Below is an ever increasing list of common crochet stitch techniques you will find occurring commonly in many patterns. These include techniques for starting, decreasing, cabling and some other more interesting deviations on the basic stitches.

You can find instructions and tutorials on the basic stitches here but once you’ve mastered those, you will quickly start coming across the techniques below

Common Crochet Stitch Techniques

Starting Stitches & Techniques

Foundation single crochet (fsc)

Ch 2, insert hook into 2nd chain from hook, yo and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook).  *Yo and pull through 1 loop (this creates the base stitch of the next fsc), yo and pull through 2 loops to complete the st.  To start the next st, insert the hook into the ‘v’ of the base stitch, yo and pull up a loop*.  Repeat from * for required number of sts.

You can find more details on foundation rows including a tutorial here

If you struggle with this technique it can be replaced with making a chain of the number of stitches plus 1, then work 1sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and each chain across to achieve the required number of sts.

Foundation half double crochet (fhdc)

Ch 3, yo, insert hook into 3rd chain from hook, yo and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook).  *Yo and pull through 1 loop (this creates the base stitch of the next fhdc).  Yo and pull through all 3 loops to complete the st. To start the next st, yo and insert the hook into the v of the base stitch, yo and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook).  Repeat from * for required number of sts.

You can find more details on foundation rows including a tutorial in the Crochet Resources Section of my website

If you struggle with this technique it can be replaced with making a chain of the number of stitches needed plus 1, then work 1hdc in the 2nd ch from the hook and each st across to achieve the required number of sts.

Foundation double crochet  (fdc)

Ch 3, yo, insert hook into 3rd chain from hook, yo and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook).  *Yo and pull through one loop (this creates the base ‘v’ of the next fdc). Yo and pull through two loops, yo and pull through two loops to complete the st.

To start the next st, yo and insert the hook into the v of the base stitch you just created, yo and pull up a loop.  Continue from * for the number of stitches required.

You can find more details on foundation rows including a tutorial in the Crochet Resources Section of my website

If you struggle with this technique it can be replaced with making a chain of the number of stitches plus 2, then making 1dc in the 3rd ch from the hook and each ch across to the end.

Magic Ring

You can find a video tutorial on how to create a magic ring here.  If you are not familiar with the magic ring for working in the round then you can ch4 and join to the first st with a sl st and work the sts into this ring to start the pattern.

Crochet Stitch Modifications

Extended Single Crochet (esc)

You can find a full video tutorial for the extended single crochet here.

Insert hook, yo, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yo, pull through one loop (2 loops on hook), yo, pull through two loops.

Extended Double Crochet (edc2tog )

Yo, insert hook, yo, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yo, pull through one loop (3 loops on hook), yo, pull through two loops (2 loops on hook), yo, pull through two loops.

Joining Techniques

Join as you go (jayg)

You will join the two pieces using the single crochet join as you go method. Place the two pieces together right side out and work a single crochet through the front piece, inserting the hook into the back piece before the last yarn over and pulling through all 3 loops to finish the stitch.

If you are not familiar with jayg, work a row of single crochets around each piece and stitch together using a tapestry needle.