Crochet Practice Tutorial

Before you brave this tutorial, you should be able to crochet chain stitch. Already know how? Let's get started! We'll make a small practice swatch to get you going.
Quick instructions
We'll walk through how to do the stitch step-by-step, but it can help to see it all in one spot. Here's the gist of how to single crochet:
Insert your hook into the indicated space. Wrap the working yarn around your hook and pull it through the space. You'll have two loops on your hook. Wrap the working yarn around your hook once and pull it through both loops on the hook.
That's it! Keep reading for a more detailed look at the stitch and a practice swatch tutorial.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1:
Chain 20 sts. (This will give you plenty of chances to practice your single crochet!)

Step 2:
Skip the first chain from the hook. Insert your hook into the center of the second chain from front to back. You now have two loops on your crochet hook.
Hook into the chain stitch

Step 3:
Wrap the working yarn around your hook from back to front.
wrap yarn around hook

Step 4:
Pull the yarn through the chain stitch.
Stitching single crochet

Step 5:
Wrap the yarn around your hook from back to front once more.
How to stitch a single crochet

Step 6:
Pull the yarn through both loops on the hook.
You've completed one single crochet!
How to stitch single crochet

Step 7:
To move to the next stitch, repeat these steps, inserting your hook in the next chain.
The turning chain

Remember: You only have to skip a chain at the beginning of the first row. After you complete your first row, you'll chain one stitch before turning your work to begin the second row. This is called a turning chain, and it just gives the first stitch of your crochet row height so it lines up with the other stitches.
The turning chain does not count as a stitch, and you only need to do it at the end of the row. Need more help? Check out this in-depth look at turning chains.
Single crochet on the second row

Once you've crocheted that turning chain, you might notice that the stitches you're about to crochet into look slightly different than the chain you started with in your first row. Instead of crocheting into the center of the chain, you'll insert your hook into the top of the single crochet stitch.
Stitching the second row of single crochet
While it's true that you're inserting your hook into two loops, treat them as one. Wrap the yarn around the hook, then pull the loop through that stitch, leaving you with two loops on your hook. Wrap the yarn around the hook once more, pull through the two loops, and you've made a single crochet!