How to Make a Yarn-Tail Chain

A crochet chain starts with a slip knot, which leaves a yarn tail.

When you begin a crocheting project, the first step is to make a chain of stitches. Crochet patterns always start with instructions for how many stitches to chain. You then work the first row of stitches into the chain, making one or more crochet stitches into each chain stitch. Because a crochet chain starts with a slip knot, it has a yarn tail that hangs down. After you finish the pattern, you weave the yarn tail into the crochet stitches.

Things You'll Need

• Crochet hook
• Yarn

Instructions

1. Fold the working yarn, the yarn coming from the skein, 4 inches from the end. Pinch the working yarn and the yarn tail together 1 inch below the fold.

2. Twist the loop above your fingers 180 degrees with the thumb and forefinger of your other hand. Insert your thumb and forefinger into the twisted loop and grab the yarn coming from the skein. Pull the yarn you grabbed back through the loop to create a slip knot. Let go of the pinched yarn.

3. Insert the curved end of the crochet hook through the loop of the slip knot. Tug gently on the yarn tail to tighten the slip knot against the hook, being careful not to make the knot too tight. You should have just enough slack so that you can pull the hook back through.

4. Wrap the working yarn over the curved end of the crochet hook from right to left. Rotate the crochet hook so that the hooked end points upward. Grab the yarn with the hook and pull the hook back through the loop of the slip knot. You will now have two chain stitches on your hook -- the upper loop of the slip knot and the chain you just made.

5. Continue to wrap the hook, rotate the hook upward and pull the wrap through. Each time you do so, you will create one chain stitch. The yarn tail will hang down at the end of your chain. Continue chaining stitches until you have as many as the pattern calls for.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not count the stitch currently on your hook as part of the chain. If your pattern calls for a 10-stitch chain, you should actually chain 11 stitches. Only count the stitches that hang below the stitch on your hook.

References

• OWN; How to Make the Crochet Chain; January 2011
• Knitting-Crochet: Crochet Stitches: How to Make a Chain
• Planet Purl: Video: How to Create a Crochet Chain

Resources

• Lion Brand Yarn: Learn to Crochet