Lesson 6: Triple Crochet

Triple Crochet detail.

Hi all.
I am in the process of re-locating the blog. Please follow this link to Lesson 6.
Bear with me while I work all of this out. I hope the lessons will be easier to use and navigate in the near future.
Thanks for visiting. I really appreciate you!
-Anne

Lesson 5: Double Crochet

Hello and welcome to today’s lesson: double crochet.

Double Crochet Sample

Double crochet is very similar to half-double. Many of the steps are the same. It is a little taller and a bit more open looking than single or half-double.

Abbreviations
ch = chain
lp = loop
hdc = half-double crochet
sc = single crochet
yo = yarn over
dc = double crochet
sts = stitches
st = stitch

Please refer back to previous lessons for more detailed explanation of abbreviations.

I am trying something new in this lesson...restraint. I will be using fewer photos; I hope that fewer images will actually make the instructions easier to follow. If not, let me know!

Materials
In this lesson, I am using 30 gauge copper wire and a no.8 crochet hook. I will also use a pocket scribe, wire nippers, and needle nose pliers.

Lets get started learning Double Crochet (dc)! The sample will be 9 stitches wide and 9 stitches tall.

To Start
Make a base chain of 12 stitches.

Chain 12

Row 1
Then, yarn over and insert the hook into the 5th stitch from the hook.

YO and insert hook...

 Yarn over and draw up a loop. You should now have three loops on the hook.

Three loops on the hook.

 Yarn over again.

Three loops and a YO.

This is where it is a bit different from the half-double crochet. Draw the yo through two loops on the hook. You should have two loops remaining on the hook.

Two loops remain on the hook.

YO again.

Two loops and a YO on the hook.

Draw the yo through the remaining two loops. You should now have one loop on the hook. You just finished a dc!

The first completed DC.

On to the next stitch.
YO and insert your hook into the next ch. YO and draw up the lp. You should have three loops on the hook.

Three loops on the hook, again.

YO and draw the yo through only two loops on the hook. Now, two loops remain on the hook.

And, two loops on the hook.

YO again and draw the yo through the two remaining hooks. You have one remaining loop on the hook and two completed dc (plus a turning chain).

This is actually three completed dc plus a turning chain.

You will repeat six more times:
yo, insert hook into next st, yo, draw up lp (three lps on hook), yo and draw through two loops on hook (two lps on hook), yo and draw through two remaining loops on hook.

Once you have filled up your base chain with double crochet stitches for a total of 8 dc and the turning chain = 9 stitches, chain 3 for the turning chain.

First row complete plus the turning chain.

Opening the Stitches
Pull out your hook and use the scribe to open up the tops of the stitches.

Opening the loops. Skip the base of the turning chain!

Be sure to get both parts of the top of a stitch when you are opening the loops.

The two loops that make the top of a stitch.

And, be sure to open the top of the turning chain. It looks different from the double crochet stitches.

Opening the top of the turning chain.

Row 2
Put your hook back into the new turning chain and turn the work. YO and insert the hook into the first stitch. Be sure you skip the base of the turning chain!

Starting the second row.

Yo and draw up the loop. You are back to three stitches on the hook. Carry on as before.

Three on hook.

Always make sure you are inserting the hook into both loops of the stitch below when you start a new stitch. There are times when a pattern calls for working in the front or back of a stitch but, generally, you want to work through the whole stitch.

Top view of hook in both loops of the stitch below.

When you have completed a turning chain plus seven stitches, you still have one double crochet left to complete the row. It goes in the top of the turning chain from the row below. Don’t skip that stitch, even though it looks a little different!

Hook in the top of the turning chain of the row below.

After you complete the last stitch in the row, chain three for the turning chain and remove your hook.
Open up the new row of stitches with your pocket scribe and then repeat row two until you are done.

Two rows done plus a turning chain.

Finishing Out
Once you have finished making as many rows as you like (I did nine in this sample),
work through your last stitch and nip the wire. Tie in your ends as explained in previous lessons and then stretch your sample.

Stretch the sample.

Abbreviations
Your new abbreviation for this week is dc for double crochet.

The instructions for this lesson in abbreviated format are as follows:

start: ch 12
row 1: dc in 5th ch from hook, dc 7 sts more. ch 3, turn.
row 2: dc 8 sts. ch 3, turn.
rows 3-8: repeat row 2.
row 9: dc 8 sts. Cut off and draw up lp.

The samples: single, half-double, and double crochet.

Thank you for joining me. Those of you who have been waiting patiently for a new lesson, please accept my heartfelt apologies. I am committed to getting back on schedule and the next lesson, Triple Crochet, will be posted on Wednesday.

Did you like the format with fewer photos? Let me know in the comments section. Please feel free to ask questions, as well.

Lesson 3: Single Crochet

Welcome to Lesson 3: Single Crochet. If you missed Lesson 2: Chain Stitch, you can find part a here and part b here. Be sure you have a good handle on chain stitch, as we will start with a chain today. You will need to have all of your materials, including the scribe, for today’s lesson.

Live Wire
First, I need to explain about the live wire. You will need to take your hook out of the crochet from time to time. When you put it back in, it is important to be sure all of your wires are still going the right way. When I refer to the “live wire” or “live side”, I am talking about the portion of the wire that is closest to the spool.

live wire

Notice that the “live side” of the wire is on the side of the hook closest to you. It will always be on this side of the hook. Anytime you pull your hook out, make sure you re-insert it with the live side nearest you.

Materials
For this sample, I will use a no.8 hook and 30 gauge copper wire. In metric that is a 1.50mm hook and 0.254mm wire. I will make a nine row sample with 9 stitches (including the turning chain) in each row. I will explain these terms as I go.

Base Chain
To start, make a chain of ten stitches. In abbreviated instructions, that will read as
ch. 10
This is your base chain. You can count the chain stitches as illustrated below. Notice that you do not count the loop currently on the hook (your live loop).

base chain with stitch count

The First Single Crochet (sc)
Now you have your base chain. You will insert the hook into the third chain from the hook.

third ch from hook

Always insert the hook from front to back.

inserting the hook

Take the wire over the hook and behind the existing chain. This is called a yarn over (yo).

yarn over

yarn over detail

Draw the live wire (your yo) through the chain and keep it on the hook.You now have two loops on the hook. This is called drawing up a loop.

draw up loop

 Yarn over again.

yarn over

 Draw that yo through the two loops on the hook.

the first single crochet (sc)

You just finished your first single crochet (sc)!
Experienced yarn crocheters please note: I do not wrap the live wire around my left fingers for tension as is done with yarn. The stiffness of the wire is sufficient to maintain tension.


Another Single Crochet
Do it again. Note the asterisk... it is a marker for future reference.
*Now, insert the hook in the next chain to the left.

insert hook in next ch

Yarn over (yo).

yo

Draw up loop. You should have two loops on the hook again.

two loops on the hook

Yarn over (yo).

yo

Draw the yo through both loops on the hook.

the second sc

You have now done two single crochets (sc).

Finishing the Row
Repeat from * until you run out of chain (that should be 6 more times).
Now you have one row and 9 stitches completed. That is, one turning chain and 8 single crochet. When counting stitches, the turning chain counts as a stitch.

the first row

Open the Loops
This part is an extra step for experienced yarn crocheters.
Chain 1 (this will be your turning chain for the next row) and remove your hook.

turning chain

Take your scribe and insert it into the first stitch to stretch it open a bit. You do not need to open the base of the turning chain. It kind of looks like a stitch but don’t think of it that way. Call it the base of the turning chain in your head at all time to avoid confusion and miscounting.

inserting the scribe

Work your way across the row, opening each stitch.
As you are poking your scribe through each stitch, be sure you pick up the front and back portion of the stitch. When you look at the work from the top, the whole stitch makes a teardrop shape. It is really important to open the whole stitch.

picking the whole stitch

When you come to the end of the row, be sure to open the turning chain. It can be a little tricky; it doesn’t look like a normal stitch. Go ahead and open it.

picking the turning chain

Now that you have opened the loops, count the stitches and make sure you have the right number on your first row.

count the stitches

For the purpose of counting stitches in a row, note that #1 is the base of the turning chain I mentioned before. Also, stitch #9 is the turning chain. The turning chain is actually a chain stitch and not a single crochet. You count it as a stitch when you are checking the number of stitches in a row.
Row Two
You are ready to start row two. First you need to put your hook back into the live loop. Make sure the live side is closest to you.

put the hook back in the live loop

Turn the work.
Keep your hook with its loop in your right hand and turn the work from left to right with your left hand.

turn the work

Take a look at your work and identify the base of the turning chain.

base of the turning chain

Insert your hook into the first stitch. Yarn over and draw up a loop. You have two loops on your hook.

yo and draw up loop

Yarn over again and draw the loop through both loops on the hook. You’ve now started row two!

first sc on row 2

Keep on going down the row, making single crochets in each stitch.
When starting a stitch, make sure you insert the hook under both parts of the stitch below, just like when you opened the loops with the scribe.

working the next stitch

Be sure to make a single crochet in the turning chain of the row below.

make a stitch in the turning chain

At the end of row 2, you should have made one turning chain and 8 single crochet for a total of 9 stitches.
Now, chain 1. Remove your hook and open the loops with your scribe just like you did on row 1.

picking the loops on row two

You have completed row 2. Take a break and admire your work!

row 2 completed

Row 3 and Beyond
Now you know all the steps for making single crochet. To keep going, just repeat what you did for row two until you can make nice, even stitches.

carrying on with row 3

all the way to row 9

Finishing Out
I have done 9 rows now. I am ready to finish out.
Work your final row as before until you get to the last stitch. On the last stitch, yarn over and draw up a loop as before.

working the last stitch

Now yarn over and draw through both loops on the hook to make the last stitch.

the last loop

Clip the wire.

I use my wire nippers to cut the live wire

and pull the hook until the end of the wire pulls through.

Stretch the loops with your scribe as you did for the previous rows.

row 9 loops are all stretched

Use your fingers to stretch and flatten your sample. You can pull extra hard on the edges to even out the sides.

go on and pull really hard, it's strong stuff

before stretching

after stretching

Clean Up
To make your sample look nice and neat, tie off the ends by wrapping them around the loops three times. Then, clip the tails and tuck the pokey bits with your needle nose pliers.

tie off the last stitch

tie off the base chain

nip off the tails

tuck in the pokey bits

You have now finished your nine stitch, nine row sample of single crochet (sc).
Be sure to count your stitches carefully, as you work. If you find that you have an extra stitch, make sure you are not inserting your hook into the base of your turning chain. If you are short a stitch, make sure you are making a stitch in the turning chain of the row below.

the finished sample

Abbreviations
Your new abbreviation is sc for Single Crochet.

The instructions for this lesson in abbreviated format are as follows:
start: ch 10
row 1: sc in 3rd ch from hook. sc 7 sts. ch 1, turn.
row 2: sc 8 sts. ch 1, turn.
rows 3-8: repeat row 2.
row 9: sc 8 sts. Cut off and draw up lp.

I hope you are enjoying crocheting in wire. Keep practicing and it gets easier. When I started learning, I had to look things up over and over until they came naturally. Don’t sweat it if you need to refer to the pictures and instructions frequently!

If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments section below or on my facebook page Annabelle Jones Jewelry. Don’t be shy; if you are confused, somebody else probably has the same question! See you next week for Lesson 4: Half-Double Crochet.