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Crochet is a great craft to both relax and get the creative juices flowing! It can help with your mental health and self expression.
These beginner crochet tutorials are aimed at complete novices. The lessons will cover the basics such as how hold to the hook and yarn, as well as the essential crochet stitches. We’ll cover making circles, changing colours and combining the stitches. I’ll even be teaching you how to read crochet patterns!
Most of the lessons will have a practice swatch to put your new found knowledge into practice.
By the end of this beginners crochet course, you will have the skills and confidence to make hats, bags, blankets and an addiction to yarn!
For those that prefer learning by watching, at the bottom of the page is the video version of the lesson.
“If I were able to leave you with only one piece of crochet advice, it would be to always have fun. Learn the basics, but then just go crazy with your crafty self!” -Twinkie Chan
Contents
Welcome to Lesson 4 of the Beginner Crochet Series!
In this lesson we’ll be covering the half treble crochet stitch in the UK or half double crochet in the US. It’s the same stitch but the UK and the US have different terminology.
Turning chains can be made with one or two chains, they can also be counted as a stitch. The stitch itself is made the same, just the stitch placement differs. I’ll show you all variations.
At the end, there will be a small practice swatch for these stitches, which includes how to read a pattern.
I’ll be making 10 stitches and have a turning chain of 2, so I’ll need 12 chains in total.
The 1st stitch is worked into the 3rd chain from the hook. Chains 1 & 2 will become the turning chain.
The is a taller stitch than double crochet, so yarn over before going in the chain.
Go into the top of the V of the 3rd chain. There’s a total of three strands over the hook.
Yarn over again,
and pull the yarn back through the chain.
Pull the hook up. There are 3 loops on the hook. Make sure the loops are at the same height.
Yarn over again.
Hold the base of the chain, and pull the yarn through all 3 loops on the hook.
There’s 1 loop left on the hook and that’s your first stitch complete!
Yarn over to start the next stitch.
Push the hook into the next chain.
Yarn over,
and pull the yarn back through the chain.
Pull the loop up,
Yarn over again,
and pull through the 3 loops on the hook.
One loop left on the hook – 2nd stitch finished!
Carry on making half trebles (half doubles) crochet stitches in each chain.
Count your stitches to be sure there are 10.
Chain 2 and flip the row. The stitches are worked exactly the same as row 1.
The row starts in the 2nd stitch of the row below.
The 1st stitch of the row.
The last stitch is worked into the turning chain.
Last stitch complete.
Repeat row 2 for any following rows.
You can also work in the 1st stitch from row 2.
The row starts in the 2nd stitch of the row below.
The 1st stitch of the row.
The last stitch is worked into the turning chain.
Last stitch complete.
Repeat row 2 for any following rows.
I’ll be making 10 stitches and have a turning chain of 2. The turning chain will be the 1st stitch, so I’ll need 11 chains in total.
Chains 1 & 2 will be the turning chain and 1st stitch. The 2nd stitch is worked into the 3rd chain from the hook.
The turning chain is the 1st stitch
Remember to include the turning chain in the stitch count
Chain 2 and flip the row. The stitches are worked exactly the same as row 1.
The row starts in the 2nd stitch of the row below.
The 1st stitch of the row.
The last stitch is worked into the turning chain.
Last stitch complete.
Repeat row 2 for any following rows.
A turning chain of 1 is usually not counted as a stitch.
I’ll be making 10 stitches and have a turning chain of 1, so I’ll need 11 chains in total.
Chain 1 will be the turning chain. The 1st stitch is worked into the 2nd chain from the hook.
The 1st stitch
The turning chain isn’t included in the stitch count
Chain 1 and flip the row.
The row starts in the 2nd stitch of the row below.
The 1st stitch of the row.
The last stitch is worked into the stitch.
Last stitch complete.
Repeat row 2 for any following rows.
I’ve covered four variations of the half treble. Hopefully any patterns you use will clarify which option they use!
The first 3 options all start row 1 in the 3rd chain.
If you are not counting the turning chain of 2, you will need to make a chain for each stitch, plus an extra 2. IE – for 10 stitches you would need a total of 12 chains.
From row 2 onwards you start in the 2nd stitch and finish in the turning chain.
Similar to option 1, but row 2 starts in the 1st stitch and ends in the last stitch.
The 3rd option counts the chain 2. With this option, for 10 stitches you would need 11 chains, start in the 2nd stitch and finish in the turning chain.
This last option has a turning chain of 1. Again, for 10 stitches you would need 11 chains, but row 1 starts in the 2nd chain. Row 2 starts in the 1st stitch and ends in the last.
They all produce slightly different results, I prefer chaining 2 and working in the 1st stitch. Which do you prefer? Let me know in the comments!
There are 2 swatches, one with a chain 1, the other with a chain 2, which is counted as a stitch.
I’ll show you written, photo and chart forms. If you want to watch a live demo, the video tutorial covers the swatch at around 7 minutes 52 seconds in.
I covered the contents of a pattern in lesson 2, so I’ll jump straight into the pattern.
You can download the pattern here.
These are the chart symbols and abbreviations in both UK and US terminology.
I’ll be using UK terminology for this tutourial, US terminolgy will be in brackets.
Step 1 – Both the written and photo instructions state chain 15 and make a Htr(Hdc) in the second chain from the hook.
This tells us that there is a turning chain of one, and there should be 14 stitches.
This is how it looks in practise
Step 2 – The next part of row 1 instructs us to work 13 Htr(Hdc), so we work 1 stitch in each of the remaining chains. This gives us a stitch total of 14.
The chart is read from the right.
Step 1 –For row 2, we make 1 turning chain, flip the row like a book, and work 1 Htr(Hdc) in each stitch. The stitch count should be 14.
The chart is read from the left.
The completed row.
Simply repeat row 2 for 12 rows The stitch count should be 14 each row.
Alternate the reading direction of the chart each row.
The finished swatch!
Remember to count your stitches at the end of each row.
Step 1 – Both the written and photo instructions state chain 15 and make a Htr(Hdc) in the third chain from the hook.
This tells us that there is a turning chain of 2, and there should be 14 stitches.
Step 2 – The next part of row 1 instructs us to work 12 Htr(Hdc), so we work 1 stitch in each of the remaining chains. This gives us a stitch total of 14.
The chart is read from the right.
Step 1 – Chain 2 and turn your work. As the turning chain is the 1st stitch, the 2nd Htr(Hdc) is worked into the 2nd stitch of the row below.
Step 2 – We then continue to make 12 Htr(Hdc) for a total of 14 stitches. The last stitch is made in the turning chain.
Simply repeat row 2 for 12 rows The stitch count should be 14 each row.
Alternate the reading direction of the chart each row.
The finished swatch!
Remember to count your stitches at the end of each row.
Welcome!
My name’s Katie and I’m a crochet addict!
I learnt to crochet about 20 years ago whilst living in Ireland. I soon had a street stall selling my crochet hats and bags, eventually progressing to organising craft fairs.
I returned to street selling for a few years to fund my travels around Latin America, before settling down and becoming a mum to two cool kids.
I love working with colour and creating vibrant, detailed crochet and wanted to translate that into patterns.
Free Crochet Scarf Pattern – Wagon Wheel
Crochet Ear Warmer Pattern
Crochet Short Scarf Pattern
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