Left Handed Crochet Basics

Crochet Basics

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Abbreviations

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How to Start a Chain

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How to Chain (ch)

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How to Single Crochet (sc)

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How to Single Crochet inthe Round

By Alison GrenierPepperberry Crochet

Comments? You can email me--pepperberrycrochet@yahoo.com Keep up with the crochet news athttp://pepperberry.typepad.com or on Facebook, Pepperberry Crochet.If you find this helpful, please share it & pass it along to otheraspiring crocheters.

Abbreviations

Abbreviations are used in crochet so that patterns aren't miles long and difficult to use

when we're working. It also helps keep designers from writing the same thing over and overagain.

When you're crocheting, you're going to run into the same abbreviations over and over again, so we'll go over the most common, and the ones you'll need to complete this tutorial.

ch

A chain is the basis for most crochet projects, and it's the abbreviation you'll seeat the start of most patterns. At the start of a pattern, it looks something like this:“ch12, turn”. “ch” tells you that you'll be using the chain stitch, the number tellsyou how many of those stitches to make.

turn

Okay, turn isn't an abbreviation, but it is another common thing to see at thestart of a pattern. It means to turn your piece so that you're now working backalong the stitches you've just made. In other words, flip the piece over horizontally!

yo

yo stands for “yarn over”, it means to place your hook so that the yarn is over it,that way you can catch the yarn with your hook. Right after you yo, you will....

lp

You'll always see lp as “draw up a lp”. It's short for loop, and it proves thatmaybe we use more abbreviations than we really need in crochet.

sc

Finally, an abbreviation that makes some crocheted fabric! sc stands for singlecrochet, the most basic crochet stitch.Here's the difference between an abbreviated and non-abbreviated instruction:

Unabbreviated

: Make 11 chain stitches. Turn the piece over so that you're working inthe opposite direction. Insert your hook in the second chain from the hook, yarn over,and draw up a loop. Yarn over. Draw a loop through both loops on hook. Single crochetin the next 9 stitches.

Abbreviated:

ch11. Turn. Insert hook in 2ndch from hook, yo, draw up lp. Yo. Draw lpthrough both lps on hook. 9 sc.

Phew. See how much space that saves? Many new crocheters don't like abbreviations,but you'll be

doing yourself a favor if you learn them as fast as possible. You can get a “cheat sheet” of abbreviations at http://www.yarnstandards.com/crochet.html

How to Start a Chain

Here are the left-handed instructions, for all of the lefties out there. Yes, I flipped the photos, but thedirections still apply.Hold the yarn with the end poking out

fromunder your pinky finger. The part stillattached to the skein is currently resting onmy index in the photo.

Keep holding the end in your fingers, and

wrap the yarn around your thumb. Bring thepart attached to the skein under your indexfinger.

Now that the yarn is under your index

finger,reach over the top of your finger, grab theyarn, and hold it with the end piece.

Insert your hook under the bottom

of thetwo pieces of yarn on your index finger.