In an earlier post, I had a tutorial about starting single crochet without a chain. A similar technique works great with most other stitches, also double crochet. Today I made a video about how to do that.
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Starting without a chain is also called foundation crochet or chainless foundation. It is such a useful technique for many purposes. It is much easier to calculate your stitches when starting a new project this way. No danger of getting a long chain into a twist. You get a great stretchy first row or round. Especially when working on long projects like scarves, you can see directly how long the piece is. A long chain is harder to measure.
You can equally well use the chainless foundation double crochets when you need to add more stitches at the end of a row and can’t use a chain. I’m also showing that in the tutorial video. This has been used in my rabbit applique motif that has become very popular. It was actually while I was making a written pattern for that video that I realised I don’t have a video showing this technique!
On the video I’m using an ergonomic crochet hook with a soft handle. I find them so comfortable to use.
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Watch the tutorial video
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Pin the tutorial for foundation double crochet:
This is the clearest tutorial I have seen and heard for foundation dc, it actually makes sense – thank you.
Thank you, I’m very glad to hear that!
Great tutorial. Question… when a pattern calls for chain 54, dbl crochet on 3rd chain, how many chainless dbl crochets do you do…54 or 52?
You also have 3 chain stitches at the start, so it would be 54 minus 3, so 51 dc.
So far you have done the best video on a slow faces that someone can understand
That’s good to hear ๐
I think great idea love it
Thank you – yes, it is handy ๐
Can’t wait to find something to make with this new stitch. .great tutorial
Thank you for your explanation.
Thank you ๐
Thank you for the explanation,.
Thank you, great if it was useful!
This is wonderful – you explain it very clearly. Tk u for taking the time to teach it to us.
I have a question: Can this be made with sc and dc stitches at once – in other words, if you have a pattern that calls for sc then dc then sc then dc as foundation. Or is this method only good if you want to crochet all single crochets, or double crochets? Thank you!
Thank you!
Yes, you can use this method and alternate between sc and dc, although it is a bit hard to do it so that the sc doesn’t pull the dc to be too short. But in theory it works fine.
Thank you for getting back to me – much appreciate it. Will have to try that next time. This method makes a cleaner edge – with regular method it always seems to be “wavy” or uneven and leaves holes it seems once you start pattern. Many tks.
Love the way you do your videos – slow, concise and easy to follow. Thank you for sharing your talent, videos and patterns with the rest of us.
Thank you! I keep trying to think of video subjects that would be useful!
Try chaining instead of ch 3 to start a new row of dc. It keeps sides straight.
Ch2. To start each new row of dc. Instead of ch3 will keep edges straighter.
I have a separate video about keeping the edges straight, you can see it here: https://youtu.be/89SCjbSC1mQ
Thank you Tuula for all your crochet knowledge you pass on to us!. You are such a great teacher. Thankyou!
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoy my content!
Thank you for showing me this. It makes the crochet project look so much neater. I crochet left handed so I have to do everything backwards. Kinda hard or in fact for anyone to pick up where I leave off. I had to learn how to crochet by myself because no one could teach me how.
Left-handed crochet seems to be hard, I have actually never seen it done! Hope there are tutorials for that as well!
This is brilliant – so clear and precise. The 1st time I’ e actually made a foundation stitch I’m pleased with. Thank you so much!
Thank you, that’s great, I’m so glad you found the tutorial useful!
I enjoyed your tutorial . Iโm new to crocheting and love to learn new techniques.
Thank you, great to hear! Enjoy crocheting ๐
Thank you Tuula for such a clear tutorial.
Thank you, glad it was useful!