Crochet in rows

Now to learn how to crochet flat things! To make any flat thing, you first need to make a slip knot. Grab the brown yarn and watch this video to learn how:

Make a foundation chain of 10 chain stitches, abbreviated "ch 10":

Crochet 9 sc into this foundation chain. Where you put your hook for this first row after a foundation is a little different from how you crochet in rounds, so watch carefully:

To be able to keep crocheting once you hit the end of the row, you'll need to do what's called a chain 1 and turn, abbreviated "ch 1 and turn":

And then crochet another 9 sc for row 3.

Here's what you just did, written in pattern form: 

Row 1: ch 10  (10)
Row 2-3: sc in the second stitch from the hook, 8 sc, ch 1 and turn  (9)

Do not cut the yarn yet, we'll whip stitch both sides together!