Chainless Starting Double Crochet (csdc)
Straighten your double crochet rows with the chainless starting double crochet (csdc) stitch. Eliminate those floppy edges and gaps by starting your row with a stitch that looks just like a normal double crochet. No turning chains needed!
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The traditional chain 3
Traditionally, you start a double crochet row by chaining 3. This “turning chain” then counts as your first double crochet. While this gives you the height you need, it doesn’t actually look like a double crochet. It’s thinner, and tends to leave a bit of a gap before the next stitch.
A chainless way
The chainless starting double crochet uses no turning chains. Instead, it uses the working loop to create a double crochet stitch. This results in a much neater look, with no gap at the edge.
The parts of a double Crochet
For our purposes here, let’s break the double crochet stitch up into 3 steps.
- Yarn over
- Insert hook into indicated stitch and pull up a loop
- (Yarn over and pull through 2 loops on hook) twice.
The chainless starting double crochet has an equivalent step for each of these three.
How to work the csdc
Pull up your working loop to approximately the height of a double crochet stitch. You can compare it to your other double crochet stitches as a guide. Hold this loop firmly against your hook with your finger so that it can’t move. Do not let go until it says so in these instructions, otherwise you may have to start over.
Step 1: Yarn over
Turning your hook towards you and then around the back, in a counterclockwise motion, wrap your hook around this working loop. Now you have the original loop, plus this extra wrap that is going to serve as a yarn over.
Step 2: Pull up a loop
This one doesn’t change from a normal double crochet. In this case, we’re working into the first stitch, so insert your hook into the first stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop just as you would for a normal double crochet. Remember not to let go of the twisted loop on your hook while doing this, or you will loose your yarn over.
You should now have something resembling 3 loops on your hook.
Step 3: Pull through 2, twice.
Yarn over and pull through the first two loops on your hook. This is the loop you pulled up in step 2, and the “yarn over” you created in step 1. Now you can let go of the loop you were holding in place.
Yarn over and pull through the remaining 2 loops on your hook. Now you have a completed, chainless starting double crochet!
It may take a few tries to get the tension right. If your stitch is too tight or too loose, try adjusting how high you pull up the working loop when you start.
Chainless Starting Double Crochet Video Tutorial
Watch This Video on YouTube
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4 Comments
cecelia
This is great!! I have always hated that gap at the beginning of the row and tried many ways to fix it…problem solved. Thank You.
Pia Thadani
You’re welcome, I’m glad it worked for you!
Frank Blankenship
I understand how to do this to start a new row. How do you start from the beginning without a chain? If you have a row of double crochet stitches did you start eith a chain 3 to start your pattern? You need to show a video on how to get the beginning row without the chain 3.
Pia Thadani
What you’re asking about is a different technique called foundation double crochet, which does use a ch3 for that first stitch.
The csdc is just for turning and starting a new row. I suppose if you’re really ambitious, you could make one chain and do a chainless starting double crochet into that one chain and then foundation dc to finish the first row.
There’s also another technique called a standing double crochet for starting a new row with a new color/yarn without joining it first.
I don’t have tutorials (yet) for either of those techniques. But there’s a lot of good ones out there. Check Mooglyblog.com . She has some great tutorials for those!