Foundation Crochet Stitches | Single, half double and double crochet | The Unraveled Mitten

Today we are going to chat about how to make a foundation crochet stitch! This is one crochet hack I’ve been avoiding for years because I thought it was too hard. But you know what? I tried it, it wasn’t as hard as I thought, and I love it.

What are Foundation crochet stitches?

Well, I am glad you asked, a foundation crochet stitch is an alternative to chaining and working your stitches back across your chains. Instead, the base chain is built right into the stitch. Cool right!

When to use a foundation crochet stitch.

These can be used anytime your foundation row has no chain spaces. This means lacy stitches, like this one, will not work with this technique.

If your pattern calls for traditional starting chains and you want to convert it to using foundation stitches, you’re going to want to base your number of foundation stitches off the stitch count rather than the chain number.

If your pattern is a cowl or something that needs to be worked in the round, crochet as many foundation stitches as your pattern needs and then join the last foundation stitch to the first foundation stitch with a slip stitch. Then use the tail from your beginning chains to close up the gap.

Why use a foundation crochet stitch?

Well for one (and my very favorite) it saves a little bit of time, especially for a blanket or something that has a zillion chains. There is also less chance of miscounting!! I think we’ve all been there when you’re chaining 231 stitches and end up with 229 and have to start all over.

Foundation crochet stitches also make a nice stretchy hem. This is especially useful for things like sweaters, cowls and scarves worked in long rows.

Today I am going to show you how to work all 3 basic foundation crochet stitches: the foundation single crochet (fsc), foundation half double crochet (fhdc), and the foundation double crochet (fdc). As always we are using US crochet terminology.

I know my crochet group on Facebook is really looking forward to this tutorial! Come join the yarny fun and show us your foundation stitches.

Grab your yarn and hook and let’s get started. I am using a worsted weight yarn and 6 mm hook.

When you use a traditional starting chain and crochet back into the chains you’re working horizontal but with these chainless foundation stitches, you will be working vertically stacking your stitches on top of each other.

Foundation Crochet Stitches Video Tutorial

YouTube video

Foundation Single Crochet (fsc)

Foundation Single Crochet Tutorial | The Unraveled Mitten

Step 1: Chain 2

Step 2: Insert hook into 2nd chain from hook and draw up a loop.

Step 3: Chain 1 (not too tightly!) Place a stitch marker here.

Foundation Single Crochet Tutorial | The Unraveled Mitten

Step 4: Now complete your single crochet as normal by doing a yarn over and drawing through the 2 loops on the hook.

Now, this is where I think a lot of people get confused and give up but that stitch marker from step 3 is going to help us get it right. After you get comfortable working these stitches you probably won’t need to use a stitch marker anymore.

Step 5: Insert your hook in the base chain of the previous stitch (aka where we put our stitch marker) and pull up a loop. Remove stitch marker if using.

Foundation Single Crochet Tutorial | The Unraveled MItten
Foundation Single Crochet

Repeat Steps 3-5 for as many foundation single crochets as your pattern calls for. You will end on step 4.

After step 4 just work your pattern as normal.

Use this technique on the Messy Bun Earwarmer.

Foundation Half Double Crochet (fhdc)

Foundation Half Double Crochet Tutorial | The Unraveled Mitten

Step 1: Chain 2

Step 2: Yarnover, insert hook into 2nd chain from hook and draw up a loop.

Step 3: Chain 1 (not too tightly!) Place a stitch marker here.

Foundation Half Double Crochet Tutorial | The Unraveled Mitten

Step 4: Now complete your half double crochet as normal by doing a yarn over and drawing through the 3 loops on the hook.

Step 5: Yarnover, insert your hook in the base chain of the previous stitch (aka where we put our stitch marker) and pull up a loop. Remove stitch marker if using.

Foundation Half Double Crochet Tutorial | The Unraveled Mitten
Foundation Half Double Crochet

Repeat Steps 3-5 for as many foundation half double crochets as your pattern calls for. You will end on step 4.

After step 4 just work your pattern as normal.

Practice your foundation half double crochet on this earwarmer!

Foundation Double Crochet (Fdc)

Foundation Double Crochet Tutorial | The Unraveled Mitten

Step 1: Chain 3

Step 2: Yarnover, insert hook into 2nd chain from hook and draw up a loop.

Step 3: Chain 1 (not too tightly!) Place a stitch marker here.

Foundation Double Crochet Tutorial | The Unraveled Mitten

Step 4: Now complete your double crochet as normal by doing a yarn over and drawing through 2 loops twice.

Step 5: Yarnover, insert your hook in the base chain of the previous stitch (aka where we put our stitch marker) and pull up a loop. Remove stitch marker if using.

Foundation Double Crochet Tutorial | The Unraveled Mitten
Foundation Double Crochet

Repeat Steps 3-5 for as many foundation double crochets as your pattern calls for. You will end on step 4.

After step 4 just work your pattern as normal.

The Petoskey Lace Cowl is great practice for the Foundation Double Crochet!

What did you think? Harder or easier than you thought?

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Tutorial: Foundation Crochet Stitches | Single, half double and double crochet | The Unraveled Mitten | Learn this time saving fun technique with this in-depth photo tutorial!

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18 Comments

  1. Fantastic tutorial. I get you use stitch counts not number of chains but will a foundation hdc replacing a starting row of chains then a 2nd row of hdc mean I have done rows 1& 2 in the foundation row?? Then will it throw out rows of fancy stitch later on. Eg I have to do crossed half double crochet stitch. To make it match right side and wrong side will I need to do an extra row of hdc immediately after foundation so i am back on right side???

  2. Hello. Is there any way to use the foundation method when the pattern calls for 2 types of stitches? For example, the pattern I am using calls for 37 chains, and the first row would be sc, dc, sc, dc until the end of the row.

  3. Thank You very much! For me, the Combo of your Written instructions and Video were great! I’m starting my first Afghan with this Method rather than Chaining.

  4. Hello Heather,

    Your tutorials are lifesavers! Thank you.

    Would you have a sample tutorial how to begin a pattern AFTER the Chainless foundation stitches chain is complete? That would be extremely helpful.

    Thank you.

    1. You just carry on as your pattern states. Usually, this starts with turning your work and then chaining up to the height of your stitch needed for the row (ie: ch 1, ch 2, ch 3).

  5. Thank you for this! I’ve tried to do this so many times with no success. You made it seem so easy. Just started a blanket with the hdcsc and it looks great.

    1. I’ve pretty much matters the basic foundation stitches but I can’t seem to get this commination…

      I need to do a dc, ch 1, sk 1, dc, ch 1, sk 1, etc and I can’t seem to figure out how to make that slip stitch help!

  6. I found you late last night. Early this morning I came right to my computer, looked up your blog and voilà, I am going to be the next crochet virtuoso.

    Thank you, thank you for all us beginners out here that want to learn to crochet. If I am trying to learn, it proves that it is never too late!

  7. What a GREAT shortcut. I also like the finished edge better than crocheting into the chain. After several false starts, I got the hang of it (I’m starting my afghan with HDC)!! Two things that helped me:
    CH 1 in step 3 MUST BE VERY LOOSE. It felt uncomfortable making it as loose as I did, but the outcome was great.
    Holding the project from the top instead of side helped me locate which previous chain to work my next CH/HDC. I used markers for a few stitches, but skipped it after I got the hang of it.
    Thanks!

  8. Hi! I don’t see a stitch marker in your pictures. As you said, I think that’s where most people are confused. It just says, “Place a stitch marker here.” I’m not sure where “here” is. In one of the loops on the hook? Between them?
    Thanks!

  9. How does starting this way affect the count? Do you need to make an extra stitch to make up for the end where you would chain 2 or is there a place to make the stitch on the return? When I tried it with single crochet I either had 1 extra or 1 short; maybe not short, but the rows didn’t line up.

    1. It may help if you leave a stitch marker in your first “chain” you make-which is in step 3 of this tutorial-so when you count your stitches you know for sure which is the first stitch. This changes the count in a pattern only if your pattern says,’chain 32 DC in 2nd chain from hook.’ In this case you actually need 30 stitches but you chain 32 because you skipped 2 that act as the first DC. With the foundation DC that extra chain 2 is not needed so you follow this tutorial for 30 times. In a nut shell if using a pattern that starts with chaining ‘x’ amount go by the stitch count NOT by the chain count.
      I hope this made sense.

      1. Thanks for helping me understand! I’ll keep trying.
        I think once I get it, it’ll make life easier.

      2. Thank you SOOO much for making these written ‘how-to’ for the foundation crochets. i’ve seen several of the tutorials and, while they were good, i do most of my work up in my bedroom, so i don’t have my PC up there to look at. now i can have these to be my ‘go to sheets’. also, nobody suggested using the stitch markers in the tutorials, but i like that idea and will use them tonight. thank you!

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