– Foundation Chain (FC) –

You can now combine your chains and the first step of a pattern to one. This is called a foundation chain. The advantage of this is not only a quicker start of your project, but the chain is also stretchier than the combination of chains/stitches.
Below you will find pictorials on how to work it with single, halfdouble and double crochet.

Instructions

Foundation Chain Single Crochet (FCSC)

Foundation Chain Halfdouble Crochet (FCHDC)

Foundation Chain Double Crochet (FCDC)

Foundation Chain Single Crochet (FCSC):

Begin with a slip knot and chain 2.
(These two chains do not count as stitches.)

Insert your hook in the second chain from hook – yarn over hook and pull back through the loop – you now have 2 loops on your hook.
Yarn over hook and pull through one loop only.

Yarn over hook and pull through both loops.

Push your hook through the bottom “V” of step 2 and repeat steps 2 and 3 till you have the required number of stitches.

Foundation Chain Halfdouble Crochet (FCHDC):

Begin with a slip knot and chain 2.
(These two chains do not count as stitches.)

Place your yarn around your hook and insert it in the second chain from hook – yarn over hook and pull back through the loop – you now have 3 loops on your hook.

Place your yarn around your hook and pull through one loop – that is your “chain-loop”.

Place your yarn around your hook and pull through all three loops closing the stitch.

Place your yarn around your hook and insert it in your “chain loop” – repeat these steps till you have the amount of stitches needed.

Foundation Chain Double Crochet (FCDC):

Begin with a slip knot and chain 3.
(These three chains do not count as stitches.)

Place your yarn around your hook and insert it in the third chain from hook – yarn over hook and pull back through the loop – you now have 3 loops on your hook.

Place your yarn around your hook and pull through one loop – that is your “chain-loop”.

Place your yarn around your hook and pull through two loops – two loops remaining. Place your yarn around your hook again and pull through both loops closing the stitch.

Place your yarn around your hook and insert it in your “chain loop” – repeat these steps till you have the amount of stitches needed.

I find the foundation chain just amazing. Before I would spend hours doing chains and a few rows just to find the project either too wide or too narrow. With the foundation chain the length of a project is always clear from the beginning. Furthermore I also find that the edge is a lot prettier than if I did chains. Try it out for yourself and i give yourself time to properly learn it – I guarantee you will stick with this from then on.