Apart from getting the chain started, the hardest part of crochet is working the first row of stitches into the blasted chain. Again, however, the left hand grip is very important. So let’s review.
1. Grab yarn with bottom two fingers.
2. Turn hand over and point that pointer, under and away from you.
3. Use thumbkin and middle finger to hold the work.
4. But we already made a chain, so now we are going to work back into it. I usually split the knot chain here. I pulled the loop a little so you could see where. There will be two threads on top and one on bottom.
See? And notice the grip! Pointer must point or you loose all your tension. Anytime you put down the yarn, or get lost, or answer the phone, or throw it across the room in irritation…re-set your grip first!
5. Wrap from behind, pull up the loop.
6. Wrap from behind, pull through to finish the stitch.
7. Spend the next five minutes squinting at the chain to see if you can find that next bottom lip to put the needle through. But remember after you hold it twelve ways to find it, set up your grip and tension again before you try to stitch. Pointer must point!
The pictures are great. The feelings are true even for someone who has been crocheting for years when doing the first row. I am thinking about keeping this post to show some children how to crochet.
I like the pictures along with the comments made. I have one question, you stated that there is two loops on top and one on bottom. You do not indicate which one you put your needle in….the top two, or the bottom one. Maybe I have been doing it wrong all along.
I taught myself to crochet because I could not learn to knit because I am left-handed. I tried to learn knitting from my Mom but could not. So in those days I happened to find a book with crochet for left-hand people. I studied the basic stitches until I could recognize them. Then I just kept practicing until I got it right. I have made lots of thing since then. Thank you very much for showing excellent pics for anyone who wants to learn how.
This is great!! Good instructions, the pics are very helpful!!! …. While I was reading, I was thinking — you would have a cow if you saw how I hold mine!! My precious Grandmother taught me how to crochet when I was around 4 or 5. I couldn’t get the hang of holding it “the right way”, so she let me do it the way it worked for me. I still do it that way (wrong) to this day!! Thanks for stirring up the memory!! :o)