How to Crochet the Half Double Crochet Stitch

Materials & tools you'll need

Step 1 — Chain your foundation

Make a slip knot and place it on your hook, then chain 30 stitches — or any number you'd like for your project. A chain stitch is made by wrapping the yarn around the hook and pulling that loop through the previous one. Once your chain is the length you want, you're ready to start your first row.

Step 2 — Work your first half double crochet

Skip the first chain from your hook and work into the second chain. Wrap the yarn around your hook, insert it into the loop, wrap around again, and pull through — you'll now have three loops on your hook. This is where the half double crochet differs from both the single and double crochet. With a double crochet, you'd pull through those three loops in two separate steps, two loops at a time. With a single crochet, you never wrap around before inserting the hook in the first place. The half double crochet is a hybrid of the two: you wrap around like a double crochet, but then treat the rest of the stitch like a single crochet by wrapping around once more and pulling through all three loops on the hook at the same time. Repeat this across the row, working one half double crochet into each remaining chain stitch.

Step 3 — Finish the row and turn

At the end of the row, chain just one stitch — not two, since the half double crochet isn't a full double crochet and doesn't need the extra height. Turn your work over so you're ready to begin the next row.

Step 4 — Choose your insertion point and repeat

For each new row, you have a choice of where to insert your hook into the stitches below. Inserting through the top loop only is the traditional, most typical way to work the half double crochet. Inserting through the lower loop underneath instead will give you a noticeably tighter, denser fabric — a good option if you're making something like a rug. Neither way is wrong, but pick one and stay consistent throughout your project, since switching between the two partway through will make your stitches look uneven. Continue working half double crochet across each row, chaining one and turning at the end of every row, until your piece reaches the size you want.

Step 5 — Finish off and compare your stitch density

When your piece is the size you want, finish your last stitch, then wrap around one more time and pull the yarn all the way through the final loop to fasten off. Trim the yarn and weave in any loose ends with your tapestry needle. If you compare your finished half double crochet piece to a single crochet or double crochet swatch, you'll notice the pattern clearly: single crochet is the tightest and densest, double crochet is the loosest and most open, with visible gaps between stitches, and half double crochet sits right in the middle — denser than a double crochet, but a little more open than a single crochet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the half double crochet and how does it differ from single and double crochet?
The half double crochet (HDC) is a hybrid between the single crochet and double crochet. Like a double crochet, you wrap the yarn around the hook before inserting it into the stitch. But after that, you wrap around once and pull through all three loops on the hook at the same time, rather than pulling through in two separate steps like a double crochet. The result sits between the two in both height and density: single crochet is the tightest and densest, half double crochet is a little looser, and double crochet is the loosest and most open.

Does it matter where I insert my hook for the half double crochet?
You can insert your hook through the top loop of the stitch for the traditional, typical look, or through the lower loop underneath for a noticeably tighter, denser fabric — a good option for a project like a rug. Either is correct, but stay consistent and use the same insertion point throughout your project, since switching between the two partway through will make your stitches look uneven.

What projects is the half double crochet stitch good for?
Its density makes it a strong choice for washcloths, picnic blankets, and beach towels. It's less suited to anything you need to dry off with quickly, since a dense stitch takes longer to dry. Using a thicker yarn, or doubling up on a lighter cotton, can turn the half double crochet into a sturdy option for a rug as well.

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