MORE STITCHES
For every stitch you learn and practise, crochet up a square or
two, using different colours if you want to. Then sew them
together to make a fab throw that will become a great reference
guide. Try using DK yarn, a 4mm hook and about 22 stitches to
make a 10cm (4in) square, or 33 stitches to make a slightly larger
15cm (6in) square. Make a foundation chain of 21 or 32 chains,
then the turning chain of 2ch (counts as a stitch). Then work a half
treble into each of the 21 or 32 chains to the end.
Turn, make the t-ch and half
treble into the 2nd stitch and
each stitch to the end of the
row. Repeat until you have a
square, then fasten off.HIP TO BE SQUARE
O
nce you can make treble and double
crochet stitches, it’s easy to learn
more crochet stitches. The most
popular of these is half treble (abbreviated as
htr, and called half double crochet in the US).
The half treble stitch is worked in a similar
way to a treble, but without the final yrh and
pull loop through. This means it’s shorter and
quicker to work than a treble stitch, but
longer than a double crochet stitch, so it has
the best of both worlds!
Half trebles create a fairly dense and warm
fabric, with a slightly lacy texture, so it’s agreat all-round stitch for all sorts of projects.
Crocheters usually describe the pattern
effect on the crochet fabric as a ‘stitch
pattern’. If you work rows of half trebles on
every row, back and forth, you’ll create a
simple half treble stitch pattern.
Below left is an example of half treble
stitches worked in one row. Repeat these
rows to create half treble fabric, shown below
right. You’ll see that the stitch pattern creates
rows of tall ‘v’ shapes. In rows, half treble
fabric looks the same on the front and the
back. In rounds, half treble fabric gives adifferent effect on each side. Whichever
method you’re using to work the fabric, a
pattern will always tell you which is the right
and wrong side.
Work through our guide to learn the half
treble stitch and then have a go at our easy
half treble hat project on page 96, with an
optional heart decoration.
Once you can work the half treble in rows,
it’s easy to work it in rounds and to work half
treble decreases, using the same techniques
as we’ve covered for working trebles, back on
page 82.(^1) TEXTURED ROWS
Each half treble stitch is worked
into each chain stitch, creating a
lacy pattern on the side of the
stitch and a neat ‘v’ shape at the
top of the stitch. Half treble is
abbreviated as ‘htr’.
(^2) DRAPING FABRIC
Half treble fabric has a lovely
texture and drape. It’s not as
dense as double crochet, but not
as lacy as treble crochet. The
stitches sit quite close together
for a fairly dense fabric.
Row
Fabric
HALF TREBLE
FABRIC
This simple stitch forms a fairly dense fabric
HALF TREBLE
FABRIC IDEAS
The dense yet light fabric
created with half treble is
great for all sorts of
projects, especially
accessories. Half treble fabric
has an attractive drape
that’s also great for garments.