Crochet Lesson: How to Single Crochet (sc)

This fundamental stitch creates a tight knit and is the perfect stitch to start learning crochet!

Jump to section:

Single crochet (abbreviated: "sc") is the most basic crochet stitch. It creates a tightly bound stitch where the stitches snug up closely together. This is a great stitch to practice when you’re first learning crochet. It works beautifully when creating items that you want to keep you warm, such as cold-weather accessories.

When following a U.K. pattern, the terminology is different. If it says double crochet (dc) in the U.K. pattern it means single crochet (sc) in the U.S. pattern. Refer to U.S. / U.K. conversion chart.

step one

Take your chain work, skip over the first V stitch next to your hook.

step two

Insert the hook into the center of the V stitch.

step three

Yarn over -- meaning wrap your yarn around your hook, crossing over the front diagonally upwards from right to left -- and pull through.

step four

You should now have two stitches left on the hook. Yarn over again and pull the yarn through the 2 stitches on your hook.

step five

You should have one stitch left on the hook and have just completed your first single crochet!

step six

Continue to the end of the chain stitches. Make sure to count your stitches to ensure you have the correct amount you wanted. Your first row of single crochets should be 1 fewer than your foundation chain count. (Ex: If you chained 11, you should only have 10 single crochets, since the last chain is used to turn your row.)

step seven

At the end of the row, chain 1 and then turn your work to continue down the other side.

step eight

This time, as you stitch into your first single crochet row, you are going to place your hook under the v stitch, so the v is sitting on top of your hook.