Ready to take your crochet skills to the next level? Learning how to treble crochet (sometimes called a triple crochet) is a fantastic way to expand your stitch repertoire and add height and texture to your projects. This tall and elegant stitch works up quickly and is perfect for creating open, airy patterns or adding beautiful detail to blankets, shawls, and more.
In this post, we’ll guide you through each step of the treble crochet stitch with clear instructions and helpful tips. Whether you’re a beginner ready to learn something new, or an experienced crocheter looking to refine your technique, this guide will have you mastering the treble crochet in no time. Let’s get started!
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How to Treble Crochet
Materials:
- Worsted weight yarn (or other yarn type)
Equipment:
Watch the step-by-step video tutorial:
Instructions:
- Begin with a foundation to add your stitches into.We made a slip knot and chains here, but you can also create a magic circle.
- Hold the working yarn in your non-dominant hand and use your finger and thumb to hold the chains close to the hook.Wrap the working yarn around your hook, going counter-clockwise around the hook. This is called a “yarn over”.Repeat, making a second yarn over.
- Insert your hook into the chain or stitch you’d like the treble crochet stitch to be in.(Generally with a treble crochet you’ll insert your stitch into the 5th chain from the hook to keep your rows straight.)You can also work a treble crochet into a magic circle or a stitch from the previous row.
- Yarn over. (Wrap the working yarn around your hook in a clockwise direction.)
- Guide the top part of your hook back through the same chain, pulling the working yarn through.
- You should now have 4 loops on your hook.
- Yarn over.
- Pull your hook with the working yarn through the first 2 loops on your hook.
- You should now have 3 loops on your hook.
- Yarn over.
- Pull your hook and working yarn through the first 2 loops.
- There should now be 2 loops on your hook.
- Yarn over.
- Pull the the hook and working yarn through the last 2 loops on your hook.
- This will leave 1 loop on your hook, the starting point of your next stitch.Your treble crochet stitch is complete!
Helpful Tips:
- Treble crochet is abbreviated as “tr” or “tc” in crochet patterns. We write all our patterns using American terminology.
- Treble crochet is also called triple crochet. The terms “treble” and “triple” can be used interchangeably.
- In UK terminology, the tr has a different name. It’s referred to as double treble crochet (dtr) there, even though the same steps are used to make the stitch.
- When you’re working a tr into stitches (rather than chains), make sure you insert your hook through both of the top loops, unless the pattern states otherwise.
What’s the difference between a treble crochet and a double crochet?
The treble crochet is taller than the double crochet, creating a more open and airy fabric. The main difference is that for a treble crochet, you wrap the yarn twice around the hook before inserting it into the stitch, compared to just one yarn over for a double crochet. This results in more loops to work through, giving the treble crochet its height
When should I use a triple crochet instead of other stitches?
Treble crochet is great for projects where you want a lightweight, open texture, such as lacy shawls, scarves, or decorative pieces. It’s also useful for creating taller stitches in specific designs, like ripple or chevron patterns, or for making a project grow faster, since it covers more height in fewer rows.
How many chains do I need to start a row of treble crochet?
When starting a row of treble crochet, you’ll typically chain 4 stitches, which counts as your first triple crochet. This turning chain ensures the proper height for your row and keeps the edges of your project straight and even.
Why is my treble crochet fabric so open or stretchy, and how can I fix it?
Treble crochet naturally creates an open and stretchy fabric due to its height and the spaces between stitches. If you want a tighter, less open result, try using a smaller hook size or pairing the treble crochet with shorter stitches like single or double crochet to add stability. You can also experiment with different yarn weights to achieve the desired density.
Now that you’ve learned how to treble crochet, you’re ready to add height, texture, and elegance to your projects! This versatile stitch opens up endless possibilities for creating airy, lacy designs or working through patterns more quickly.
With practice, you’ll gain confidence in using treble crochet for everything from blankets to decorative pieces. Keep experimenting and enjoy the creative freedom this stitch offers!
Here’s even more crochet craft ideas:
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Amazon Canada
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