How To Crochet a Half Double Crochet Stitch For Beginners
The half double crochet stitch (abbreviated HDC or hdc) is one of the most basic stitches. It’s a great stitch for beginners because it is simple and the stitches are well defined and easier to see than the single crochet stitch. You will need to know how to create a slip knot and foundation chain. If you haven’t learned to create a Slip knot and foundation chain please check out my previous post How to Crochet As An Absolute Beginner.
In this lesson I will teach you how to crochet a basic half double crochet stitch and how to form rows.
Materials
Yarn – Any worsted weight (medium, #4) yarn will do. For this tutorial I use Knit Picks Dishie yarn. It is 100% cotton and great for a variety of projects.
Hook – Use the size recommended on yarn packaging.
Scissors
Half Double Crochet Stitch
We are going to start with a slip knot and chain 12.
The first 2 chains nearest the hook will form the height of the row, we will skip them. Yarn over and insert your hook into the 3rd chain from the hook.
Now, Yarn over and pull up a loop, through the chain. You should now have 3 loops on your hook.
Lastly, yarn over again and pull through all 3 loops on hook. One loop remains on hook. You’ve completed one half double crochet!
To begin the next HDC, yarn over and insert your hook into the next chain.
Then, yarn over pull yarn through chain. You should now have 3 loops on your hook.
Finally, yarn over and pull through all 3 loops, completing your second half double crochet stitch.
Continue to place one half double crochet stitch in each chain across. At the end of the row, you should have 10 half double crochet stitches.
Forming Rows of Half Double Crochet
To begin the next row, chain 2 and turn your work.
Often, the chain 2 will count as your first stitch, so you would begin the next HDC in the 2nd stitch if the pattern indicates this. For this tutorial we will not count the chain 2 as a stitch. So you will begin by yarning over and inserting your hook into the first HDC, going under the top 2 loops.
Yarn over, and pull up a loop through the stitch. You should have 3 loops on your hook. Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops.
Continue to HDC in the next stitch and each stitch across.
The last stitch can be tricky to see, but if you turn your work to look at the top, you can see the v that the 2 loops make. You will insert your hook under those 2 loops.
At the end of the row make 2 chains, turn your work and begin on the next row.
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My name is Heather and I have been crocheting for over 20 years and making up my own patterns for almost as long. As a home school mother, heavily influenced by Charlotte Mason, I have a passion for mother culture – that is the continued self education of mothers. Through learning useful skills, creating art and reading great literature, all who so desire can continue to grow in wisdom and virtue. I believe that for mothers this is especially important as an example to our children and for the nourishing of our souls.
Through these free crochet tutorials and free crochet patterns I hope to share the joy and rest that I find in this art. In this space I pray to form a community of like minded woman, who are inspired to live up to their potential as whole people formed in the image of a wise, creative and good God.
-Heather
