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How to Crochet a Chain – Photo Tutorial

May 4, 2020

How to Crochet a Chain with Photo Tutorial – a very easy, beginner crochet tutorial. Also, what is a crochet chain? And what else can I use a crocheted chain for?

This post contains affiliate links for LoveCrafts. If you make a purchase by clicking on them, I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!

I’ve been wanting to put together a beginner crochet series for A LONG TIME now, so when a friend recently reached out about learning to crochet, I told her to gather her supplies, and I would put together a photo tutorial for her to follow along with.

I already have a photo tutorial for How to Make a Slip Knot, and the next step is this – How to Crochet a Chain.

For this tutorial, I am using Lily Sugar n Cream in Hot Green, and an H8/5mm hook.

I am not creating anything new here, but I did take the time to take the photos, edit them, and put this tutorial together, so please respect my work. Do not pin or share any of the tutorial images – just the main photo. Provide the link for others to find my page (help out me and my blog with the traffic). Do not copy and paste my work anywhere. Thank you!

My nails are Color Street in Oslo and Steady.

What is a Chain in Crochet?

Chains are the foundation stitches to any crochet project. You work into the beginning chain/s to build your crochet piece.

Sometimes, chains can also be used in a project as a design element, like when working a granny square, lace or filet pattern, or as placeholders in stitch patterns that work into rows below the current row, like when using the mosaic crochet technique, or spike stitch.

Photo Tutorial:

You will need to first start with a slip knot on your hook – check out my How to Make a Slip Knot (Photo Tutorial), then…

Holding the slip knot in between your middle finger and thumb (so it doesn’t move on you), use your index finger to swing the working yarn around the outside of the hook…

…and catch it in the mouth of your crochet hook – this process is called a “yarn over”.

Keep holding the slip knot (not the initial tail like I am doing in the photo), and pull the crochet hook with yarn in it’s mouth through the loop that is currently on the hook.

If you don’t hold onto the slip knot, it will get really tight, and be hard to work with – may even require starting over with a new slip knot.

Voila! One chain (we do not count the slip knot, or the loop that is currently on our hook).

Continue repeating the process: grab the growing chain in between middle finger and thumb, yarn over, and pull through.

This is what 11 chains look like from the front – remember, we don’t count the slip knot or the loop currently on the hook.

This is what the same 11 chains look like from the back.

When working into the chain, you can work into either the front or back, and I will cover that next!

What Can I Do With a Crocheted Chain, Other than Work into It?

Crocheted chains work great as ties for garments (check out my Ceres Top Review to get the pattern for this top)…

… and accessories! These are my Amaze Me Mosaic Soap Cozy (or Small Gift Bag), and Through the Window Soap Cozy (or Small Gift Bag).

Forgive the poor photo quality, but this is one of my firsts from 2014. You can use chains to make lightweight purse handles – it is very stretchy, but for a little girls purse, it’s great! You can see more of this purse in my Pretty Purple Set, but I don’t have a pattern for it.

Another one of my earlier projects – you can work a chain to desired length, then tie the ends together to create a bracelet, necklace or scarf.

It’s really fun if you string beads onto the working yarn first, and work them into each chain. Check out my Super Easy Chunky Chain Scarf and Just Peachy Layered Chain Necklace.

You can also create a chain, and use it to create a design – by sewing or gluing it onto fabric (crochet or otherwise), canvas or anything else you can think of! Shown is the card box my sister-in-law and I made for my wedding.

  • Here’s an idea: write your last name in cursive on a piece of canvas, then glue a crocheted chain over it, tracing your writing.
  • Another idea: use a crocheted chain to create a swirly pattern, and sew it onto a clutch.
  • One more? Crochet a chain, and add it to a handmade card in place of ribbon.

Join the EyeLoveKnots Crafting Community on Facebook to share your creations, and see what others are up to!

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Filed Under: Crochet 101, Free Crochet Patterns Tagged With: 5/H8, Beginning Crochet, Color Street Oslo and Steady, Crochet 101, Crochet How To, Crochet Technique, Free Crochet Pattern, Green, Lily Sugar n Cream, LoveCrafts, Photo Tutorial

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Just Peachy Layered Chain Necklace – Free Crochet Pattern

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Double Knotted Crochet’s Dinosaur Spike Hat – Free Crochet Pattern

Comments

  1. Jill says

    May 4, 2020 at 9:38 pm

    I’ve always wanted to learn how to crochet. This looks like something I could actually do! Thank you for sharing your tutorial!

    Jill – Doused in Pink

    Reply
    • Alexandra says

      May 7, 2020 at 11:46 am

      Yes, definitely! Let me know if I can help in any way 🙂

      Reply
  2. Marie says

    May 13, 2020 at 11:32 am

    Pinned this to my popular knit & crochet board on Pinterest because I’m sure it’ll be helpful for the newbies that visit the board.

    Reply
    • Alexandra says

      June 8, 2020 at 9:04 pm

      I really appreciate that, Marie!

      Reply
  3. Kristie Schubert says

    May 17, 2020 at 2:45 pm

    I loved this post. I know it will be evergreen! I’m featuring it on the Little Cottage Link Party tomorrow!

    Reply
    • Alexandra says

      June 8, 2020 at 9:04 pm

      Thank you so much, Kristie! I appreciate you sharing.

      Reply
  4. Dee | Grammy's Grid says

    June 3, 2020 at 3:51 am

    Thanks so much for linking up with me at my #UnlimitedMonthlyLinkParty 13, open June 1 to 26. All party entries shared if social media buttons installed.

    Reply

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Welcome!

Welcome!

Hey! I'm Alexandra, the blogger and creator behind EyeLoveKnots and On Rockwood Lane! My passion is being creative. My favorite thing to do is crochet, and you will almost always find me having a cup of coffee and working on a new crochet project, but when I'm not doing that, you might find me out at a local park rollerblading, baking some fresh cookies, picking veggies in the garden or re-decorating for a new season or holiday. My two cats are great supervisors for all my adventures (minus the being outside because they think it's too hot in Florida to be anywhere but inside), and make sure I take plenty of breaks.

Meet the Team!

Meet the Team!

On the left, Abby is the maker behind A Stitch Shy of Normal, and on the right Jessica is the maker behind Nice and Knotty and Candace is the maker behind TandC Crafters.

Together, they help me bring awesome crochet projects to you! Click the image to learn more about them, and get their Instagram links, where they are constantly sharing tons of crochet inspiration.

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