Foundation without a chain!!!

Here is the tip I am so happy I got to know. How to make a foundation without a chain. I know right? it’s the most incredible thing you can imagine – if you are a crocheter.. i guess if you are a rocket scientist, or a carpenter you will not be that amazed…

BUT for us crocheters, this is a headache free beginning of a new project – The most annoying thing ever. If you are a crocheter (which I hope you are cause this blog is for you :), if you are not I hope you enjoy my writing.. :P) , then you know that there is a thing called chain, and when you start a straight project – scarf, sweater a banner or whatever,  you have to start with a chain. A chain. It is not always the same size or it’s too tight or too loose, and do you count the first? the last? but i need to do a hundred (!), oops I lost my count…..  so you get the idea, or you already feel it with your hands..

This is why I am so anxious to share this knowledge with you! The chain less foundation is so amazing, IT CHANGED MY LIFE!! no. not for real, but think about it: you can start with your project right away! the foundation counts as your first line! no line 0 any more, no trying to count too many little holes no more frogging before you even start…  and on top of that, it’s stretchy and elastic like your entire fabric so you will not have the usual chain stiffness any more!!

Let’s see how it works, the point is to create your stitch and the chain at the same time. the pictures shows Double Crochet (DC) but you can do it with any stitch once you understand the concept:

You have to begin with a chain in the height of your stitch + chain (for DC-> 3 for SC ->2 etc..) and that’s where the chains ends so now you have your hook in a loop:

yarn over as you would do for your HDC:

The tricky part is to get it in the right place: so you need to insert the hook to the first chain that you did, in the picture you can see the WIP and see it in the middle after you already did a stitch or 2, but the first one is the same you treat the stitch from before as if it is the row below of any other crochet project (genius right?) 

Pull yarn through that loop:

then pull it again! here is your chain!! 

now continue the stitch as you would normally do: yarn over:

pull through 2 loops:

yarn over

pull trough 2 loops

and you are done!!!

when you finish your foundation row, just continue as usual: 2 chains and DCs or whatever your pattern is. it is also easier to make shoes with this trick.

That’s all the secret. once you get it for DC, you can do it for any other stitch…