Pull the end of the yarn loose from the center of the ball of yarn and make a 5 and 6-inch loop. Insert the crochet hook into the loop and scoop the yarn with it.
Pull the yarn on the hook through the front of the loop before pulling the tail yarn tightly around the hook. The slip knot that you formed is not classed as a stitch in a crochet pattern.
Loop the yarn around your left index finger while holding the hook in your right hand. Hold the slip knot firmly held between your thumb and the middle finger of your left hand, the yarn is wrapped from back to front around the hook.
Use the hook to draw the yarn through the loop on the hook to make a chain. The first series of stitches is known as the foundation row, on top of which the rest of the crochet pattern is built.
Form more chain stitches by following the directions of the pattern being used to create the crochet object. Each row of stitches should be made up of a specific number of stitches stated within the crochet pattern.