Namaste friends,
I hope your life is flourishing in the “new normal” which was a gift from 2020.
Yes, 2020 was a tough year that left no one unscathed regardless of age, sex, race, wealth or profession!
It was also a year of learning, adjustment and innovation.
For me personally it meant doing something I love in a very different manner.
And that is teaching crochet. I love Crochet and I consider it a Life Skill rather than a craft and I think everybody should know how to crochet.
Since I couldn’t carry on with my in-person classes I had to learn how to take my classes online. At first, I was adamant that it was not possible but my family egged me on and I am so glad they did.
My students enjoyed the classes and sent me cute pictures of their projects upon completion of the course.
But, the most frequently asked beginner question was “Where do I insert the hook?”
Hence this post! :)
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Now let us see the anatomy of a crochet stitch.
Firstly we have the Top of the stitch which looks like a little “v” also simply called “the stitch”.
The V consists of two loops, the loop closest to you is called the Front loop and the loop facing away from you is called the Back loop.
This naming of the loops has nothing to do with the right side (front) of your project or the wrong side (back) of your project.
Then we have the Post or body of the stitch. The size of the post depends on the stitch made ie: single crochet, half double crochet or double crochet etc.
Lastly there is the base of the stitch, the place where the stitch originates, the part that is worked into the stitch or space below.
Normally when making a stitch we will insert our hook under Both loops of the V. This is an unspoken rule and holds true for all crochet patterns, unless the pattern mentions otherwise.
Here is a row of Dc stitches worked in both loops.
If the pattern says work in “front loop only”, the hook is inserted in the loop closest to you, like so:
And this is how it looks on the side you worked:
and on the wrong side of the row:
The unused back loop forms a ridge at the back.
If the pattern mentions work in “back loop only”, the hook is inserted in the loop away from you like so:
And this is how it looks on the side you worked:
The unused front loops form a ridge in front.
And this is the wrong side of the row:
Front loop and back loop stitches create ridges and are used to add texture to the item as in this "Single crochet in back loop only" ribbing for example.
In some patterns, after working one round in the front loops the next round is worked in the back loops to give a lovely 3D effect.
I have used this method in this clasp purse and crocheted in the loops separately to enclose the frame of the purse between the stitches so that the holes in the frame are not visible from any side.
And now surprise surprise there is a third loop too! Right behind the “V” and it is a horizontal loop and looks like this:
Working in the third loop produces even more texture as it pushes the whole V to the front.
As you can see it in the Camel stitch. I have used the camel stitch as an edging for the Harmony Cowl which you can see HERE.
Wow, you are still with me! Thank you for your time.
