Start here · a little extra help
Three routes through the fabric
Working in rows means travelling across a piece, turning it over and coming back. Joined rounds go around a shape and finish with a join. A continuous spiral keeps going without that joining step, so its beginning can disappear unless you mark it.
In a spiral, move the marker into the first stitch of each new round. Do not add a joining slip stitch or turning chain unless the pattern asks for one. Joined rounds and spirals can look similar but their instructions are not interchangeable.
Your small practice goal
Trace the direction arrows before working. Say whether you will turn, join or carry on when you reach the end.
Picture it
Select the diagram to open it at full size. Use the written steps for the actual hook movements.
Words you’ll meet
No need to memorise these. Keep them nearby and look up a word whenever you need it. This guide uses UK names, with US equivalents explained.
Open the plain-English word guide · 6 terms
Chain · ch
A small loop pulled through the loop on your hook. A line of chains often forms the starting edge.
UK dc / US sc
UK double crochet is called single crochet in US patterns. They are the same short stitch.
Slip stitch · sl st
A low connecting stitch: pull the new yarn through the insertion point and the loop on the hook.
Yarn tail
A loose end left at the start, finish or colour change. It needs to be secured inside the fabric.
Turning chain
Chains at the start of a row that reach the next stitch’s height. The pattern says whether they count as a stitch.
Round · rnd
A complete trip around a shape. It may be joined at the end or continue in a spiral.
Quick note: this guide uses UK crochet names. UK double crochet is US single crochet.
Pick the correct route
| Method | What happens | Useful habit |
|---|---|---|
| Rows | Work across, then usually turn | Mark both ends |
| Joined rounds | Finish a round with a join, then start the next | Do not count the joining slip stitch unless told |
| Continuous spiral | Keep going without a closing join | Move a marker to the first stitch of every round |
Make a round tracker
Write three columns in a notebook: round number, instruction, expected count. Tick the round only after counting it. If you are interrupted, attach a note saying exactly where you stopped. ‘Somewhere in round seven’ is not a gift to your future self!
One important colour detail
A spiral keeps climbing, so a colour change can leave a small step. That is different from a mistake in your stitch count. Do not add an unrequested slip stitch to hide it: you may shift the whole pattern. Use the designer's colour-change method instead.
Sources & further learning
Original Crochet By Micky practice notes. See the linked lessons for the underlying techniques.
Checked 24 October 2026. Written in UK terms, with US equivalents where useful. Follow a project's own stitch key if it differs. These are original explanations and practice exercises, not copies of the linked publishers' patterns.