SOME FEW INSTRUCTIONS IN CROCHET-WORK, which may be of use to some of our lady readers.
In the first instance, the crochet-hook should be very smooth, made of fine steel, and fixed in handles. The stitches used are chain, slip, single, double, treble, and long treble crochet.
Chain Stitch (ch) is made by forming a loop on the thread, then inserting the hook, and drawing the thread through the loop already made. Continue this, forming a succession of stitches.
Slip Stitch is made by drawing a thread at once through any given stitch and the loop on the needle.
Single Crochet (sc). Having a loop on the needle, insert the hook in a stitch and draw the thread through in a loop. You have then two on the hook; draw the thread through both at once.
Double Crochet (dc). Twist the thread round the hook before inserting it in the stitch, through which you draw the thread in a loop. There will then be three loops on the hook; draw the thread through two, and then through the one just formed and the remaining one.
Treble Crochet (tc), and Long Treble (long tc), are worked in the same way; in treble the thread is put twice, in long treble three times, before inserting it into the stitch.
Square Crochet is also sometimes used. The squares are either open or close. An open square consists of one dc, two ch, missing two on the line beneath before making the next stitch. A close square has three successive dc. Thus any given number of close squares, followed by an open, will have so many times three dc, and one over; therefore any foundation for square crochet must have a number that can be divided by three, having one over.
To contract an Edge. This may be done in dc, tc, or long tc. Twist the thread round the hook as often as required, insert it in the work, and half do a stitch. Instead of finishing it, twist the thread round again, until the same number of loops are on, and work a stitch entirely; so that, for two stitches, there is only one head.
To join on a Thread. In joining, finish the stitch by drawing the new thread through, leaving two inches for both ends, which must be held in.