1.     Measure a short tail
Leave a tail of yarn about 4–6 inches long. This is the loose end; the yarn connected to the ball is your “working yarn.”
2.     Make a loop
Hold the yarn so the tail is on the left and the working yarn is on the right.
Cross the working yarn over the tail to form a loop (like making a ribbon awareness loop).
3.     Pinch the crossed point
Pinch the place where the yarn crosses with your thumb and index finger to hold the loop in place. This keeps the loop from twisting as you work.
4.     Reach through the loop
With your other hand, use your fingers (or the crochet hook) to reach through the center of the loop from front to back.
5.     Grab the working yarn
Hook or pinch the working yarn (the strand going to the ball), not the tail. Pull a small bit of that working yarn back through the loop to form a new loop.
6.     Form the slip knot
While holding the new loop you just pulled through, gently pull on both the tail and the working yarn ends. The first loop will slide and tighten around the new loop, forming a knot that can move up and down.
7.     Tighten onto the hook
Place the new loop on your crochet hook (if it’s not already there).
Pull the working yarn gently to snug the loop around the hook. It should be secure but still loose enough that the hook can move easily.
8.     Check your slip knot
Tug the working yarn: the loop on the hook should tighten.
Tug the tail: the loop should loosen slightly.
If that’s happening, you’ve made a correct slip knot.

Before you start:
You should already have a slip knot on your hook and be holding your yarn comfortably.

1.     Hold the hook and yarn
•     Right hand: Hold the hook like a pencil or knife, whichever feels natural.
•     Left hand: Hold the slip knot and tail with thumb and finger, and tension the working yarn (from the ball) over your fingers.
2.     Position the yarn for a yarn over
•     Let the working yarn come over your left index finger.
•     The yarn should be behind the hook, ready to be wrapped over it.
3.     Yarn over (YO)
•     Move the hook under the yarn and then over, so the yarn rests in the hook’s groove.
•     The yarn is now wrapped from back to front over the hook.
4.     Pull through the loop
•     Gently turn the hook so it faces down slightly (to catch the yarn).
•     Pull the yarn through the loop that’s already on your hook.
•     You now have one new loop on your hook and have made one chain stitch.
5.     Repeat for more chains
•     Keep holding the chain near the hook with your left thumb and finger.
•     Repeat: yarn over → pull through the loop on the hook.
•     Each time you do this, you add one chain stitch.
6.     Check your tension
•     The chain should look like a little braid.
•     If it’s too tight, loosen your tension on the yarn.
•     If it’s too loose, hold the yarn a bit firmer.
7.     Count your chains
•     Lay the chain flat and look at the “V” shapes.
•     Each “V” is one chain stitch.
•     Don’t count the loop on the hook.

Before you start
You should already have:
•     A slip knot on your hook
•     A foundation chain of however many stitches your pattern says
For this example, we’ll pretend you chained 11 and will work 10 single crochets across.

Row 1: Working single crochet into the chain
1.     Find the second chain from the hook
•     Don’t count the loop on your hook.
•     Look at the “V” shapes of the chain.
•     The first “V” from the hook is chain 1, the next “V” is chain 2.
•     You will insert your hook into chain 2 from the hook.
2.     Insert the hook into the chain
•     Put the hook through the center of that second chain, under the top loop (or under both top loops if you prefer).
•     The hook should now be sitting in the chain stitch, with yarn below it.
3.     Yarn over (YO)
•     Bring the yarn over the hook from back to front.
•     The yarn should sit in the “throat” of the hook.
4.     Pull up a loop
•     Turn the hook slightly down so it can slide through the stitch.
•     Pull the yarn back through the chain stitch.
•     You now have 2 loops on your hook.
5.     Yarn over again
•     Wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front one more time.
•     You still have 2 loops on the hook.
6.     Draw through both loops
•     Turn the hook slightly downward and pull the yarn through both loops on the hook at the same time.
•     You now have 1 loop on your hook again.
•     This completes one single crochet.
7.     Move to the next chain
•     Look at your foundation chain: move to the next “V” stitch to the left.
•     Insert your hook into that next chain.
8.     Repeat across the row
For each remaining chain:
•     Insert hook into next chain
•     Yarn over
•     Pull up a loop (2 loops on hook)
•     Yarn over
•     Pull through both loops (1 loop remains)
8.     Keep going until you’ve worked into every chain across.
You now have a row of single crochet stitches.

Turning your work for the next row
9.     Chain 1 to turn
•     When you reach the end of the row, chain 1.
•     This chain 1 is your turning chain for single crochet.
10.     Turn your work
•     Flip your work like a page in a book, so your hook is back at the right edge again (for right-handed crocheters; reverse for left-handed).
•     Now you’ll be working into the tops of the single crochet stitches you just made, not into the starting chain.
11.     Identify where to insert the hook
•     Look at the top of the row: you’ll see “V” shapes along the top.
•     Each “V” is the top of a single crochet stitch.
•     Insert your hook under both strands of the V for a standard single crochet.
12.     Work single crochet across the row
Into each “V” across:
•     Insert hook under both loops of the stitch
•     Yarn over
•     Pull up a loop (2 loops on hook)
•     Yarn over
•     Pull through both loops
That’s a single crochet row.

Before you start
You should already have:
•     A slip knot on your hook
•     A foundation chain (any length your pattern says)
For this example, imagine you chained 11 and will work 9 half double crochets across.

Row 1: Half double crochet into the chain
1.     Hold your work and find the third chain from the hook
•     Don’t count the loop on your hook.
•     Look at the “V” shapes of the chain.
•     Count: first V = chain 1, next V = chain 2, next V = chain 3.
•     You will work your first half double crochet into the 3rd chain from the hook.
2.     Yarn over (YO) first
•     Wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front once.
•     You now have 2 loops on your hook (the original loop + the yarn over).
3.     Insert the hook into the 3rd chain from the hook
•     Push the hook through the center of that 3rd chain stitch.
•     You can go under one loop or both loops of the chain (most patterns use the top loop or both loops; either works as long as you’re consistent).
4.     Yarn over again
•     With the hook now inside the chain, wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front again.
•     You still technically have 2 loops on the hook, but you’re ready to pull through the chain.
5.     Pull up a loop
•     Turn the hook slightly down so it can glide through the chain.
•     Pull the yarn back through the chain stitch.
•     You will now have 3 loops on your hook.
6.     Yarn over one more time
•     Wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front again.
•     You still see 3 loops on your hook, but now you’re ready to finish the stitch.
7.     Pull through all three loops
•     Turn the hook slightly down so it doesn’t snag.
•     Pull the yarn through all 3 loops on the hook at once.
•     You now have 1 loop left on the hook.
•     That completes one half double crochet (hdc).
8.     Move to the next chain
•     Look at your foundation chain again.
•     Move to the next “V” to the left (the next chain).
•     Repeat the steps:
•     Yarn over
•     Insert into next chain
•     Yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)
•     Yarn over, pull through all 3 loops
9.     Work across the row
•     Continue working one hdc into each chain until you reach the end of the row.
•     You now have a row of half double crochet stitches.

Turning your work for the next row
10.     Chain 2 to turn
•     At the end of the row, chain 2.
•     This is your turning chain for half double crochet.
11.     Turn your work
•     Flip your work like a page in a book, so the hook is back at the starting side again.
•     Now you’ll be working into the tops of the hdc stitches you just made.
12.     Find the top of each stitch
•     Look at the top edge of your row: you’ll see a row of “V” shapes.
•     Each V is the top of one half double crochet stitch.
13.     Work hdc into each stitch across
For each stitch across the row:
•     Yarn over
•     Insert hook under both loops of the V (standard method)
•     Yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)
•     Yarn over, pull through all 3 loops
That’s a full row of half double crochet.

Before you start
You should already have:
•     A slip knot on your hook
•     A foundation chain (any length your pattern says)
For this example, imagine you chained 13 and will work 11 double crochets across.

Row 1: Double crochet into the chain
1.     Find the 4th chain from the hook
•     Don’t count the loop on your hook.
•     Look at the “V” shapes of the chain.
•     Count: first V = chain 1, next = chain 2, next = chain 3, next = chain 4.
•     You’ll work your first double crochet into the 4th chain from the hook.
2.     Yarn over (YO) first
•     Wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front once.
•     You now have 2 loops on your hook (the loop + yarn over).
3.     Insert the hook into the 4th chain
•     Push the hook through the 4th chain from the hook.
•     You can go under one loop or both loops of the chain (just be consistent).
4.     Yarn over again
•     With the hook inside the chain, wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front.
•     You’re ready to pull through the chain.
5.     Pull up a loop
•     Turn the hook slightly down so it slides smoothly.
•     Pull the yarn through the chain stitch.
•     You now have 3 loops on your hook.
6.     Yarn over, pull through 2 loops
•     Wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front again.
•     Pull the yarn through the first 2 loops on the hook.
•     You now have 2 loops left on the hook.
7.     Yarn over, pull through last 2 loops
•     Yarn over again.
•     Pull the yarn through the remaining 2 loops on the hook.
•     You’re back to 1 loop on the hook.
•     This completes one double crochet stitch.
8.     Move to the next chain
•     Look at your foundation chain and find the next “V” to the left.
•     Repeat the steps:
•     Yarn over
•     Insert into next chain
•     Yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)
•     Yarn over, pull through 2 loops (2 loops remain)
•     Yarn over, pull through 2 loops (1 loop remains)
9.     Work across the row
•     Continue working one dc into each chain until you reach the end.
•     You now have a row of double crochet stitches.

Turning your work for the next row
10.     Chain 3 to turn
•     At the end of the row, chain 3.
•     This chain 3 is usually counted as your first double crochet of the next row (most patterns do, unless they say otherwise).
11.     Turn your work
•     Flip your work like a page in a book, so your hook is back at the start side again.
•     Now you’ll be working into the tops of the double crochet stitches you just made.
12.     Find the top of each stitch
•     Look at the top edge of your row: you’ll see a line of “V” shapes.
•     Each V is the top of one dc stitch.
•     If your pattern counts the ch-3 as a stitch, you’ll usually skip the very first real stitch and work into the next one.
13.     Work double crochet across the row
For each stitch across:
•     Yarn over
•     Insert hook under both loops of the “V”
•     Yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)
•     Yarn over, pull through 2 loops (2 loops remain)
•     Yarn over, pull through 2 loops (1 loop remains)
That’s a complete double crochet row.