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Tips & Techniques

The Advanced Foundation Chain

Updated April 14, 2022
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If you are wanting to take your crochet skills to the next level, you could do something as simple as changing the way you do your foundation chain. In the majority of my tutorials, I show you how to work into the front top loop of the foundation chain. This is simply to keep it as easy as possible for you, however, when it comes to adding a border, you can sometimes notice that the foundation chain looks slightly untidy as you are working stitches into it. So today I wanted to show you the advanced foundation chain technique.

The technique is only a minor adjustment that will take a little practice BUT it does make a difference to the finished product of your work. Here is an example of getting it correct and incorrect. As you can see from the photo, the incorrect part of the chain doesn’t sit as well. This can happen if you are chaining into the back loops but then accidentally going into the front loops at times.

Crochet Terms

Chain (ch): Yarn over, pull through one loop on hook

Double Crochet (dc): Insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull through two loops (2 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops.

Notes: A beginner may work the first row of stitches into the top loop of the foundation chain.  When working into the foundation chain at the end of your project, the remaining loops of the foundation chain can make your work look loose or messy.

With this new technique, the top of the stitches and the remaining loops of the foundation chain will look similar and working a border into the foundation chain will look cleaner than the beginner method.

Main Section
Steps

Make a slip knot and chain 15.

Examine the chain: When looking at the row of Vs made by your chains, each chain has a bottom loop, top loop and the back loop.  The back loop is seen when you roll the V’s toward you and see the other bumps along the back side.  You may also hear this being referred to as the ‘back bump’ or ‘spine’ of the chain.

Advanced Foundation Chain

Advanced Foundation Chain

For this tutorial, we are going to work our stitch into that back bump.  Insert hook into the back bump to draw up your loop, finish your stitch.

Work slowly so that you don’t pull the existing foundation chains too tightly or you might get confused about which loop to choose.  I like to pinch my chain when I put in the stitch so I’m not pulling on the back bump too much.

Your resulting piece, after one row of double crochet, should show a row of Vs at the top and at the bottom.  The bottom V’s are the normal top and bottom loops from the original foundation chain.


There is a video tutorial below demonstrating this technique for you. I’d love to know if you give it a go. Leave me a comment below and let me know what you think.

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Advanced Foundation Chain

Advanced Foundation Chain

 
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19 Comments

  • Jane
    November 2, 2018 at 8:27 pm

    AWESOME, THANK YOU VERY MUCH

    Reply
  • sarah.oyston
    December 3, 2018 at 6:45 am

    Much neater edge, thank you

    Reply
  • clairemack
    June 30, 2019 at 11:07 am

    Makes a big difference, I’m just learning the no chain foundation rows just now through your tutorials, no matter who’s tutorial I’m using I always come back to you to learn whatever stitch that appears new to me , I started crocheting with you and you explain so well taking your time to show and explain exactly what your doing thank you so much for your tutorials and I can’t wait for the CALs starting super excited only thing is I will want to make more than 1 cushion xx

    Reply
    • BellaCocoTeam
      July 2, 2019 at 10:37 am

      Thank you so much for your feedback and your support, it really does mean a lot to me 🙂

      Reply
  • Roxie
    July 18, 2019 at 10:50 pm

    Thank you Sarah Jayne for this information videos I love your site an videos I have learned so much from watching I’m crocheting sometimes I have trouble seeing the singles etc you r awesome beautiful work

    Reply
    • BellaCocoTeam
      July 23, 2019 at 10:53 am

      You’re very welcome 🙂

      Reply
  • Alicia H.
    July 28, 2019 at 10:16 pm

    Thank you for this tutorial! It’s look much nicer. You do such a fab job of demonstrating in your videos. Do you have a preference between this method or using a chainless foundation? Thanks!

    Reply
    • BellaCocoTeam
      July 30, 2019 at 12:31 pm

      Hi Alicia Thank you for your lovely comments, to be honest I don’t really have a preference 🙂

      Reply
  • Jan
    August 19, 2019 at 8:06 pm

    I love your videos! I am in Ontario, Canada and I do have to make the conversion in my head to North America stitches but it is so easy, as it comes up on the screen. You explain things so well, I am so glad I found your social media and lessons . You inspire me to learn. Thank You

    Reply
    • BellaCocoTeam
      August 19, 2019 at 8:18 pm

      Hi Jan thank you for your lovely comments 🙂

      Reply
  • Bonita Marston
    December 15, 2019 at 12:09 am

    Thank

    Reply
  • Bonita Marston
    December 15, 2019 at 12:11 am

    Thank you so much Sarah, I’m trying this out, so far so good
    I love your videos.

    Reply
    • BellaCocoTeam
      December 19, 2019 at 8:55 pm

      Thank you that really does mean a lot 🙂

      Reply
  • Lona
    April 7, 2020 at 4:54 pm

    I really enjoy your videos. In fact, I have watched your beginners tutorials to learn how to crochet. I’m having trouble making my edges more square. Any suggestions?

    Reply
  • Tracy
    January 3, 2021 at 4:25 am

    How do you end a piece when you start it with no chain foundation?
    Because that first two rows using NFC looks way different than the ending row of a piece.
    I love the NCF to begin but would like to know if there is a way to end a project with the last row looking the same as the first.

    Reply
    • BellaCocoTeam
      January 5, 2021 at 2:47 pm

      Hi Tracey If you end by doing a row of double crochet stitches (UK terms) it should look similar to the beginning

      Reply
  • Heidi
    January 5, 2021 at 9:49 am

    Thank you so much! My chainless foundations just don’t look nice but this works perfect and looks great, especially when you want to add a border.

    Reply
    • BellaCocoTeam
      January 5, 2021 at 2:53 pm

      Hi Heidi You are very welcome 🙂

      Reply

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