How to Do a Half Double Crochet Stitch (HDC)

How to Do Half Double Crochet
Mollie Johanson
Project Overview
  • Working Time: 2 hrs
  • Total Time: 2 hrs
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $10

Half double crochet stitches are beautiful basic stitches a beginner should learn to master. This guide shows you how to do a half double crochet (HDC) stitch plus offers tips for working with it in your projects. For beginners who have already mastered single crochet and double crochet, learning HDC is the natural progression.

As the name suggests, HDC is taller than single crochet but shorter than double crochet. It is a foundational crochet stitch and worked similarly to those two basic stitches. A slight difference creates a unique third loop and a smaller height. 

Watch Now: How to Half Double Crochet

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Crochet hook

Materials

  • 1 skein yarn

Instructions

  1. Choosing Yarn and a Crochet Hook

    The half double crochet stitch shows up in all different types of projects, so you can use any yarn and any crochet hook to work on HDC. If you are working with a crochet pattern, the pattern will tell you the exact materials needed.

    If you aren't working from a pattern, choose your yarn then look at the yarn label to find out what hook size you need for that yarn. Beginners may want to try a worsted weight yarn and size H crochet hook as a good starting point.

    Tip

    Smooth, worsted-weight yarn in a light color is a good choice for learning new crochet stitches.

    Yarn and Hook for Crochet
    Mollie Johanson
  2. Crochet a Foundation Chain

    All crochet projects begin with a slip knot.

    Make a foundation chain to work the first row into. The foundation chain, also known as a starting chain, can be any length. If you are working with a crochet pattern, use the chain length specified in that pattern.

    Make a Starting Chain
    Mollie Johanson
  3. Start in the Correct Chain

    To work the first half double crochet into the foundation chain you will crochet into the chain that is three chains away from your hook. 

    When you crochet in rows, you begin the row with a turning chain. The height of the turning chain depends on the height of the crochet stitch. In half double crochet, chain two for a turning chain.

    Yarn Over and Work in the Third Chain
    Mollie Johanson
  4. Yarn Over and Insert the Crochet Hook

    It's time to make the first HDC. Yarn over and insert the crochet hook into the stitch.

    Tip

    Note that if you were making a double crochet stitch, you would also do this step. If you were making a single crochet stitch, you would not yarn over before inserting the crochet hook. The yarn over adds the height to the stitch, making it taller than the single crochet.

    Insert the Hook and Yarn Over
    Mollie Johanson
  5. Yarn Over and Pull Through the Stitch

    Yarn over again and pull the yarn through the stitch. You should now have three loops on the hook.

    Yarn Over With Three Loops on the Hook
    Mollie Johanson
  6. Yarn Over and Pull Through the Loops

    Yarn over one more time and pull the yarn through all three loops.

    That completes the first half double crochet stitch.

    Draw the Yarn Through All the Loops
    Mollie Johanson
  7. Complete the Row

    Repeat the steps for each HDC, working across the row of foundation chain and across all the stitches of each subsequent row.

    In summary:

    • Yarn over and insert hook into next stitch.
    • Yarn over and pull through.
    • Yarn over and pull through all three loops on the hook.

    To begin the new row, turn the work, chain two for a turning chain. Make HDC stitches in the next stitch and all the following stitches from the row before.

    Work a Complete Row of Half Double Crochet
    Mollie Johanson

    Increasing and Decreasing in Half Double Crochet

    With the basic half double crochet stitch, you can crochet any HDC pattern that's worked in consistent rows. But for patterns with shaping, you may need to know how to increase and decrease in half double crochet.

    How to Increase HDC

    To increase, simply make an extra half double crochet stitch where you've already made one. Crochet patterns tell you how or where to do this. For example, to increase at the end of the row, crochet two HDC stitches in the final stitch instead of just the one you would usually work.

    How to Decrease HDC

    Decreasing is a little different but still easy. Here's how:

    • Yarn over and insert the hook into the stitch as normal.
    • Yarn over and pull through as normal.
    • Yarn over and insert the hook into the next stitch.
    • Yarn over and pull through, five loops on the hook as shown here.
    • Yarn over and pull through all five loops.

    The decrease stitch works over two subsequent stitches to bring the two stitches together at the top into one stitch. You might see it abbreviated as HDC2tog (half double crochet two together) or dec HDC (decrease half double crochet).

    Decreasing Half Double Crochet
    Mollie Johanson

    Tips on Different Ways to Work With Half Double Crochet

    Working in Different Loops

    • Change the appearance of a basic stitch like half double crochet by working into only one of the loops instead of both of them. Half double crochet looks great worked into the back loop only for a ribbed design, but you can also work into the front loop only.
    • Half double crochet has a third loop because of the way that it's constructed (when you pull the yarn through all three loops instead of the usual two). This means that you have to understand the anatomy of the loops better to make sure that you're correctly crocheting into the front loop or back loop. It also means that you can work into the third loop instead, a technique that creates a great knit-like fabric.
    Rows of Half Double Crochet
    Mollie Johanson