Half Double Crochet Through the Third Loop

HDC (Half Double Crochet) through the third loop creates a beautiful horizontal striping pattern. It’s easy to do, and here I provide a video tutorial to walk you through the stitch.

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HDC through the 3rd Loop Video Tutorial

Supplies

Any yarn and related hook that you want. Here’s what I used:

HDC Third Loop Video Tutorial

How to HDC Through the Third Loop

This tutorial is showing you how to do HDC Through the third loop when working in the round. The first thing to do is to notice the structure of the HDC stitch. (For a tutorial showing how to do HDC, see this post) There are the two top loops that form a V at the top of the stitch as normal. If you tilt the stitch forward and loop behind that V, you will notice one more horizontal loop. This is the third loop of the HDC.

To work HDC through the third loop, you’ll work as for a normal HDC, just working through that extra loop instead of the top of the stitch – yarn over, insert your hook through the third loop, yarn over and pull through a loop, then yarn over and pull through all three loops on your hook.

V at the top of the stitch
Behind the V, the third loop of the HDC
Notice that the top ‘V’ is still intact – I have not inserted my hook through the two top loops.
Notice the horizontal chain-looking stitches that are formed. These are the tops of the HDCs that have been pushed to the front of the work by working through the third loop in the back.

It’s as simple as that! I hope you enjoy this technique and the tutorial.