Home » Crochet » Tutorials » Extended Single Crochet Tutorial (esc escx with photos!)

Extended Single Crochet Tutorial (esc escx with photos!)

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please visit my Privacy Policy for disclosures and more information.

Ready to learn a stitch that has more drape and give than a regular single crochet but still produces a thick and squishy fabric? Great! Let’s learn the extended single crochet.

Here you’ll find both written instructions and a quick photo tutorial that will get you started learning how to do an single crochet – extended style.

esc crochet swatch and hook with text overlay reading how to extended single crochet

What is an extended single crochet?

An extended single crochet is a single crochet with a chain stitch added in there.

Would you like a Crochet Planner?

Sign up to receive email updates from Stitching Together starting with a printable crochet planner and additional printable resources. See our Privacy Policy

To extend a single crochet, you start like a normal single crochet, but pull through only one loop on the hook, creating a chain stitch, then yarn over and pull through both loops on the hook.

How tall is an extended single crochet?

As you can imagine by the name, the stitch is taller than a regular single crochet.

two crochet swatches, one with ESC and one with SC
single crochet on the top and extended single crochet on the bottom

You may be surprised to hear that it is also taller than half double crochets. The extra extension gives this stitch some height!

two crochet swatches, one with ESC and one with HDC
esc on the left and hdc on the right

To start a row of escs, I like to chain 1, but you can also experiment starting with a chain 2 since it is a taller stitch. The chain 1 at the beginning of the row will not count as a stitch.

Where can I use extended single crochets?

You can use extended scs in any type of project but I think they work especially great for kitchen items and blankets. The fabric created is less dense than with a regular single crochet, but it is still solid and not full of holes.

extended single crochet swatch with hook

Extended Single Crochet Tutorials

To get started, you will want to grab some yarn and a hook that is an appropriate size for your yarn.

For this tutorial I used Bernat Beyond Yarn in Cream which is a Category 6 Super Bulky yarn.

The hook is a Clover Amour size K/6.5 mm crochet hook which you can order right from Amazon. (I have a great review of these hooks if you’d like to read more about them.)

The finished swatch used a discontinued worsted weight yarn (category 4) and my Furls Odyssey Crochet Hook in size J/10, 6.0 mm.

Written Instructions

Chain any number of stitches

Row 1:

Insert hook into the second chain from the hook and pull up a loop. (2 loops on the hook.)

*Yarn over and pull through 1 loop on the hook. (You’ve created a chain stitch and still have 2 loops on the hook.)

Yarn over and pull through both loops on the hook to finish the stitch.

Insert hook into the next stitch, repeat from * to the end of the row.

Row 2:

ch 1 (turning chain-does not count as a stitch),

*insert hook into stitch and pull up a loop (2 loops on the hook.)

Yarn over and pull through 1 loop on the hook. (You’ve created a chain stitch and still have 2 loops on the hook.)

Yarn over and pull through both loops on the hook to finish the stitch.

repeat from * to the end of the row.

TIP: at the end of the row, try working the last stitch into the turning chain instead of the esc to get a smoother edge.

Esc Tutorial – Right Hand

Insert hook into stitch and pull up a loop.

hand holding yarn and a crochet hook showing the steps of a stitch

Yarn over and pull through one loop on the hook instead of both loops like a normal single crochet.

hand holding yarn and a crochet hook showing the steps of a stitch

To finish the stitch, yarn over and pull through both loops on the hook.

hand holding yarn and a crochet hook showing the steps of a stitch

Repeat the same steps in next stitch

hand holding yarn and a crochet hook showing the steps of a stitch

Esc Tutorial – Left Hand

Insert hook into stitch and pull up a loop.

left hand holding yarn and a crochet hook showing the steps of a stitch

Yarn over and pull through one loop on the hook instead of both loops like a normal single crochet.

left hand holding yarn and a crochet hook showing the steps of a stitch

To finish the stitch, yarn over and pull through both loops on the hook.

left hand holding yarn and a crochet hook showing the steps of a stitch

Repeat the same steps in next stitch.

left hand holding yarn and a crochet hook showing the steps of a stitch

Stay tuned for some great new patterns featuring the extended single crochet stitch. To make sure you never miss a new pattern or tutorial, scroll back up and sign up to be included with thousands of other crocheters on the Stitching Together email list.

Don’t miss these other great tutorials:

collage of three different crochet stitches
Foundation Half Double Crochet | Spider Stitch | Magic Circle

Once you’ve learned this stitch will you share pictures of your swatch or how you used the stitch? You can do that in the following ways:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *