The New Way to Start Crochet: Stretchy, Sturdy Foundation Chain
I think I discovered a whole new way to begin our crochet projects. You may be familiar with the “foundation single crochet” but something about it never worked great for me. I had a hard time maintaining even tension in the chain itself with the traditional method, and it felt like such a slow process that I rarely found myself reaching for that technique.
If that sounds like you too, you might like this new foundation single method I’ve been developing. It’s a little hard to describe but there is also a handy video tutorial for visual learners! So lets look into how it’s done.
Foundation Single Crochet – The Slingshot Method
Long Tail: Start with a yarn tail three times your project’s desired length, and make a slip knot. Place the slip knot on your hook.
Sling Shot: With your yarn tail on the outside and working yarn on the inside, grasp both strands using your index finger and thumb, separating them to position your hand in a sort of “slingshot” formation.
The First Stitch: Slide your hook under the strand in front of your thumb, over the strand behind it. Next, yarn over with the strand from your index finger and pull it through the loop on your thumb. After this, you can release the loop off your thumb and give it a little tug to tighten.
With two loops now on your hook, yarn over with the back strand and pull through both loops. Voilà! Your very first stitch is ready.
Once you get the rhythm of it, keep repeating the steps. I personally find holding the starting point of my work helpful to avoid any twists.
For those familiar with knitting, you’ll recognize this yarn holding setup as the long-tail cast-on! I realized I could do something very similar with a crochet hook and, as long as we completed each stitch in a crochet fashion, it worked for us crocheters too!
Why I Love It:
- Consistency: The chain’s gauge remains consistent, thanks to forming it on the crochet hook’s neck. This ensures each chain utilizes the hook’s entire diameter. No more chains that are too tight or too loose.
- Versatility: With this foundation single crochet, you can work into the new stitches you just created for super easy stitch counting and visibility. Or you can work into the bottom foundation chain stitches, for super easy circular projects like the bottoms of bags or soles of slippers. Working into the chains will also leave that first foundation single crochet stitch visible for beautiful and/or easy-to-seam edges for any project!
So there you have it! A fresh and innovative way to lay the groundwork for your crochet masterpieces. Give it a try, and let me know what you think! Happy crocheting! 🧶