Basic BSC Tutorial

Getting started: Basic front-and-back sc.

With knitting worsted and a size H crochet hook, ch 21.

Row 1-Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each st across. Ch 1, turn. There are 20 ch.

Row 2-(WS) With the yarn coming from the ball in front of the hook, *

Insert hook from back to front through the 2 loops in the next sc of the row below:

YO hook:

Draw up a loop:

Yo hook, and through 2 loops on hook.

This is a back-to-front sc [bsc]. Keep the yarn coming from the ball in front of the hook, and repeat from * across the row. Note: If you are left-handed, hold the images up to a mirror (unfortunately, I didn't have the space to add the left-handed photos on the website) Ch 1, turn.

Row 3-Sc in each st across row.

Repeat rows 2-3 for pattern. Be sure you are inserting your hook through 2 loops of the stitch below, whether you are working front to back or back to front. Your work will look something like this:

Right side of work

Wrong side of work

You will notice that the odd and even rows are not exactly alike; they tilt in opposite directions. When you work back-to-front, you are actually mimicking the movements of a crocheter who works with the opposite hand. If you are right-handed, even rows will look like a left-hander worked them, and left-handers’ even rows will look like a right-hander worked them. If you can crochet with both hands, you would not need this new technique. However, this technique is easier than constantly changing hands and reversing your work.

Being able to have your work look like you did it with the opposite hand can be useful if you need to pick up another crocheter’s project, or even if you want to demonstrate how to crochet and your student crochets with the opposite hand. He or she can sit across from you while you crochet back-to-front.