Half Double Crochet (US) / Half Treble (UK): How to Do It Step by Step

Half Double Crochet is a crochet stitch that makes medium height; soft and fairly dense. Makers reach for it for hats, blankets, sweaters. It is rated beginner here, so it is a good stitch to learn early and practice on a small swatch before a real project.

1. Yarn over. 2. Insert the hook into the stitch. 3. Yarn over and pull up a loop. There are 3 loops on the hook. 4. Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops. 5. For the first row, work into the third chain from the hook. Work slowly for the first few repeats, keep your tension even, and check the result against the steps before continuing across a whole row or motif.

US patterns abbreviate half double crochet as hdc. UK patterns write it as htr, so always check whether a pattern uses US or UK terms before you start, because the same abbreviation can mean a different stitch. Pattern keys list every abbreviation used, usually near the materials list.

The most common problems are: pulling through only two loops, which starts a double crochet; missing the third loop at the back of the stitch in patterns that use it. Most are easy to spot if you pause after a few repeats and compare your work with the steps. Good light helps a great deal, especially with dark yarn or thread.

Stitches closely related to half double crochet include Single Crochet, Double Crochet, Herringbone Half Double Crochet. Learning them together makes patterns easier to read, because many designs switch between related stitches to change texture, height or line. Each has its own step-by-step page in the stitch dictionary.