How to use the foundation chain calculator
- Crochet a swatch in the stitch you plan to use and block it. Count how many stitches fit in 4 inches or 10 cm.
- Type the finished width you want, or tap a preset.
- Choose the stitch. The turning chain setting changes to the usual answer for that stitch, and you can override it.
- If the pattern has a repeat, enter the multiple and the extra, and say whether it applies to the stitches or the chain.
How the chain count works
The width times your stitches per inch gives the stitches across one row. The foundation chain needs those stitches plus the extra chains that lift the first row to the height of the stitch. Those extra chains are the turning chain.
When the turning chain counts as a stitch, it stands in for the first stitch of the row. You then need one chain fewer, because that stitch is already made. When it doesn't count, the turning chain is only there for height and every stitch gets its own chain. In both cases the first stitch goes into the chain just past the skipped ones.
A pattern repeat changes the count a little. If a lace stitch needs a multiple of 4 plus 2, the stitches across have to fit that pattern. The calculator moves to the nearest count that does and shows the width you will actually get.
Formulas
- Stitches per inch = stitches in 4 inches ÷ 4.
- Stitches across = width × stitches per inch, rounded and fitted to any multiple.
- Chains = stitches across + turning chain (− 1 if the turning chain counts as a stitch).
- First stitch goes into chain number (turning chain + 1) from the hook.
Worked examples
A blanket 40 inches wide in double crochet, with a gauge of 14 stitches per 4 inches: 14 ÷ 4 = 3.5 stitches per inch, and 40 × 3.5 = 140 stitches. The chain 3 counts as the first dc, so chain 140 + 3 − 1 = 142. Work the first dc into the 4th chain from the hook. The three chains you skipped count as one stitch, and the 139 chains left give 139 more, for 140 in all.
A scarf 20 inches long worked sideways in single crochet at 16 stitches per 4 inches comes to 80 stitches. The chain 1 does not count, so chain 81 and start in the 2nd chain from the hook.
Turning chains by stitch
The chain counts in this table are for 100 stitches across.
| Stitch | Turning chain | Counts as a stitch? | First stitch into | Chains if it counts | Chains if not |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single crochet (sc) | 1 | Usually no | chain 2 | 100 | 101 |
| Half double crochet (hdc) | 2 | Usually no | chain 3 | 101 | 102 |
| Double crochet (dc) | 3 | Usually yes | chain 4 | 102 | 103 |
| Treble crochet (tr) | 4 | Usually yes | chain 5 | 103 | 104 |
How many chains for a blanket
This foundation chain table runs common blanket widths through the calculator at four example gauges. Each cell is the number of chains to make, with the turning chain included and set to the usual convention for that stitch. Use it to sanity check a pattern, then enter your own gauge above.
| Blanket width | sc, 16 per 4" | hdc, 14 per 4" | dc, 14 per 4" | dc, 12 per 4" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stroller, 30" | 121 | 107 | 107 | 92 |
| Crib, 45" | 181 | 160 | 160 | 137 |
| Throw, 50" | 201 | 177 | 177 | 152 |
| Twin, 66" | 265 | 233 | 233 | 200 |
| Queen, 90" | 361 | 317 | 317 | 272 |
Gauge matters more than the stitch name. A throw in double crochet needs 177 chains at 14 stitches per 4 inches, but 152 at 12. That gap of 25 chains is about 8 inches of blanket at the looser gauge. So a chain count copied from someone else's blanket rarely gives the same width. For the yarn the whole blanket will take, use the blanket yarn calculator.
Checking a published chain chart
The Crochet Crowd's chain chart lists chain 210 for a 60 inch wide queen with a 5.5 mm (I) hook, assuming 3.5 stitches per inch. That figure is the width times the gauge, with no turning chain. This calculator gives 210 stitches at the same gauge and 212 chains once the chain 3 for double crochet is added.
The bigger catch is the gauge. The Crochet Crowd worksheet assumes 3 stitches per inch for medium yarn on the same I hook. At that gauge the queen needs only 180 stitches, 30 fewer. Follow the first chart at the looser gauge and the blanket comes out about 10 inches wider than planned. A chart is a starting point. Your own swatch gives the count to use.
The worksheet also covers stitch multiples. For a pattern worked in multiples of 4 plus 1, it says to chain in sets of 4 and add one extra chain at the end. Enter 4 and 1 in the multiple boxes above and the calculator does the same.
Measuring the chain against your width
If you would rather check by length, lay the chain next to a tape measure. Bella Coco suggests a very gentle stretch so the chain lies flat, without pulling it tight. Then count the stitches at the end of the first row to confirm.
Tips for an even foundation chain
- If the bottom edge pulls in, chain with a hook one size up and then switch back.
- Place a stitch marker every 20 or 25 chains. Recounting a long chain is far easier in blocks.
- Make a few spare chains. An extra chain or two at the end can be undone after the first row, while a chain that is too short means starting over.
- Count the stitches at the end of the first row. That number should match the stitches across shown here.
