Double Crochet Stitch (dc): The Complete Beginner Tutorial

If single crochet is the workhorse, double crochet is the stitch that makes projects actually finish. It is roughly twice as tall, so a blanket grows twice as fast, and the fabric it makes has a soft, open drape that suits scarves, shawls and garments. It is also the base of the granny square and a hundred other classic motifs.

This tutorial uses US terminology. In UK patterns the same stitch is called treble crochet.

What You Need

Worsted weight yarn in a pale color and a 5.0 mm or 5.5 mm hook. If you already have a single crochet swatch, keep it nearby; the comparison in height makes the double crochet click faster.

The Stitch, Step by Step

Chain 13 for a practice swatch.

1. Yarn over before you insert the hook. This is the extra step that makes the stitch taller.
2. Insert the hook into the fourth chain from the hook. The three skipped chains are your turning chain and count as the first stitch.
3. Yarn over and pull through the chain. Three loops on the hook.
4. Yarn over and pull through the first two loops. Two loops left.
5. Yarn over and pull through the last two loops. One loop left. Done.

Repeat in every chain to the end. Count your stitches: you should have 10 double crochets plus the turning chain, so 11 stitches in total when the chain counts.

The rhythm in your head becomes: yarn over, insert, pull up, through two, through two. Say it out loud for the first row if it helps. Nobody is judging.

Turning Rows in Double Crochet

The turning chain is where double crochet confuses people, because it usually counts as a stitch.

1. Chain 3 and turn.
2. Skip the first stitch (the chain 3 is standing in for it).
3. Double crochet into the second stitch and every stitch across.
4. At the end of the row, work your last double crochet into the top of the turning chain from the previous row. It is the third chain of that chain 3 and it looks slightly different from a normal stitch, which is why people miss it.

Count: 11. If you consistently lose one stitch per row, you are missing the top of the turning chain. If you gain one, you are working into the first stitch when the chain already counts for it.

Some designers prefer a chain 2 that does not count, which leaves a tidier edge but changes the counting. When you write your own patterns, pick one convention and stick to it.

Why Double Crochet Fabric Behaves Differently

Because the stitch is tall, there is more space between the posts. That gives you:

• Faster growth. A blanket that would take 60 rows of single crochet takes about 30 rows of double.
• More drape. The fabric bends and swings, which is what you want in a shawl and do not want in a basket.
• Slightly less warmth. Air moves through it. For a heavy winter blanket, pair it with a thicker yarn or a denser stitch pattern.
• A visible gap at the row edges next to the turning chain. It is normal. A border hides it.

Three Useful Variations

Front post / back post double crochet (FPdc / BPdc). Instead of inserting the hook under the top loops, you work around the vertical post of the stitch below. Alternating them makes crochet ribbing and the raised cables you see on textured hats.

Double crochet in the back loop only (dc BLO). Produces a subtle horizontal line and a softer fabric.

Linked double crochet. The stitches are connected side by side, which removes the gaps and makes a solid fabric that still grows fast. Excellent for garments.

Fixing the Usual Problems

The first stitch of every row leans. The chain 3 is thinner than a real double crochet, so it leans. It is cosmetic. If it bothers you, learn the stacked single crochet start: two single crochets stacked on top of each other, which mimics a double crochet and looks straighter.

The edges are uneven in height. Your turning chain is too tight or too loose. Make it the same tension as the rest of your stitches, not tighter.

The whole piece is skewing into a parallelogram. Slight skew is normal in double crochet because each stitch leans a little to one side. Blocking straightens it. If it is severe, you may be adding a stitch at one end and dropping one at the other.

Practice Project: A One-Evening Scarf

Chain 22 with worsted yarn and a 5.5 mm hook. Work double crochet rows until the scarf is 150 cm (60 inches) long, roughly 75 to 85 rows. Fasten off, weave in ends, add fringe if you like. You will have made several hundred double crochets and the stitch will be in your hands for good.

From here, the granny square is a natural next step, since it is just clusters of three double crochets worked into chain spaces.