crochet 101 :: crochet in the front loop

Crochet 101 is a series of crochet tutorials where I will teach you how to complete the basic stitches needed to crochet.

Hi :) 

So far, in Crochet 101, we have learned how to:

• Make a slip knot
• Chain stitch
• Slip stitch (part II)
• Single crochet (part II)
• Half double crochet (part II)
• Double crochet (part II)
• Treble crochet (part II)
and
• Crochet in the back loop (part II)


So, lets move on to lesson 15:

When crocheting, the 'default' way of working a stitch is to put your hook through both the front and back loops of the stitch you are working into. If a pattern doesn't say to work in back loop only or front loop only, then it is safe to say that you will be working the stitches through both top loops.

In the picture above, the needle is placed into the stitch to show you the default way (working in both loops of a stitch) of inserting your hook into the stitch. The rest of this tutorial will show you what it means to work in the front loop only.

*PLEASE NOTE: This tutorial is written with the assumption that you know how to make the double crochet stitch and understand what a turning chain is. 

I will be showing you how to do this technique using the double crochet stitch, but the same actions can be done with any stitch.

Let's get started!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You will need:

*Yarn

*Hook

In this post, I show you where to look for what type of hook you will need for your yarn.

Step 1:

 Make your first row of stitches.

In this case, I've made a row of 10 double crochets.

Step 2:

Chain 3 for your turning chain.

Step 3:

 Turn your work.

Now, before we move on...

 I want you to tilt your work so you are looking at the top of the stitches.

 As I said before, all stitches are made by inserting your hook into both loops of the stitch (shown in the picture above with the needle).

 To work your stitches in the front loop only, you will be inserting your hook into the loop closest to you (shown with the needle). This is known as the front loop.

Step 4:

 Yarn over.

Step 5:

 Insert your hook into the front loop only of the stitch.

  It should look like this.

Now continue with the stitch as normal...

Step 6:

 Yarn over.

Step 7:

 Pull through.

Step 8:

 Yarn over.

Step 9:

 Pull through 2 loops. 2 loops remaining on your hook.

Step 10:

 Yarn over.

Step 11:

 Pull through the last 2 loops on your hook. You have made 1 double crochet in the front loop only.

Again...

 Yarn over.

 Insert your hook into the front loop of the next stitch.

 Yarn over.

Pull through.

Yarn over.

Pull through 2 loops. 2 loops left on the hook.

Yarn over.

Pull through the last 2 loops on the hook. You have completed 2 double crochet stitches in the front loop only and with the turning chain, have a total of 3 stitches in the front loop only.

Repeat steps 4-11 across the row until you get to the last stitch (the turning chain).

Your work should look like this.
Because we are working in the front loop only of our stitches, the ridges that are created by this effect are on the back of our work.

Tomorrow I will show you how to work the last stitch of the row!

Below is a video I made to show these steps in action. I have slowed the video down so that every step is seen. I have also added music to the video because I filmed this video with my phone and I have no idea how to mute the background while recording. Feel free to mute if piano is not your thing lol

Enjoy!

Let me know if you're having difficulty with anything!

See you tomorrow!