Crochet can mean a lot of counting. I’m a dutifully counter with my projects, but sometimes I still make mistakes. I tend to make a lot of my mistakes on the first row. Like when I make too few chains. So, I give you, How To Add Crochet Stitches Without Starting Over!
I tend to use a lot of stitches that have to be worked in a certain multiple. And there is nothing worse than when you get to your last stitch.. and you were supposed to have one more.
If you’re familiar with the foundation stitch, which is when you crochet a single crochet at the same time as you work the chains. Then you’re in luck, because you’re essentially just adding those to your existing work. Regardless, let me show you how to do it.
Here’s my post on a, Good Foundation…Stitch if you’re interested.
How To Add single Crochet Stitches Tutorial
I’m going to assume you’ve already made your chain and you’re on your row of single crochet.
Put your hook into the last stitch of your row and pull up a loop, this is is your chain.
Make a chain, yarn over, and pull through both of the loops on your hook. That’s your single crochet.
You can repeat this process as many times as you need to get the right number of stitches.
How to add Half double crochet Stitches
If your first row is half double crochet, or double crochet, then here’s the instructions for that.
Yarn over, put your hook into the last stitch of your row and pull up a loop, this is is your chain.
Make a chain, yarn over, and pull through all three of the loops on your hook. That’s your half double crochet.
How to Add double crochet stitches
Yarn over, put your hook into the last stitch of your row and pull up a loop, this is is your chain.
Make a chain, yarn over, and pull through two loops, yarn over.
Pull through the last two loops on your hook. That’s your double crochet.
Now obviously if you are past your first row when you find that you don’t have enough stitches… This won’t really help you. I’m afraid there’s no short cut if you’re on your 5th row and just didn’t realize your count was off. However, I find this technique very useful for when I realize I didn’t make enough starting chains. Especially on a larger project, I’m quite happy to not have to start over an work into every chain all over again. What do you think? Would you use this technique? Let me know in the comments below.
If you liked this post on How To Add Crochet Stitches Without Starting Over, then you might like my monthly newsletter. Every month I share a joke, a book recommendation, a new subscriber only pattern, and exclusive coupons for my premium PDF pattern in my etsy shop. You’ll also get updates on what’s coming up in the future. You can join and become a Stitchcrafter, what I call my subscribers, right here:
Subscribe to my newsletter!