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I don’t know how you feel about chain rows but I’m not a fan. Chaining itself is simple and quick. I love getting into a rhythm and just chaining away. What I don’t like is counting. And it never fails that I lose count during my chains (especially long ones) and I have to recount dozens of times. And then that first row of stitches after a chain seems to take so much longer because it’s hard to find a good hold and the chain tends to twist and make things annoying. And if you realize you miscounted by the time you get all the way across you are kind of screwed. It’s all around a pain. Plus, (and this may only be me) my chain row never seems to end up the right length that I need. I’ll chain a 12″ row but after my first row of stitches it’s down to 10″. I’m sure there’s a tension-based reason for that but I find it annoying and obnoxious and I try to avoid it if possible. 

The best way to do that is the Foundation stitches. I found these and got really excited! I love them. I use them almost exclusively. (You’ll notice that in most of my patterns.) It took me a few tries and watching a few videos before I caught on to how to do it but now there’s no going back. 

Here’s a written description of the stitches but there are also videos at the end. 

Foundation Single Crochet (FSC)

Start with a slip knot and Chain 2. Insert your hook into the first chain. Yarn Over (YO) and Pull Through. There are 2 loops on the hook now. Yarn Over and Pull Through 1 loop. This makes your base chain (where you will insert your hook to start the next stitch). Yarn Over and Pull Through 2 loops, this finishes your Single Crochet. Insert your hook into that base chain from the last stitch (where you did the first pull through). Yarn Over, Pull Through, Yarn Over, Pull Through 1 loop, Yarn Over, Pull Through 2 Loops. Repeat until you reach the length you need. 

You are basically working this row sideways, and instead of having an entire row of chains to build on, you are creating a “chain” at the bottom (beginning) of each stitch. 

Foundation Half Double Crochet (FHDC)

Start with a slip knot and Chain 3. Yarn Over (YO) and insert your hook into the first chain. Yarn Over and Pull Through. There are 3 loops on the hook now. Yarn Over and Pull Through 1 loop. This makes your base chain (where you will insert your hook to start the next stitch). Yarn Over and Pull Through 3 loops, this finishes your Half Double Crochet. Yarn Over, insert your hook into that base chain from the last stitch (where you did the first pull through). Yarn Over, Pull Through, Yarn Over, Pull Through 1 loop, Yarn Over, Pull Through 3 Loops. Repeat until you reach the length you need. 

Foundation Double Crochet (FDC)

Start with a slip knot and Chain 4. Yarn Over (YO) and insert your hook into the first chain. Yarn Over and Pull Through. There are 3 loops on the hook now. Yarn Over and Pull Through 1 loop. This makes your base chain (where you will insert your hook to start the next stitch). Yarn Over and Pull Through 2 loops, Yarn Over and Pull Through 2 loops, this finishes your Double Crochet. Yarn Over, insert your hook into that base chain from the last stitch (where you did the first pull through). Yarn Over, Pull Through, Yarn Over, Pull Through 1 loop, Yarn Over, Pull Through 2 loops, Yarn Over, Pull Through 2 loops. Repeat until you reach the length you need. 

Foundation Single Crochet

Foundation Half Double Crochet

Foundation Double Crochet