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    Home » Video Tutorials » Techniques and Tips

    Long Starting Chains Made Easy!

    Published: Mar 9, 2016 · Modified: Nov 8, 2021 by Tamara Kelly · 32 Comments

    Or at least easier! There are many gorgeous patterns out there that start off with a long, long... long chain. We're talking 100, 200, 300 chains or more! There are strategies to keep track (stitch markers are #1!), but mistakes in counting happen. And is there anything worse than getting to the end of the first row and finding out you're just 1 or 2 chains short? This method is one quick and easy solution!

    Let this quick crochet tip change your life - Long Starting Chains Made Easy (or at least easier!) Video tutorials on Mooglyblog.com!

    Long Starting Chains Made Easy - Right Handed

    Long Starting Chains Made Easy - Left Handed

    As Seen in This Video (click for more info)

    • US – G Furls Odyssey Hook
    • Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton 

    In words...

    When you start a long chain for a project, make the slip knot loosely - pinch it with your fingers if needed to keep it in place as you begin chaining. Then, when you think you've chained enough... chain a few more! The longer the chain, the more extras I'll make.

    Finally, work that first row. When you're ready to finish your project, weaving in ends and such, then undo the slip knot, and carefully pull out the extra chains. You can use your yarn needle to make a knot at the base of the first stitch, or just weave in the end, and done!

    The most important thing here is to make that initial slip knot loose, so you can pull it apart later with your yarn needle. It's fiddly at first, but it has saved me hours of grief!

    It's also a great trick for when I'm designing something new, and I know the general width of the project I want, but I'm not sure how many chains I'll need to get started. I just chain to the width I want, plus a few extra for a margin of error, and then start crocheting. Then I can go back and get the chain count when I've got the first row established! If you are designing your own project, it's a great way to get started without the stress!

    Thanks for watching!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. 1

      Margaret

      March 09, 2016 at 3:01 pm

      Great way to give the chain the exact amount of stitches. Thanks for this tutorial.

      Have a great day, Margaret

      Reply
      • 2

        Tamara Kelly

        March 10, 2016 at 1:32 pm

        😀 Thank you Margaret! I'm glad you liked it!

        Reply
    2. 3

      Sharon

      March 09, 2016 at 4:59 pm

      Great tip indeed!

      Reply
      • 4

        Tamara Kelly

        March 10, 2016 at 1:31 pm

        😀 Thank you Sharon!

        Reply
    3. 5

      Joanne bailey

      March 09, 2016 at 9:20 pm

      Thank you so very much. I always wondered what to do in this instance.
      Smiles!!!!!

      Reply
      • 6

        Tamara Kelly

        March 10, 2016 at 1:31 pm

        😀 I'm so glad, thank you Joanne!

        Reply
    4. 7

      Jess | Make and Do Crew

      March 09, 2016 at 9:43 pm

      This seems kind of obvious, but I'm so glad you pointed it out! I can def see how it's helpful with blankets and similar unruly gigantic chains. I also just learned the foundation crochet stitch--between these two new tips, my whole starting-project-world is getting rocked! 🙂

      Reply
      • 8

        Tamara Kelly

        March 10, 2016 at 1:31 pm

        😀 Thank you Jess! It was a "aha" moment for me too when I learned it!

        Reply
    5. 9

      Marilee

      March 10, 2016 at 4:15 pm

      Great Idea! And THANK YOU for always including text content in addition to your videos. I find videos inconvenient to watch (probably bc I'm usually on mobile), so I always skip to your text (which is always clear & concise!). 🙂

      Reply
      • 10

        Tamara Kelly

        March 11, 2016 at 8:49 am

        I try - occasionally I have overlooked it, but I'm trying to do better every time! 🙂 Thank you Marilee!

        Reply
    6. 11

      Kitty

      March 11, 2016 at 5:01 pm

      Thank you so much, wonderful tip!

      Reply
      • 12

        Tamara Kelly

        March 14, 2016 at 1:32 pm

        Thank you! 😀

        Reply
    7. 13

      Tiffany

      March 11, 2016 at 9:18 pm

      Or if you're doing a pattern that has a specific repeat, just count that many, over and over again. I do a ripple blanket that has 14+3 repeat, so I just count 1-14 over and over in my head until I get the chain to be about as long as the blanket should be, then I add 3!

      Reply
      • 14

        Tamara Kelly

        March 14, 2016 at 1:33 pm

        Yes, that's a good way to start too! 🙂

        Reply
    8. 15

      Evelyn

      March 12, 2016 at 12:15 pm

      Something so frustrating simplified....what could be better! Thank you for all your tips. Happy Spring!

      Reply
      • 16

        Tamara Kelly

        March 14, 2016 at 1:18 pm

        😀 Thank you so much Evelyn! I'm so glad you liked it! Happy Spring to you as well!

        Reply
    9. 17

      Michael

      March 12, 2016 at 1:50 pm

      Fantastic idea! Especially for a beginner like me. It's people like you posting tips like this that make crocheting more accessible. Thank you.

      Reply
      • 18

        Tamara Kelly

        March 14, 2016 at 1:08 pm

        😀 Thank you so much Michael!

        Reply
    10. 19

      Randi

      March 13, 2016 at 11:01 am

      Thank you so much for sharing this tip! You have saved me hours, stitch markers and angst!

      Reply
      • 20

        Tamara Kelly

        March 14, 2016 at 11:47 am

        😀 I'm so glad it helped you Randi!

        Reply
    11. 21

      Sue

      March 14, 2016 at 4:08 am

      Brilliant, obviously itll work best with smother threads but I can se it being really useful so long as yarn isnt too flufy. Video & written instructions are greatx.

      Reply
      • 22

        Tamara Kelly

        March 14, 2016 at 11:37 am

        😀 Thank you so much Sue, I'm so glad you liked it!

        Reply
    12. 23

      Sandra

      March 20, 2016 at 2:36 pm

      Thank you for this great tip.!!!
      My question is if the pattern calls for SC in the second row, how do you know how many SC's you need to work without counting? The third row starts the pattern, so only then you would be able to see if you have too many sc's!!! I don't understand how you knew you had too many stitches on the sc row!!!
      I don't know if I am clear enough on this, pls help me understand . I am a novice crocheter, maybe that's why!!!
      Thank you!!!

      Reply
      • 24

        Tamara Kelly

        March 21, 2016 at 10:32 am

        Hi Sandra!

        You still have to count your stitches in the first row. But stitches are typically a lot easier to count than chains, particularly if it's not just a row of plain sc, but something with a stitch repeat. I just made a few sc and called that row "done" for purposes of demonstration for this video. 🙂

        Reply
    13. 25

      Pong

      January 20, 2017 at 10:29 pm

      Thank you for the tip. Now..How about when you.do not have enough chain to work with?

      Reply
      • 26

        Tamara Kelly

        January 25, 2017 at 11:48 am

        That's a little different - I'll have to make a new video! 😀

        Reply
    14. 27

      Cunthia

      April 14, 2017 at 10:17 am

      Great tutorial. I was in my 40s before I learned this one. I'm 59 now. I guess you can teach an old dog.

      Reply
      • 28

        Tamara Kelly

        April 14, 2017 at 10:26 am

        😀 I'm in my 40s and still learning new stuff all the time!

        Reply
    15. 29

      Kathi

      October 15, 2017 at 7:28 am

      Thanks for showing the left handed method. It took me forever to master the magic circle because I have to mirror image everything. Keep those left hander videos coming.

      Reply
      • 30

        Tamara Kelly

        October 16, 2017 at 9:38 am

        😀 I'm so glad it helped!

        Reply
    16. 31

      Anj

      October 26, 2017 at 3:37 pm

      Wonderful post! I have some very old crochet patterns that tell one to cut off the excess chain. I think the idea is to be understood that you cut it off and weave in the ends. No reply necessary - I just wanted to compliment you and to compare old versus new. 🙂

      Reply
      • 32

        Tamara Kelly

        October 26, 2017 at 5:14 pm

        😀 That's really interesting, I haven't come across that before but it makes sense! Thank you for sharing that, I'll have to keep an eye out for it now. 🙂

        Reply

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