Single Crochet Stitch

The single crochet stitch is abbreviated sc in patterns as in sc 2 in next ch sp (single crochet twice in the next chain space) or sc 3 in next st (single crochet 3 times in next st).

A word of warning: This is American terminology. The British term for the same stitch is double crochet (dc).

As with all crochet stitches, one starts with a single loop on the hook. In the picture at the right, I started with a loop created by making a slip stitch knot around the hook (just as one often does in starting a cast on in knitting).

There are 2 steps to making the stitch.

First, with the yarn in back, draw a loop through. In this case, I used the crochet hook to poke a hole through the terry cloth dish towel. Then I wrapped the thread around the hook and pulled the thread through. (Terry cloth is woven loosely and so it is possible to poke holes through it without snagging the fabric.) There are now 2 loops on the hook.

Second, wrap the thread around the hook again (as in the first picture) and then pull the thread through both loops.

The stitch is complete and one is left with one loop on the hook.

To make the edging, I then did 2 chain sts before making the next single crochet.
sc 1, *ch 2, sc 1* to end

The second picture show several repeats of the pattern, ending with a chain 2. The chain 2 forms what is called a chain space. I did it this way to space out the single crochet stitches.


I hope you were able to make a 6 foot long chain of chain stitches. Here is mine. But, it looks so thin. To remedy that, let's single crochet back.

The video at NexStitch shows how to do just that. The last picture in this post (from the booklet from the American Thread Company) also shows how.

Remember when starting a row to skip the first st. The last chain st made (at the end of the previous row) serves as a replacement for the first sc (at the beginning of the next row).

We've talked about how to single crochet. We've also seen how to single crochet into fabric and into chain stitches.
Next time, we'll talk about how to single crochet into a chain space and also how to crochet into the top of a single crochet stitch.