Learn to Crochet Simple Style Part 8: Double Crochet

This is the last lesson, and it's about the most used stitch in crochet: the double crochet or dc in short. Quick to work, adds a bit of openness to garments and is such a diverse stitch. The double crochet is used as a stitch on its own, but there are so much stitch combinations where the double crochet is the main character.

In this lesson there are the basics of the stitch, how to increase and how to decrease and ofcourse the last practice pattern!

The basics

As with the other stitches covered in this course, there are a few "rules" to consider when making this stitch.
First of all, you need to add height at the start of a row or round. As we have seen with both single crochet and half double crochet, you use an amount of chains to add height.
For the double crochet you need a starting chain at the beginning of a row or round of three chains. This is the rule of thumb. There are some variations however, as I have seen that when you are working flat a chain 3 can create a bit of too much openness at the start of the row (see pictures above). Some people advice to do a chain 2 as a starting chain to get rid of the holes.
In my patterns I always use the chain 3 option.
Also, you need to remind that this chain 3 always counts as a stitch. If you need to count some stitches, count the chain 3 as a double crochet. This means you do not work your first "real" double crochet at the bottom of the chain 3 but in the next stitch, just as you did with the half double crochet.
Now, as we know this, we can look at the stitch itself. Grab a hook and a bit of yarn, and play along with me!

Here we have the start of a row. Chain 3.

Yarn over hook.

Insert hook in the next stitch.

Yarn over hook.

Pull through loop.

 

Yarn over hook.

Pull the yarn through the first two loops on the hook.

Yarn over hook.

Pull the yarn through the last two loops. One double crochet made.

Here we have four double crochets. The first one is the chain 3, and after that three normal double crochets.

Increasing and decreasing

Increasing and decreasing with the double crochet works almost the same as with the half double crochet. For an increase you just make two double crochets into the same stitch (as seen in the picture above).
For decreasing you work two stitches up to the second to last step and work them together. Here's a quick step-by-step photo-tutorial on decreasing with double crochet:

Work into first stitch a double crochet up till the last step.

Yarn over hook.

Insert hook into next stitch.

Yarn over hook.

Pull through loop (four loops on hook).

Yarn over hook, and pull the yarn through the first two loops on your hook (three loops on hook). Now you have made two double crochets up till the last step.

Yarn over hook, and pull through all loops on hook.

One decrease made.

Well, there you go! The final lesson. Probably not the last. I will list stitches as I incorporate them into my patterns, and add them to the course. But the course in its basic form is done. I really do hope you had fun reading it.
Ofcourse there is a practice pattern! A lovely little basket to put hairtoys, trinkets or yarn in it. It can be downloaded here and its Ravelry entry is over here.

Have a lovely evening and see you soon!