Basic Stitches for Crocheting Amigurumi

In this article, we teach you the basic stitches for crocheting our little friends, amigurumi.

CHAIN STITCH / CHAIN (CH)

This is the most basic stitch and the foundation for many of our creations.

The chain stitch begins with a slip knot, and then we continue crocheting chains until we reach the desired length. It is recommended to use a hook one size larger than the one we will use for the main crocheting, as this will make the chain looser when we work on it.

MAGIC RING / MAGIC CIRCLE (MR)

The magic ring, more than a stitch, is the technique used to start most amigurumi.

To make it, we hold the yarn and wrap it around the left finger. Then, we work single crochets around the ring, and once we have the desired number of stitches, we pull the free end to close the circle and tighten the ring.

SINGLE CROCHET (SC)

The single crochet, also called half stitch, is one of the basic crochet stitches and one of the most commonly used in amigurumi patterns.

To crochet a single crochet, insert the hook into the next available stitch from the previous ROUND, grab the yarn and pull it through the stitch. There will now be two loops on the hook. To finish, grab the yarn again and pull it through both loops, releasing those stitches and leaving only one loop formed with the yarn we just pulled..

DOUBLE CROCHET (DC)

The double crochet is approximately twice as tall as the single crochet.

To make it, yarn over and insert the hook into the base stitch. Yarn over again and pull through the first two loops. Then, yarn over once more and pull through the remaining two loops.

HALF DOUBLE CROCHET (HDC)

The half double crochet, also called half treble, is another basic stitch we will often encounter in patterns.

To make it, yarn over the hook and insert it into the base stitch. Yarn over again and pull through the base stitch—you will now have three loops on the hook. Yarn over once more and pull through all three loops.

SLIP STITCH (SL ST)

The slip stitch, also known as the invisible stitch or false stitch, is used to finish crochet work and reinforce edges. It can also be used to join parts of a project.

To make it, insert the hook into the base stitch, grab the yarn, and pull it through both loops on the hook. This way, we progress in the work without increasing the height.

INCREASES (INC)

Increases are made by crocheting two stitches into the same stitch. To do this, in the spot where we want to increase, we crochet one stitch and then insert the hook into the same stitch to form the increase.

DECREASES (DEC)

Unlike increases, decreases are used to close the work when crocheting in a spiral.

There are several ways to make decreases. The most common is to close two stitches together as if they were one. This is done by inserting the hook from behind into the first stitch of the previous ROUND, then into the next stitch, grabbing the yarn, and closing. We can also make decreases simply by skipping the next stitch.

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