Hallestam Crochet Atelier: Half Double Crochet Tutorial — Elevating Your Technique

Hallestam Design
Dec 17, 2025
2 min read

Half Double Crochet Tutorial — Understanding the Technique

The half double crochet tutorial continues your journey into the core building blocks of refined crochet work. The half double crochet (hdc) sits beautifully between single and double crochet — offering height, softness, and a smooth, modern texture ideal for bags, accessories, and minimalistic home pieces.

This stitch is essential for achieving drape without sacrificing structure, which is why it appears frequently in Hallestam Design patterns. In this lesson, we will unpack the mechanics behind the stitch, explore how to maintain a consistent silhouette, and refine your tension for elegant results.

How the Half Double Crochet Works

The half double crochet is created by:

Yarn over
Insert your hook
Pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)
Yarn over
Pull through all three loops

This creates a compact yet softly elongated stitch with a characteristic horizontal “bar” across the fabric — a subtle detail that adds visual interest and richness to your work.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even intermediate crocheters often struggle with:

Uneven height — caused by inconsistent starting tension
Slanted edges — usually from skipping the first stitch after chain-2
Gaps at row transitions — often due to pulling too tightly at the turning chain

To correct these, focus on a relaxed posture, an even yarn feed, and a consistent turning-chain height. Your hands should guide the yarn, not fight it — elegance begins with ease.

Refining Your Technique for a Smoother Fabric

Since the hdc has more movement than sc but less than dc, the key to achieving a premium finish is controlled fluidity. Keep these principles in mind:

Maintain a gentle, even yarn tension
Ensure each yarn-over is identical in height
Visualize your rows as a continuous surface — not individual stitches

This will give your fabric a signature Hallestam smoothness.

Practice Project — The Soft-Structured Swatch

To help you integrate what you’ve learned, our Atelier practice project for this lesson is a soft-structured hdc swatch.

Project instructions:

Chain 26
Work hdc across (24 hdc + turning chain)
Continue for 12–14 rows
Pay strict attention to tension on each yarn-over

This small piece helps you understand the personality of the stitch — how it bends, drapes, forms structure, and interacts with light.

What’s Next in the Atelier

The next Atelier lesson — Hallestam Crochet Atelier: Double Crochet Foundations — Height, Flow & Structure — will be released on Wednesday. Discover how the double crochet opens the door to airy textures, faster builds, and refined shaping techniques.