How to Do Double Crochet

Co-authored by Sarah Stearns

The double crochet is one of the most basic and useful stitches in crochet. Once you've mastered it--and it won't take long--you can put it to use in creating sweaters, afghans, shawls, home décor items and lots of other projects.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Double Crochet - U.S. Version

1
Yarn over the hook (yo) from back to front.
2
Insert your crochet hook to the desired stitch. Typically, you will be making your stitch in the hole closest to your crochet hook, or, if you started with a foundation chain, the fourth one. Look to your pattern to be sure.^{[1]
X
Research source}

Advertisement
3
Yarn over the hook (yo) and gently carry the wrapped yarn through the stitch. In other words, pull it through the loop now on your hook. You will now have three (3) loops on your hook.
4
Yarn over the hook (yo) and draw your yarn through the first two (2) loops on your hook.^{[2]
X
Research source}
5
Yarn over the hook (yo) and draw your yarn through the last two (2) loops on the hook.^{[3]
X
Research source}
6
You have completed one (1) U.S. double crochet (dc) stitch. There should be one (1) loop left on your hook.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Double Crochet - U.K. Version

1
Insert your crochet hook to the desired stitch. Typically, you will be making your stitch in the hole closest to your crochet hook, or, if you started with a foundation chain, the second one. Look to your pattern to be sure.
2
Yarn over your hook (yo) and rotate the throat of the hook toward you.
3
Pull the hook with the wrapped yarn through the stitch. You should now have two (2) loops on your hook.
4
Yarn over your hook (yo) again and draw the hook with the wrapped yarn through both loops on the hook.
5
You've now created one (1) U.K. double crochet; there should be one (1) loop left on your hook.

Community Q&A

Question

How can I keep my tensions when I am crocheting?

Community Answer

Try to have the ingoing yarn as tight as you can when you finish the stitch; it will pull out the excess and give you tighter crocheting. Practice makes perfect.
Question

When starting a pattern, how can I tell if it is a US version or a UK one?

LibraryMouse

Community Answer

Here are some tips: If it uses the term treble crochet, it is a UK pattern. If it uses the terms single crochet or half-double crochet, it is a US pattern. Take a look at the picture for clues. Read the pattern all the way through; the designer might say which it is. Look for words the two countries spell differently, such as "color" (US) and color UK).
Question

How do I do a half double crochet stitch?

Community Answer

Yarn over, insert hook into stitch, yarn over, draw hook back through the stitch, yarn over again and draw all the loops through the last yarn over.