How to Single Crochet (sc)

What is single crochet in crochet?

Single crochet is the shortest of the everyday crochet stitches. It makes a tight, sturdy fabric, which is why it is the backbone of amigurumi and anything that needs to hold its shape.

In US patterns it is abbreviated sc. In UK patterns the very same stitch is called a double crochet (dc), which is the single biggest US/UK mix-up.

How do you work single crochet step by step?

Here is the full sequence in US terms. Take it slowly the first few times, then it becomes muscle memory.

1. Insert your hook into the next stitch, front to back, under both loops.
2. Yarn over by wrapping the working yarn over your hook.
3. Pull that yarn back through the stitch. You now have two loops on your hook.
4. Yarn over again.
5. Pull through both loops on the hook. One single crochet is complete.

When do you use single crochet?

Single Crochet turns up in a lot of patterns. Here is where it earns its place:

1. Amigurumi and stuffed toys, where firm fabric hides the stuffing.
2. Potholders, washcloths, and anything that needs to hold its shape.
3. Edgings and borders that need to sit flat and neat.
4. Colorwork, where short stitches keep the design crisp.

What are the most common single crochet mistakes?

A few snags catch almost everyone at first. Watch for these:

1. Working into the wrong loop. Unless a pattern says front or back loop only, go under both loops.
2. Adding or dropping a stitch at the ends of rows, which slowly slants your edges. Count every row.
3. Crocheting so tightly the hook barely fits. Relax your tension or go up a hook size.

How do you keep count while you work single crochet?

Counting is where clean crochet is won or lost. Patterns tell you how many stitches per row and how many rows or rounds to work, and a miscount is the usual reason a piece ends up crooked. Mark the first stitch of each round, and count your stitches at the end of every row.

Some crocheters keep a paper tally, and some use an app like Worsted to count rows, hold their place in a pattern PDF, and note the yarn they used, so a project is easy to pick back up after a break. However you track it, staying on count is what turns a good pattern into a finished piece.