Double Crochet Stitch

How to Make a Double Crochet Stitch 

First.....a few words on pattern labels.

In UK crochet patterns, this stitch is labeled as dc (for Double Crochet), because the yarn is would over the hook two times during the whole stitch.

(Please note, American patterns call this stitch a single crochet, abbreviated as sc, because they label the crochet stitches according to how many chains the stitch makes, rather than how many times the yarn goes around the hook)

STEP BY STEP TUTORIAL FOR DOUBLE CROCHET

This is a basic stitch that's used in rows and in circles too, an essential to learn and master for both simple and complex patterns.

1. Holding the chain stitches in your left hand, and with gentle tension on the yarn, prepare to insert your hook into your work. Now, remember the loop on that's currently on the hook doesn't count as a chain.

2. Insert your hook into the 2nd chain from the hook.

3. Push it right through, and you will have two loops now on your hook.

4. Yarn round hook (yrh)

5. Pull the hook through the first loop only

6. You will now have two loops on your hook, like at step 3, but a stitch has been made.

7. Yarn round hook again (yrh)

8. This time pull the hook through both loops

9. And your first double crochet (dc) is complete!

10. Get busy and finish your first row, working into each chain stitch (cs) until you've reached the slip knot.

11. Now, we're getting ready to start the 2nd row, but first we need to do 1 chain stitch (cs) to add some height to the next lot of stitches.So, yarn round hook (yrs).

12. Pull through the loop, and you will now have an extra chain at the end of your work.

 13. Flip the work over in your hand, so that you're now working on the other side. Now, what you can see is the fullback laid flat. Can you see the little gaps under stitches at the very top? That's the side view of the chains that you can see on step 14. The little gaps are what we're going to poke our hook through.

14. Push the hook through the second chain (which is actually the first chain on the first finished row, but because we added a chain stitch at the end before we flipped the work over, it is called the second chain.)

Go right through behind the chain, you will see that you now have 3 loops on your hook,

15. Now yarn round hook (yrh)

16. Pull through the chain but not the original loop on the hook. You should now have 2 loops on your hook.

17. Yarn round hook (yrh)

18. Pull through the two loops to create a complete Double Crochet (dc)

19. Tada!! Keep going to the last chain

20. You see the last chain on the first row where my thumb is on the left? Make sure you don't miss this one out, it completes the row. If you struggle to get your hook through, then you were working too tight (I had this particular problem on my first row....)

21. Your second row is complete, and you're ready to start the third row. Don't forget to do a chain stitch first before your flip your over, then repeat steps 13 to 21

DOUBLE CROCHET BEGINNERS TIPS

Don't work too tight

Don't worry too much about speed in the beginning, just focus on working in a comfortable position, maintaining a consistent tension with the yarn, learning how it flows through the fingers of your left hand, and getting used to the motion of the hook, and finding the spaces for the hook to go through.

Count your chain stitches and keep check as you go on each row, just to make sure you haven't missed any stitches out

Don't be too hard on yourself if it looks naff.....practice, practice, practice