Tutorial Series: How to Crochet Slip Stitch

Slip stitches in crochet serve to join rounds, connect pieces, create texture, and form edges, making them an essential technique for any crocheter. The crochet slip stitches are tighter stitches that create a dense fabric, providing not only durability but also a polished finish to your projects. In the crochet slip stitch technique, there is no row height increase, allowing for a seamless transition between different sections of your work. In the single crochet slip stitch, a new loop is created with the working yarn that is then slipped through the loop on the crochet hook, effectively allowing you to move through your pattern without adding bulk. The slip stitch technique is useful in enhancing the overall structure and aesthetics of the crocheted item.


I have used crochet slip stitches as a decorative edging in “The With a Twist Dishcloth“, “The Speckles Dishcloth“, and “The Dotted Dishcloth“. The crochet zigzag slip stitch has been used to join together the “Winterland Cowl“, the “Four Seasons Blanket“, and the “Waiting Season Cowl“.

The video and written steps below on how to use the Crochet Slip Stitch technique in a single crochet stitch pattern are shown below for right-handed crocheters.

How to Crochet Slip Stitch:


Written Steps on How to Crochet Slip Stitch:

  1. Insert crochet hook under both strands into the next stitch as if to single crochet (Tutorial Series: How to Single Crochet)
  2. Catch the working yarn with the hook and pull the loop under and through both the strands of the next stitch
  3. Pull the same loop through the loop on the crochet hook
  4. Repeat Steps 1 to 3 until the end of the row for the crochet slip stitch

~coffeeteaknits.com

Tutorial Series: Single Crochet in Front Loop (SCFL)

Another variation of single crochet is the single crochet in front loop (SCFL). The stitch pattern gives a changed texture to a garment. This stitch pattern looks quite different from SCBL (Tutorial Series: Single Crochet in Back Loop).  


The Suddenly It’s Summer Dishcloth Pattern is in single crochet in the front loop (SCFL). This stitch pattern can also be used for blankets, garments etc.

Suddenly It’s Summer Dishcloth

After the foundation row for a single crochet has been worked (Tutorial Series: How to Single Crochet), all the following rows are worked only into the front loop. This gives the fabric a distinct textured pattern on both sides of the work. The video and written instructions provided below show how to make a single crochet in the front loop holding the crochet hook in your right hand.

How to Single Crochet in Front Loop (SCFL):


Written Instructions on How to Single Crochet in Front Loop (SCFL):

  1. After working single crochet in the last stitch of the foundation chain row (Tutorial Series: How to Single Crochet), chain one and turn
  2. Skip the first stitch from the hook, and insert crochet hook in the front loop of the next stitch
  3. Catch and pull yarn loop under and through the front loop of the stitch
  4. There are two loops on the crochet hook now
  5. Yarn over (wrap the working yarn around the hook counterclockwise)
  6. Catch and pull yarn through the remaining two loops on the hook.
  7. There is one loop left on the crochet hook
  8. Repeat Steps 2 to 7 till end of the row and all other subsequent rows (chain one after working the last stitch end of each row and turn to the next row)

~coffeeteaknits.com

The Berry Bunches Scarf Pattern


The Berry Bunches Scarf is a flat rectangular scarf in the crochet suzette stitch pattern. It’s a fun and quick project that is a combination of single and double crochet. Fringes are also added to the scarf. The yarn used for the project is Loops and Threads® Luxe Merino™ Wool Blend I purchased at Michaels. This soft and warm yarn is perfect for this time of year. The Berry Bunches Scarf, after washing, is about seven inches wide and eighty-three inches in length. The length and width can be customized, making the scarf more versatile.

The Berry Bunches Scarf Pattern (text and images for personal use only)

Materials Needed:
Yarn: Loops and Threads® Luxe Merino™ Wool Blend in the Raindrops colorway (2 skeins needed for this project)
Tapestry needle to weave in ends
Gauge: 5 stitches per inch in the crochet suzette stitch pattern
Crochet hook: US size G6 or 4.00 mm

Abbreviations:

sc: single crochet (Tutorial Series: How to Single Crochet)
dc: double crochet (Tutorial Series: How to Double Crochet)
RS: right side
WS: wrong side
[…]: pattern repeat

Crochet Skill Level: Basic level with chain stitches, single crochet and double crochet


With one strand of Loops and Threads® Luxe Merino™ Wool Blend in the Raindrops colorway and US size G6 or 4.00 mm crochet hook, make a slip knot and chain 34 stitches (Tutorial Series: How to Slip Knot; Tutorial Series: How to Crochet Chain

Single Crochet in the back purl bump of the second chain from the hook

crochethook_insertpurlbump

CrochetChaincrochetpurlbumps

Row 1 (RS): sc in the purl bumps all across the row till the last stitch. In the last stitch sc, chain 1 and turn

Row 2 (WS): sc, chain 1, [skip a stitch, (sc and then dc in the next stitch)], repeat […] till last 2 stitches in the row, sc, chain 1 and turn

Repeat Row 2 for the crochet suzette stitch till desired length reached

crochetsuzettestitch

Last Row (RS): sc all across the last row. In the last stitch, sc and cut six inches of working yarn and pull yarn the loop on the crochet hook

Adding Fringes (Optional):
Fringes were made with 4 strands (about 10 inches long) of Raindrops yarn colorway. There are several helpful video tutorials on YouTube on how to add fringes. For the Berry Bunches Scarf, nine fringes were added to each of two ends.

Trim the fringes to preferred length

Weave in the yarn, wash and block the Berry Bunches Scarf


~coffeeteaknits.com

Tutorial Series: How to Double Crochet

Another fundamental crochet stitch is the double crochet. It is taller than a single crochet and a half double crochet, but shorter than a treble or triple crochet. Fabric made with the double crochet stitch is less dense than fabric made with a half double crochet or single crochet. Below, you can find video and written instructions demonstrating how to make a double crochet for all the rows after the foundation chain when crocheting with your right hand.

How to Double Crochet (video in slow motion):


Written Instructions on How to Double Crochet in the rows after the Foundation Chain:

  1. After a double crochet in the last chain stitch of the foundation chain row has been worked, chain three and turn the work for the second and all subsequent rows.
  2. Wrap working yarn around the hook (counterclockwise), skip the first three stitches from the loop on the crochet hook and insert the crochet hook under both the strands of the next stitch
  3. Wrap working yarn around hook (counterclockwise), catch and pull yarn under and through both the strands of the next stitch in the row
  4. There are three loops on the crochet hook
  5. Wrap the working yarn around the hook (counterclockwise), catch and pull yarn through the first two loops on the hook. There are two loops left on the crochet hook
  6. Wrap the working yarn around the hook (counterclockwise), catch and pull yarn through the remaining two loops on the hook. There is one loop left on the crochet hook
  7. Wrap working yarn around the hook (counterclockwise) and insert the crochet hook under both the strands of the next stitch in the row
  8. Repeat steps 3 to 6
  9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 till the last stitch in the row
  10. For the last stitch of the row, repeat steps 3 and 6, chain three and turn
  11. Repeat Steps 2 to 9 to double crochet all the subsequent rows

~coffeeteaknits.com

Tutorial Series: How to Single Crochet

Once a foundation chain (How to Crochet Chain) is made, a new crochet project with any crochet stitch pattern can begin. A single crochet stitch pattern is the shortest in length/height and creates a denser fabric compared to double and triple crochet stitch patterns. The video and written instructions below show how to make a single crochet from a foundation chain and all the rows for right handed crocheting.

Video in slow motion: Single Crochet from a Foundation Chain

Written Instructions for How to Single Crochet from a Foundation Chain:

  1. Skip the first chain stitch from the loop on the crochet hook.
  2. Insert the crochet hook into the top strand of the second chain stitch
  3. Wrap working yarn counterclockwise around hook (yarn over), catch and pull the loop through the top strand of the second chain stitch
  4. There are two loops on the crochet hook
  5. Wrap working yarn counterclockwise around hook (yarn over), catch and pull loop through the two loops on the crochet hook
  6. Repeat Steps 2 to 5 for the rest of the foundation chain stitches till the slip knot end
  7. Chain one and turn to single crochet the next row

How to Single Crochet:

Written Instructions for a Single Crochet:

  1. Skip the first stitch from the loop on the crochet hook
  2. Insert the crochet hook under both the strands of the next stitch
  3. Wrap working yarn counterclockwise around hook (yarn over), catch and pull the loop through both the strands of the next stitch
  4. There are two loops on the crochet hook
  5. Wrap working yarn counterclockwise around hook (yarn over), catch and pull loop through the two loops on the crochet hook
  6. Repeat Steps 2 to 5 till the last stitch in the row
  7. For the last stitch of the row, repeat Steps 2 to 5, chain one and turn
  8. Repeat Steps 1 to 7 with single crochet stitch pattern for all the subsequent rows

~coffeeteaknits.com