How to Half Double Crochet: 7 Easy Steps for Beginners

Learning how to half double crochet opens up a lot of design options that the single crochet cannot give you. The HDC is taller than a single crochet but shorter than a double crochet — that middle-ground height makes it ideal for hats, scarves, blankets, and bags.

If you already know the single crochet, the half double crochet will feel familiar. It adds one extra step — a yarn over before inserting your hook — but the result is a stitch that works up faster and creates a slightly looser, more flexible fabric.

How to Half Double Crochet: What You Need

Before you learn how to half double crochet, make sure you have the right supplies. You do not need anything beyond the basics.

• Yarn: Worsted weight (medium #4) acrylic or cotton yarn works best for practice. If you need help choosing, our best yarn for beginner crochet guide covers what to look for.
• Crochet hook: Size 5.0mm (H-8) or 5.5mm (I-9). Check our best crochet hooks for beginners post if you are unsure which hook to pick.
• Scissors and a yarn needle for finishing.

If you have not learned the single crochet yet, start with our how to single crochet guide first — it is the best foundation.

Step 1: Make a Slip Knot and Chain 20

Start with a slip knot and chain 20 stitches. This is your foundation chain.

Cross the yarn over itself to form a loop, push the working yarn through from behind, and pull it snug onto your hook. Then yarn over and pull through the loop on your hook, repeating until you have 20 chains.

Keep your chains loose and even. Tight chains make the next row much harder to work into. For a full refresher, the how to crochet for beginners guide covers chains in detail.

Step 2: Yarn Over and Insert Into the Third Chain

Here is where how to half double crochet starts to differ from the single crochet.

1. Yarn over (wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front).
2. Skip the first two chains from the hook.
3. Insert your hook into the third chain from the hook.
4. You should now have three loops on your hook — the yarn over, the original loop, and the chain stitch.

Notice that you skip two chains instead of one. That is because the half double crochet is taller than the single crochet, so it needs a longer turning chain.

Step 3: Yarn Over and Pull Through

This step pulls up a loop and sets you up for the finish.

1. Yarn over again.
2. Pull the yarn through the chain stitch.
3. You should now have three loops on your hook.

This is the key moment in how to half double crochet. Having three loops on your hook is what makes this stitch different from the single crochet (which only has two loops at this point).

Step 4: Yarn Over and Pull Through All Three Loops

This is the step that completes the stitch.

1. Yarn over one more time.
2. Pull the yarn through all three loops on your hook at the same time.
3. You should be back to one loop on your hook — that means one half double crochet stitch is done.

That pull-through-all-three motion is the signature move of the half double crochet. Once it feels natural, you will fly through rows.

Step 5: Repeat Across the Foundation Chain

Continue the stitch pattern across your foundation chain:

1. Yarn over.
2. Insert your hook into the next chain.
3. Yarn over and pull through (three loops on hook).
4. Yarn over and pull through all three loops.

Repeat until you reach the end of the chain. Count your stitches — you should have 18 half double crochet stitches in your first row (20 chains minus the 2 you skipped).

Step 6: Chain 2 and Turn

At the end of each row, you need to chain 2 and turn. This is the turning chain for the half double crochet.

1. Chain 2 (yarn over, pull through, yarn over, pull through).
2. Turn your work.
3. The chain 2 counts as your first stitch in the new row.

Unlike the single crochet (which uses a chain 1 turning chain), the half double crochet uses a chain 2. This extra height accounts for the taller stitch. Our single crochet vs double crochet comparison breaks down the differences between all three basic stitches.

Step 7: Work the Second Stitch and Continue Rows

Now work your next row:

1. Yarn over and insert your hook into the top of the second stitch from the hook (the first actual HDC stitch, not the chain 2 turning chain).
2. Yarn over, pull through (three loops on hook).
3. Yarn over, pull through all three loops.

Continue across the row, then chain 2 and turn again. Keep repeating rows until your piece is the size you want.

Count your stitches at the end of each row to make sure you are not gaining or losing any. If your edges look uneven, our uneven crochet edges guide has simple fixes.

How to Half Double Crochet: Common Mistakes

When learning how to half double crochet, a few problems come up more than others. Here is how to fix them.

Pulling Through the Wrong Number of Loops

This is the number one beginner error. If you pull through only two loops instead of three, you are accidentally doing a double crochet. If you pull through one loop at a time, you are doing a chain of single crochets. Focus on counting the loops on your hook before each pull-through.

Skipping Stitches at the Edges

Uneven edges usually mean you are missing the last stitch of each row. The last stitch can be hard to see because it blends in with the turning chain. Place a stitch marker in the first and last stitch while you learn. Our uneven crochet edges post covers this in depth.

Tension Too Tight

If your half double crochet feels stiff and hard to work into, loosen your grip. The HDC should feel slightly looser than a single crochet because of the extra yarn over. Read our how to fix crochet tension guide for more tips. The Craft Yarn Council hook size chart is another great reference.

How to Half Double Crochet: What Can You Make?

The half double crochet is one of the most practical stitches because it creates a fabric that is dense enough for warmth but flexible enough for draping. It is perfect for:

• Hats and beanies — works up faster than single crochet and gives good stretch
• Scarves and cowls — the slightly open texture looks great with variegated yarn
• Blankets — rows of HDC create a clean, modern look
• Bags and totes — sturdy but with more drape than single crochet

Ready to start a project? Our easiest crochet projects for beginners list has patterns that use the HDC and other basic stitches.

Half Double Crochet Abbreviation

In crochet patterns, half double crochet is written as HDC. A typical pattern row looks like this:

“Ch 22. Row 1: HDC in 3rd ch from hook and each ch across. (20 HDC) Ch 2, turn. Row 2: HDC in each st across. (20 HDC) Ch 2, turn. Repeat Row 2.”

If abbreviations confuse you, our crochet abbreviations for beginners guide explains all the common terms. The Yarnspirations guide to reading patterns is also worth bookmarking.

How to Half Double Crochet: Next Steps

Now that you know how to half double crochet, you have three basic stitches in your toolkit: single, half double, and double. The next step is to practice combining them in the same project. After that, try learning the double crochet stitch for even more options, or check out our easiest crochet stitch for beginners guide for a comparison.

Practice for 10 to 15 minutes a day and the half double crochet will become second nature. Save this guide and come back whenever you need a refresher on how to half double crochet.