific pattern you're using.

Why does my single crochet keep getting smaller?

Count your stitches first.

If each row contains fewer stitches than the previous row, you're probably missing an edge stitch rather than having a tension problem.

Is US single crochet the same as UK single crochet?

No.

This is an important terminology difference. The stitch called single crochet (sc) in US terminology is called double crochet (dc) in UK terminology.

This tutorial uses US crochet terms.

Your Next Stitch

Once you can make several rows of single crochet without constantly checking where your hook should go, you've learned an important crochet foundation.

Don't wait for your practice square to become perfect.

Being able to recognize your stitches, keep the same stitch count, and comfortably repeat the movement is enough to continue learning.

Keep your first swatch somewhere.

A few weeks from now, make the same square again. Comparing the two will show your progress much better than trying to make every stitch perfect today.