Crocheting a chain is pretty simple, right? Right... until you try to figure out how to start one, if you're like me. When I was first learning how to crochet, my mom and older sister tried to teach me how to start it properly, with the slip knot and all that. My poor brain couldn't figure it out, so finally my sister gave up and said, "Look. Just do it this way."
That's the way I'm going to show you how to do it. Super easy, straightforward, and holds just as well as the slip knot without half as many steps. :) First I'll include the one minute video, and then I'll write out step by step (or rather, THE step) how to do this simple "hack."
Please ignore that I didn't get my hook through the loops the first time (I was looking through the phone screen, so I couldn't see as well). Let's not talk about the fact that I don't hold my hook correctly either... it's just easiest for me that way. ;P Maybe I take a lot of shortcuts in my crocheting, but (shh...) it works just as well as following all the rules! And I have no shame in holding my hook "wrong" or using a super quick hack for starting my chain.
As promised, the written step...
To start, drape your yarn over your left forefinger, short end in front, as usual. Grab the short end between your thumb and middle finger, insert hook between forefinger and middle finger, hold the hook against the yarn, and twist towards you and completely around so that you have a loop around the hook. Then simply yarn over and pull through the loop to make your first chain.
Didn't watch the video and it sounds complicated? Just go back and watch the video... I promise it's not near as hard as my wordy explanation makes it sound.
Want more crochet tips? Log in (it's super easy, just put in your name and email) and drop me a comment letting me know what you want! (Or if you have any questions about this start-a-chain hack... hopefully I'm not THAT confusing!)