newbie who just wants to make sure

[starywary]

Hello, newbie here. I just wanted to make sure I was crocheting correctly - when I insert hook into next stitch, do I put the hook under the two loops, or just one? When I first started, I was doing it under just one loop, and there was this line going across my work. This woman who worked in the laundromat showed me that I should be inserting it under two loops, and voila no more line. That is how I have been crocheting since, but now I am making my son a doll ( Amigurumi pattern from Lion Brand website ) and was getting confused about hdc, especially when the pattern said to work in back loops only. SO after finally starting to get a little confidence in myself, now I am all confused and stuck! Can someone please help with this very basic question?

Oh, also, (sorry I'm taking so long to explain some very simple things, lol) when I look up how to do a hdc, it says to chain 1 extra then the pattern calls for, and then tells how to do the stitch. SO do I ch 1 extra for every hdc when I am crocheting in the round, or do I just ignore that part and go right into inserting the hook into next stitch? Hope this is making sense.

Thank you!!

[Midds]

Welcome to the 'ville!

 

For the basic crochet stitches you go under both loops.

 

For back loop only you will just use that back loop.

 

For the front loop only you will just use the front loop.

 

For post stitches you will go around the post and the direction in which you will do this depends on the pattern and if it is a front or back post stitch.

 

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[MsSuzKelly]

Yep - you do go under both loops unless instructed otherwise - like it might say to go into the Back Loop only - which is what you were probably doing when you got that line across your work. Or a pattern might tell you to go into Front Loop Only.

 

Now - your HDC question... not sure what it is that you read...do you know to do a HDC? you don't need to chain for every HDC.. now what is done usually - is a ch 2 at the beginning of a HDC row...like a SC is a chain 1 to start a row....and a DC is ch 3 at the beginning. To keep things at the same height -

 

Hope I have made some sense. I am not very good at explaining things, but I tried. LOL

[sherryzzz]

re the hdc - at the beginning of your row, you can either start with a ch2 to equal your first hdc, or you can ch1 and then hdc in the first stitch (the one under the ch1). Either way will get you the height you need at the beginning of the row. After that first stitch, you don't do the chains anymore, you just do your hdc as instructed.

[starywary]

Thank you so much for the help! I just needed to double check on that to feel reassured. As far as the HDC....derrrrr!!!!! I can't believe that I had such a blank out, lol. I knew that I had to just do the extra chain stitches at the beginning of the row, somewhere, really, I knew that. I guess I should put my hook down sometimes and get some sleep! After my 3 1/2 year old son goes to bed is my only time to really relax and crochet uninterrupted, but I end up going to bed way too late.

I'm so glad I found such a cool board! I'm sure I will be posting some questions very soon, I need all the help I can get!

[Momcrochets]

Wlecome then. and ask away! we are a group that loves to help and ask and share. My "me time" is also after the two little ones are in bed, so I can relate here. I've been crocheting about 15 years already (yikes!) and I love it. This group has been a boon, many times...even just for bouncing ideas!

 

Thank you so much for the help! I just needed to double check on that to feel reassured. As far as the HDC....derrrrr!!!!! I can't believe that I had such a blank out, lol. I knew that I had to just do the extra chain stitches at the beginning of the row, somewhere, really, I knew that. I guess I should put my hook down sometimes and get some sleep! After my 3 1/2 year old son goes to bed is my only time to really relax and crochet uninterrupted, but I end up going to bed way too late.

I'm so glad I found such a cool board! I'm sure I will be posting some questions very soon, I need all the help I can get!

[shelly_bean]

I didn't know for the longest time that you had to go through both loops, my mom taught me the right way, but i guess that little tid bit slipped out of my brain.. I bought crocheting for dummies, because i knew it would have detailed stitch instructions. low and behold been doing it wrong all these years.. doh

[hooked2]

Starywary,

 

And if you want to see someone actually "do" crochet stitches, on over to the Nexstitch site to look at some fabulous crochet stitch videos!! They're really worth the trip.