Learn to crochet · lesson 3 of 12 · about 20 minutes

How to crochet a chain and count your chains

To crochet a chain, wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front and pull it through the loop already on the hook. That’s one chain. Repeat, then count the V shapes, never the slip knot or the loop on your hook.

Step by step

1. 1Get into position

   Hold the hook with the slip knot on it in your hook hand. With your other hand, pinch the tail just below the knot and run the yarn from the ball over your fingers as in lesson 2.

2. 2Yarn over

   Take the yarn over the hook from back to front, so it goes behind the hook, over the top and down the front. Many people turn the hook under the yarn rather than moving the yarn, which is fine. Always wrap in this same direction. UK patterns often call this move yarn round hook (yrh).

3. 3Pull through

   Catch the yarn in the hook and pull it through the loop on the hook. You now have one loop on the hook again. That’s one chain, written ch in patterns.

4. 4Keep going, moving your fingers up

   Repeat the yarn over and pull through. Every few chains, move your thumb and finger up so you’re holding the chain just below the hook. Holding it close keeps each chain the same size.

5. 5Find the front and back

   Look at your chain. The front shows a neat line of sideways V shapes. Turn it over and the back has a line of little bumps. Keep the Vs facing you and make sure the chain isn’t twisted.

6. 6Count your chains

   Count each V. Don’t count the slip knot, and don’t count the loop on your hook, which is your working loop. The chain next to the hook is the first chain from the hook. Count in fives, or clip a stitch marker into every tenth chain on long chains.

7. 7Check the size

   Your hook should go into each chain fairly easily, with the chain still snug round it. If you have to force it, your chains are too tight: unwrap the yarn from one finger and make each loop on the wide part of the hook, not the neck. If the chains are big and floppy, wrap the yarn round one more finger.

Check your work

• Your chain is a neat row of Vs, all on one side.
• The hook slides into any chain without forcing.
• You count 15 Vs, not counting the slip knot or the loop on the hook.

Common mistakes

The chain twists, with Vs on different sides.

Wrap the yarn the same way every time, back to front, and keep your tension steady. Hold the chain close under the hook.

Chains so tight the hook won’t go in.

Relax your grip on the yarn and make each loop on the wide shaft of the hook.

Counting the loop on the hook as a chain.

Start counting at the first V below the hook. The working loop never counts.

Foundation chain calculator →

Sources: simply-yarn.com, simply-yarn.com, simply-yarn.com, lovecrafts.com, craftyarncouncil.com, yarnspirations.com, yarnspirations.com, yarnspirations.com, blog.lionbrand.com, blog.clover-usa.com, blog.bellacococrochet.com. Written in UK terms; the US name is in brackets the first time a stitch appears.