In short

According to the Craft Yarn Council's term table (2018), the single crochet stitch (sc) is a UK double crochet. To make one, insert the hook, yarn over and pull up a loop, then yarn over and pull through both loops. Sarah Maker (2024) describes it as a short stitch that makes a dense fabric with no gaps.

Single crochet stitch — The single crochet stitch, abbreviated sc in US patterns, is a short crochet stitch worked by inserting the hook into a stitch, pulling up a loop, and drawing the yarn through both loops on the hook; the result is a dense, firm fabric.

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Single crochet is the stitch that most crochet instruction starts with, and the one a pattern leans on when it needs a firm, tight fabric. The motion is only two steps, which is why designers and brands such as the Craft Yarn Council and Lion Brand teach it right after the chain. This page goes deeper than our overview of basic crochet stitches: it explains what the single crochet stitch is, how it forms, why its turning chain is a single chain, and where it goes wrong. It does not give a pattern. For a made object, follow the free lessons credited at the end.

At a glance

Single crochet
Abbreviation (US)sc
UK namedouble crochet (dc)
Chart symbolX or + (both are used)
Heightshort: taller than a slip stitch, shorter than a half double crochet
Loops on the hook before the last step2
Yarn overs per stitch2 (one to pull up a loop, one to finish)
Usual turning chainch 1, not counted as a stitch
Fabricdense, firm, with very small gaps
Typical gauge, Medium (4) yarn11 to 14 stitches per 4 inches (Craft Yarn Council, 2018)
Good foramigurumi, dishcloths, bags, baskets, sturdy edges

Terms are US throughout; a UK double crochet is worked like the stitch described here.

What the single crochet stitch is

A single crochet is a short stitch that finishes in one pull. Where taller stitches need extra yarn overs and extra pulls through two loops, the single crochet needs one loop pulled up and one pull through two loops. In the Craft Yarn Council’s chart symbols it appears as an X or a plus sign, and the council notes that both are in common use. Sarah Maker, whose tutorial was updated in 2024, adds that it sits between the slip stitch and the half double crochet in height.

Because the stitch is short, it packs many stitches into each inch. That density is why it is chosen for pieces that must keep their shape or hide what is inside them.

The US and UK trap

A US single crochet is a UK double crochet. The Craft Yarn Council’s 2018 term table pairs sc with dc, and the next stitches shift by one name in the same way. The practical risk is a UK pattern that says “double crochet” and a US reader who works a taller stitch: the pieces then come out far too big or too loose. If a pattern uses sc, hdc and dc, it is written in US terms; the stitch list or abbreviations section of the pattern tells you which system you have. Our US vs UK crochet terms page gives the full conversion table.

How to single crochet: the movement

The stitch is the same whether you work into a foundation chain, a previous row or a round. Written in US terms:

  1. Insert the hook into the next stitch, passing it under both loops at the top of the stitch (the V you see from the front).
  2. Yarn over (wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front) and pull up a loop through the stitch. Two loops are now on the hook.
  3. Yarn over again and pull through both loops. One loop remains: that is one single crochet.

Every crochet stitch ends with one loop on the hook, a point Lion Brand makes in its first lesson, and the single crochet is the shortest way to get there from an inserted hook. The Craft Yarn Council and Sarah Maker describe the same motion; Moogly shows it in a right-handed and a left-handed video.

The first stitch into a foundation chain

The first row is the awkward one. Lion Brand calls it the most fiddly row and tells beginners to put the hook through the top of each chain stitch; Moogly suggests loosening your tension, or using a larger hook for the chain, if it is hard to enter. The tutorials start with a chain one longer than the number of stitches wanted and skip the first chain from the hook, which is why a chain of 11 gives 10 stitches in Clover’s lesson. The Craft Yarn Council’s lesson stresses working into the very last chain, and Sarah Maker warns that the last stitch of a row is easy to miss.

Turning and starting a new row

At the end of a row you chain one, turn the work and begin again in the first stitch. The turning chain exists to bring the yarn up to the height of the next stitch. Because a single crochet is short, one chain is enough, and in Sarah Maker’s, Moogly’s and Sigoni Macaroni’s tutorials it does not count as a stitch: you work your first single crochet into the very first stitch and ignore the chain when you count. Experts do not agree on which way to turn: the Craft Yarn Council’s lesson turns counter-clockwise, Sarah Maker clockwise, and Moogly’s page on turning chains says the key is to be consistent throughout a project.

Why the turning chain is ch 1, and why it differs for other stitches

A turning chain is a ladder of chains that matches the height of the stitch that follows. A slip stitch needs none, a single crochet needs one, a half double crochet two, a double crochet three. The chains get longer in step with the stitch, which is also why Sigoni Macaroni’s table says the ch 1 and ch 2 turning chains do not count while the ch 3 of a double crochet does. Counting depends on the pattern, so the notes at the start of a pattern override any general rule. Our double crochet stitch page shows how the longer chain changes the first stitch of each row.

What single crochet is used for

The Craft Yarn Council says that with single crochet alone you can make a scarf, hat, pillow or bag. Sarah Maker lists pillows, top-down beanies, sweaters, and doll and amigurumi patterns. Moogly suggests dishcloths and small pouches for beginners. The pattern behind the choice is always the same:

  • Tight, firm fabric. Plain single crochet leaves almost no gaps. That is why it is the usual stitch for stuffed toys, where stuffing must not show through, and for baskets and bags that have to hold a shape.
  • Work in the round. The stitch works in rows, joined rounds or continuous spiral rounds. For circles, bases and toys, it pairs with the magic ring.
  • Shaping. Two single crochet in one stitch adds a stitch, and working two stitches together removes one (written sc2tog in the Craft Yarn Council’s list of abbreviations). This is how flat circles and rounded shapes are built.
  • Textures. Working in the back loop only creates a stretchy ribbed texture, according to Sarah Maker, which patterns use for brims and cuffs.

It is a less obvious choice when a pattern needs speed or drape. A short stitch needs more stitches and more rows to cover the same area, so large pieces take longer, and the dense fabric moves less than an open one. Sarah Maker presents the double crochet as the stitch for fabric that works up quickly and drapes well, which is why blanket and shawl patterns often prefer it or the half double. See the double crochet stitch page for the difference, and the half double crochet page for the middle stitch, which adds one yarn over and finishes through three loops at once.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

  • Uneven or narrowing edges. A stitch is being lost, usually the last one of the row. Count stitches at the end of each row; Sarah Maker suggests using a stitch marker of one color for the first stitch and another for the last one.
  • Widening edges. The turning chain is probably being worked into, which adds a stitch every row. Moogly calls working into that chain a very rare exception, so treat it as off limits unless your pattern says so.
  • Wrong place to start the row. After turning, the first single crochet goes into the last stitch of the previous row, which is now the first stitch you see.
  • Tight or loopy stitches. Sigoni Macaroni defines tension as the stress put on the yarn while you work. A piece that comes out smaller than intended points to tight tension, and one larger than intended to loose tension. Our page on holding a crochet hook covers grip and yarn hold; fix common crochet mistakes covers curling and uneven edges more broadly.

How to practice

A swatch is a practice piece, not a pattern. Chain a dozen or so, work single crochet across, chain 1, turn and keep going until the sides are straight and the stitches look even. Lion Brand uses a chain of 12 for the first lesson and Clover uses 11 for 10 stitches; the exact number matters less than counting each row and ending with the same total as the first one. Use a smooth, light Medium (4) yarn in a hook size from our chart; the council recommends 5.5 to 6.5 mm (I-9 to K-10½) for that weight, and our guide to yarn weights explains the number on the label. Measure the swatch against the council’s gauge of 11 to 14 stitches per 4 inches to see whether your tension is close to the norm.

When the stitch feels natural, try the next one: the double crochet stitch.

Where to learn from the experts

The free lessons below show the stitch in motion, which is where video beats text. They are written and filmed by the people credited.

For the whole family of stitches, return to basic crochet stitches; to read what the abbreviations in a real pattern mean, see how to read a crochet pattern; and if you are starting from zero, how to crochet walks through the slip knot and the chain first.

Key facts

FAQ

How do you single crochet?

Insert the hook into the next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop so two loops are on the hook, then yarn over again and pull through both loops. One loop remains and the stitch is done. Chain 1 and turn at the end of each row.

Is single crochet the easiest crochet stitch?

It is the stitch most beginners learn first after the chain. It is short, the movements are few and the stitches are easy to count, so mistakes show early. Taller stitches such as the half double and double crochet add one or two yarn overs to the same motion.

Does the turning chain count as a stitch in single crochet?

Usually not. Sarah Maker, Moogly and Sigoni Macaroni all treat the ch 1 at the start of a single crochet row as height only: it is not counted, and the first stitch goes into the very first stitch of the previous row. Always check the notes of your pattern.

What is the UK name for single crochet?

Double crochet. A pattern that writes sc is in US terms, while a UK pattern writes dc for the same stitch. The Craft Yarn Council's term table lists every pair, and our US vs UK terms page explains how to tell which system a pattern follows.

Why does my single crochet swatch keep getting narrower?

The usual cause is a missed stitch, most often the last one of a row or the stitch at the turn. Count the stitches at the end of every row and compare with your first row. A turning chain worked into by mistake does the opposite and makes the sides grow.

Sources

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