Chainless foundation crochet is a way of combining the steps of making a starting chain and the first row of stitches at the same time. This method is especially useful for projects requiring a long starting chain, as it provides a stretchier, cleaner, and less-twisted edge than a traditional foundation chain and it makes you get started much quicker!
Here are just a few benefits of Chainless Foundations (but there are so many more!)
- More stretch: The edge created by foundation stitches has a similar amount of stretch to the rest of the fabric, preventing the common problem of a tight, restrictive starting chain.
- Neat edge: This method creates a clean, even edge that is easy to work into if you need to add a border later.
- Less counting: You don’t have to count a long starting chain and hope you got it right. You simply count your stitches as you go.
- Twist-free: Because you are working the stitches directly, there is no chance for a long chain to get twisted.
- Making interesting Shapes: Extending a row in a project but keeping the row count the same.
Sounds great! So, how do you actually make a foundation single crochet (FSC)?
Good question! Firstly, I want to state that many crocheters seem to be scared of it and you really shouldn’t be! It really is very simple and is so worthwhile. First make a slip knot on your hook as normal and chaining two. You then insert your hook into the second chain, yarn over, and pull up a loop. To create the base chain, yarn over and pull through one loop, then complete the single crochet by yarning over and pulling through the remaining two loops. The rest of your stitches are made by inserting the hook into the bottom “chain” part of the previous stitch, yarning over and pulling up a loop, then repeating the steps to create the base chain and complete the single crochet all in one go!
But there’s more… You can also make a Foundation Double Crochet (FDC)
This is my absolute favourite way of starting most projects. Let me talk you through it. It is also very simple and repetitive as soon as you’ve set up the first couple of stitches. To make a Foundation Double Crochet, start with a slip knot and chain four (sometimes I chain 3 if I want to be a rulebreaker ;-P ). Yarn over and insert your hook into the first chain, yarn over, and pull up a loop. You should now have three loops on your hook. Create the base chain by yarning over and pulling through one loop only. Then finish the Double Crochet by yarning over and pulling through two loops, finally yarning over and pulling through the last two loops. For the rest of the stitches, yarn over and insert your hook into the base chain of the previous stitch, yarn over, and pull up a loop, then repeat the steps again to create the base chain and complete the double crochet. You will soon be in a rhythm! Continue these steps until you have the desired number of stitches and length that you need for your project.
To uplevel your skills even more, I occasionally may also use a Linked Foundation Double Crochet (LFDC), but I will keep that tutorial for a different day when I am explaining the beauty of “The Linked Crochet Family”! For this post we will just focus on the “Chainless Foundation Family” of stitches.
I have a series of left and right-handed tutorials on my Youtube Channel on Chainless Foundations, so check them out on the link below.
Love Claire x
Hello Lovely, I hope you found this written tutorial helpful. To watch the accompanying video tutorial, click below.