All About the Half Double Crochet
The half double crochet (abbreviated as “hdc”) is one of my all time favorite stitches. It is known as one of the four basic crochet stitches, alongside the single crochet, double crochet, and treble or triple crochet that beginners often learn first before moving on to more intricate stitches. Today, I’m going to show you how to make it.
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It should be noted that the half double crochet is a US crochet term. Why the US and UK have different terminology for the same stitches, I have no idea, but in the UK this stitch is called a half treble crochet (or “htc”). But, because I am in the US, we’ll stick with the US terminology on my blog and in my patterns.
Some Things to Know
Now, before we jump into the tutorial, here are a few things you may want to know about when working with the half double crochet:
- Height wise, it is taller than a single crochet, but shorter than a double crochet. This allows the fabric made with the stitch to be not quite as dense as something made with single crochets, but also doesn’t create the same gapping between stitches that something made with double crochets may have. This is why it is often loved by many for a variety of project types.
- Because it is a single stitch, there is not a set stitch multiple needed when starting your project. Meaning, if you are not following a pattern, you can start your project with however many stitches you want.
- When working in the round, you will typically need to chain 1 for your starting/turning chain. When working in turned rows, you typically need to start with a chain 2. Now, this can vary depending on your tension and your project, so play around with how many chains you need to make to ensure the start of your row/round is the same height as your stitches.
- Because you start the stitch with a “yarn over,” it creates a “third loop” on the backside of the stitch that can be worked into in future rows to give a braided look to the front of your stitch. But, more on that in a future post!
Half Double Crochet Stitch Tutorial
So, how do you make a basic half double crochet stitch? Let’s get into it! For this tutorial, I am using Dishie from WeCrochet and a 5mm hook. If you are working from a pattern, the pattern will tell you what yarn and hook size you need. If you are not working from a pattern, use whatever yarn and hook size you like.
1. First, you are going to yarn over (A).
2. Then, insert your hook into your intended stitch (B) and pull up a loop (C). There will now be 3 loops on your hook.
3. Yarn over (D) and pull through all of the loops on your hook (E).
That’s it! Your stitch is now complete!
More of a visual learner? Check out this video!
Once you’ve mastered the basic half double crochet stitch, check out my Half Double Crochet Variations Guide to level up your crochet game! All of these stitches start the same way as a basic half double crochet, but have some sort of change after that to give your work a different look.
So now that you know how to make the half double crochet stitch, what are you going to make with it?
Happy stitching!
