How to Double Crochet (dc)

What is double crochet in crochet?

Double crochet is the tall, quick, everyday stitch you will meet in more patterns than any other. It makes an open, drapey fabric and works up fast.

In US patterns it is abbreviated dc. In UK terms this stitch is a treble crochet (tr), one of the most common US and UK mix-ups.

How do you work double crochet step by step?

Here is the full sequence in US terms. Take it slowly the first few times, then it becomes muscle memory.

1. Yarn over before inserting your hook.
2. Insert your hook into the next stitch, under both loops.
3. Yarn over and pull up a loop. Three loops on the hook.
4. Yarn over and pull through the first two loops. Two loops remain.
5. Yarn over and pull through the last two loops. One double crochet is complete.

When do you use double crochet?

Double Crochet turns up in a lot of patterns. Here is where it earns its place:

1. Scarves and shawls with soft drape.
2. Granny squares and motifs.
3. Blankets that work up quickly.
4. Any open, airy fabric.

What are the most common double crochet mistakes?

A few snags catch almost everyone at first. Watch for these:

1. Forgetting the first yarn over, which turns your double crochet into a single crochet by accident.
2. Getting confused about whether the turning chain-3 counts as a stitch. Pick one habit and stay consistent.
3. Working into the wrong stitch right after the turning chain, which adds or drops a stitch at the edge.

How do you keep count while you work double crochet?

Counting is where clean crochet is won or lost. Patterns tell you how many stitches per row and how many rows or rounds to work, and a miscount is the usual reason a piece ends up crooked. Mark the first stitch of each round, and count your stitches at the end of every row.

Some crocheters keep a paper tally, and some use an app like Worsted to count rows, hold their place in a pattern PDF, and note the yarn they used, so a project is easy to pick back up after a break. However you track it, staying on count is what turns a good pattern into a finished piece.