The Crochet Foundation Chain
Every Crochet Project Starts With Slipknot and Chain
Every crochet project starts with a slipknot, but then what?-the foundation chain. Learn this to get started on crochet projects right away!
The foundation chain is so important to getting a project off in the right direction. If it is not thought out well, not measured accurately enough, or maybe even barely defined, the project will limp from its beginning. Every crochet project starts somewhere, and a crochet chain is its first path. (Figure 1)
The Steps
A crochet project usually begins with the ubiquitous slipknot. That first stitch, attached to the hook as in Figure 2, is the first step to making a crochet project foundation chain. Merely slide the hook through the slipknot stitch and keep it there. Once that's done, reach for the yarn with the hook, as shown in Figure 3. Get a hold of it, and then pull it through the loop that is already on the hook, as pictured in Figure 4. Keep going until the chain is as long as it needs to be. When ready to end, just cut the yarn off the skein, and pull it a final time through the very last hole, as illustrated in Figure 5.
Pattern versus Design
Most patterns will state exactly how many chains to make for a foundation row. When designing, chain until it’s the right size for the project. For example, if the project is a belt, simply keep chaining until the foundation row is as wide as you want the belt to be.
Designing is not as difficult as one may think. The main reason a foundation chain is made in a crochet project is to have a place to start. It’s the first brick in the wall. After it's there, the crocheter may move in any direction and make just about whatever he has in mind. A project is as strong as the foundation row is, so take the time to make it correctly.
Can a Project Be Made of Chains?
Sure thing. Imagine making a scarf with joined chains. One could chain, say, 200 stitches together and end the chain. Next, make another chain of 200 stitches. After making about a dozen chains, connect them in any pleasing manner to make a long rectangle, which will become the scarf. Most crocheters connect chains with other crochet stitches, but they can pulled together with slip stitches. This may be a bit unconventional, but then again, some of the best designs begin with breaking the “rules.”
It's now possible to move on to learning new stitches, beginning with the Single Crochet Stitch and the Double Crochet Stitch.
