CROCHET BASICS
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ANATOMY OF A CROCHET STITCH
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When you are a crochet beginner, you may wonder "insert my hook where?" Knowing and understanding the parts of a crochet stitch are just as important as knowing your crochet tools! This tutorial explains the parts of a single crochet stitch (double in UK terms), this is the most commonly used stitch in amigurumi.
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Each single crochet stitch is made up of a post and 2 top loops. Viewed from above, you can see that the crochet stitch looks like a lying letter V - this is made up of a front loop and a back loop.
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FRONT LOOP
The front loop is the top loop of a stitch that is nearest to you when you hold your work. In crochet patterns you will come across instructions like front loop only (flo), this means you insert your hook into this loop only. This will create a ridge on the wrong side of your work.
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BACK LOOP
The back loop is the top loop of a stitch that is furthest from you when you hold your work. In crochet patterns you will come across instructions like back loop only (blo), this means you insert your hook into this loop only. This will create a ridge on the right side of your work. This technique is often used to make it easier to then attach content to the remaining front loops.
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POST
This is the body of a stitch which is in between the top two loops and the base of the stitch. The post is very short in a single crochet.
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BACK BUMP
The back bar, or back bump, lies right behind the back loop of a stitch. Working into this spot leaves you with a visible line of stitches (V's) on the surface of your fabric.
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HOW TO IDENTIFY THE "RIGHT" AND "WRONG SIDE" OF YOUR CROCHET PIECE
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Amigurumi pieces are typically crocheted in the round, in a continuous spiral, which means that the two sides of the crocheted fabric that is produced will look completely different. The "right" side of the fabric generally looks smoother and thus many people prefer it to the "wrong" side of the fabric. I always turn my amigurumi pieces with the "right" side facing out. When the right side faces out the toy takes on a nicer, smoother shape and the invisible decreases are much less visible.
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In the following photos you can see the "right" and "wrong" sides of single crochet stitches worked in rounds. I have shown both the yarn over ('V') single crochet technique and the yarn under ('X') single crochet technique. If you are not familiar with the 'X' single crochet technique, or if you would just like more information on this topic, take a look at my Two Ways to Single Crochet tutorial.
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RIGHT SIDE (FRONT SIDE) "V" STITCH
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Here is what the right side (front side) of the fabric looks like if you work single crochet stitches in the round with a "v stitch" (yarn over) technique. You can see the little V's on the surface.
RIGHT SIDE (FRONT SIDE) "X" STITCH
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Here is what the right side (front side) of the fabric looks like if you work single crochet stitches in the round with a "x stitch" (yarn over) technique. You can see the little X's on the surface.
WRONG SIDE (BACK SIDE) "V" STITCH
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Here is what the wrong side (back side) of the fabric looks like if you work single crochet stitches in the round with a "v stitch" (yarn over) technique. You can see the horizontal lines created by the back bumps of the stitch.
WRONG SIDE (BACK SIDE) "X" STITCH
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Here is what the wrong side (back side) of the fabric looks like if you work single crochet stitches in the round with an "x stitch" (yarn over) technique. You can see the horizontal lines created by the back bumps of the stitch.
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That is it for my crochet basics. Now you are ready to go for it and take on your very first amigurumi project with confidence! If you aren't ready to dive in just yet, perhaps take a look at the rest of my Tips and Tutorials to help you achieve the perfect finish for your amigurumi project every time!
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Thanks so much for stopping by and happy crocheting!
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