FOR YOUR INFORMATION
There are just some things you need to know.

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Crochet 101:  The Basics

Step 1:  Making the slip knot.

Drap yarn over the front of your fingers with tail hanging about 3 inches below the middle finger of your non-writing hand. Hold it down with your thumb.

Wrap the running yarn to the back of your fingers.

Now bring the yarn to the front again so you have 2 strands.

Flip your fingers again to the back, crossing the second strand over the first.

Slip the hook face down under the first strand but over the second.

Squeeze your ring finger next to your middle and thumb next to your index finger to hold the strand in place; then pull the second hooked strand under the first.

Pull the running yarn strand until the slip knot tightens around the hook.

Place the knot around the tapering line of the hook.

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Crochet 101:  The Basics

Step 1:  Making a swatch with a modified half double crochet stitch.
            Mnemonic device:  Wrap once, pull once.
                                       Wrap twice, pull twice. 

Wrap once, pull once to create your chain.

Make the foundation by chaining 10. (Count the bumps on the top to make sure.)

Add 1 chain stitch to grow your next row.

Go into the correct stitch. Look for the bump without fiber. (The pencil points to the next bump but it has fiber to the right so move to the next where the hook is.)

Wrap once so you have three strands on your hook from the tapering line. Hold these down with the side of your thumb.

Turn the hook toward your thumb to hold down the strand. Move the hook to your stitch, NOT the stitch to your hook.

Pull it through the middle stitch.

Two stitches are on the hook. Move to the tapering line.

Wrap a second time so three strands are on the hook. Keep by the tapering line and below. Hold them down with your thumb.

Pull twice. First, through the middle stitch. Remember: move the hook to the stitch, not the stitch to the hook.

Then, through the last.

One stitch remains on the hook at the tapering line and two strands under it.

Continue until you have reached the end of the row. Position as shown and flip your row from the right to the left.

Now you are ready to begin row 2.

Grow your row by chaining 1 (wrap once, pull once)

Find your stitch by looking for the bump without fiber. Place your hook in the correct stitch.

You will now have another stitch I call the "partner" that forms a V. The V stitches are one unit and move together. Then wrap once.

Pull through the partner (the two strands that make a V).

Wrap a second time.

Turn your hook toward your thumb and pull through the middle stitch, then the last stitch.

Once stitch remains on the hook and two strands below it.

Repeat these steps.

Your swatch should look like this for the modified half double crochet stitch.