Chain Slip-knot (Fig. 63).—We will start then with a slip-knot, which forms the first loop for the chain (Fig. 63). Wind the wool once round the first two fingers of the left hand and pull the long end of the wool through the circle thus made in a such a way as to form a loop; insert the hook; pull both ends of the wool and tighten the knot sufficiently to leave an easy passage for the hook through it. The next stitch is made by taking up the long end of the wool with the hook and drawing it through the loop. Repeat this process until the length of chain required has been obtained (Fig. 64). A little practice will soon give the regularity of stitch necessary.
Fig. 64.
Single Stitch.—To practise single crochet, make a chain about 12 inches long; put the hook into the upper half-loop of the second chain; throw the wool over the point and draw it through this half-loop and through the loop which is already on the hook. Proceed in this way to the end of the chain; work one chain; turn and work back again, taking care to put the hook into the upper half of the stitch of the previous row. Thus the first stitch of each succeeding row is always worked into the back of the last stitch of the preceding row.
PLATE XV.
TWO SIMPLE BASKETS ([See p. 169])
Double Stitch.—Double stitch is not very different from single stitch. Put the hook into the upper half of the third chain from the hook, as in single stitch; pass the wool over the hook and draw it through. There are now two loops on the hook. Pass the wool over again and draw it through these two loops; continue to the end of the chain and turn as in single stitch.
Treble Stitch.—This stitch uses up much more wool than the two preceding ones. Begin by passing the wool over the hook, then insert it in the upper half of the chain already made; draw the wool through and there will be three loops on the hook. Put the wool over the hook and draw it through two loops; put it over a third time and draw through the two remaining stitches. That completes a treble stitch. It will now be noticed that for a single stitch the wool passes over the hook once, for a double stitch it passes over twice, and for a treble stitch it passes over three times.
Long Treble Stitch.—Long trebles are made by passing the wool twice over the hook to begin with, then working it by drawing the needle through two by two, always remembering to pass the wool over the hook, just as in treble stitch. When working trebles to and fro, four or five chain stitches must always be made at the end of each row before turning. When the work is turned, these chain stitches form, or rather replace, the first treble, which is skipped. This keeps the edges more regular.