nd, not allowing the fingers of
that hand to so much as rest on the work. Hold work with thumb and
second finger of left hand, letting the thread pass over the forefinger,
slightly raised, or held up from the work, under the second, over the
third and under the little finger. These instructions are especially
good for using yarns, when it is desirable to keep the work as soft and
fluffy as possible.

[Illustration: Figure 1. The Chain-Stitch]

THE CHAIN. (Figure 1.) Make a loop of thread around the needle, take up
the thread and draw through this loop (that is, push the hook under the
thread that passes over the forefinger, draw it back, catching the
thread, and pull this through the loop on the needle), forming a new
stitch or loop, take up the thread and draw through this, and so
continue until the chain is of the length required, tightening each loop
as drawn through, so that all will be of uniform size and smoothness.
After a little practise one does this without thought. When
abbreviations are used, that for chain is ch.

THE SLIP-STITCH is properly a close joining stitch: Drop the stitch on
the needle, insert hook through the stitch of work to which you wish to
join, take up the dropped stitch and pull through, thus making a close
fastening. This stitch is sometimes used to "slip" along certain
portions of the work, from one to another point, but single crochet is
more often employed for this. The abbreviation is sl-st.

[Illustration: Figure 2. Single Crochet]

SINGLE CROCHET (Figure 2, frequently called slip-stitch, and sometimes
mitten-stitch) is made thus: Having a stitch on needle, insert hook in
work, take up the thread and draw it through the work and the stitch on
the needle at the same time. The abbreviation is s c.

[Illustration: Figure 3. Double Crochet]

DOUBLE CROCHET. (Figure 3). Having a stitch on needle, insert hook in
work, take up thread and draw through, giving you two stitches on the
needle; take up thread and draw through the two stitches. The
abbreviation is d c. There are many variations of the double-crochet
stitch; the slipper-stitch, or ribbed stitch, is formed by taking up the
back horizontal loop or vein of each stitch in preceding row. A quite
different effect is given when the hook is inserted under both loops.

[Illustration: Figure 4. Treble Crochet]

TREBLE CROCHET. (Figure 4.) Having a stitch on the needle, take up the
thread as if to make a stitch, insert hook in work,