Hi guys, we took a little break from our tutorials recently. But this week, after a little technical difficulty we are back with Courtney from Creations by Courtney, who is here to teach us the Half Double Crochet Cluster. This stitch is nice and thick so perfect for your fall projects. If you check out the links below Courtney has written a pattern for some beautiful fingerless gloves using the stitch.
So without too much rambling I’m going to pass over to Courtney.
Featured Crochet Tutorial
Hi, I’m Courtney, the designer for Creations By Courtney. I first learned to crochet and knit as a child when I was 8 years old from my mother. My first project was an attempt to make a gray crochet blanket for my brother to be! That project did not get finished, but I tried making a large crossbody bag in high school, and settled on hats in college. During graduate school, I made scarves, more hats, and a few blankets to help manage the stress of my studies.
Through my husband’s encouragement, I ventured into turning my hobby into a business by selling completing items through word of mouth. Eventually, I found a business coach that helped me realize that I could be a designer! I haven’t looked back yet in designing, and have fallen in love with designing crochet garments for women and crochet accessories. I hope to add garments for men and children too. I also love figuring out how to minimize the seams in a project, or using techniques to attach pieces, so my goal is to teach something with most patterns.
Half Double Crochet Cluster
This tutorial teaches a modified half double crochet cluster (hdc-cl) that is easy to do once you get the hang of which stitches to skip. This half double cluster is different because it skips a stitch, whereas the traditional cluster does not. It creates a lovely, subtle texture.
I chose this stitch for a tutorial to help out any crocheter wishing to make the Ashley Fingerless Mitts.
What you need
- Worsted weight yarn in a light color
- Size I-9/ 5.50 mm hook
Set up
This stitch is created with a multiple of 2 + 1, which means that you will create any number of chains that can be divided by 2 and then make one more chain.
I’m going to show you how to make the half double cluster and the last half double cluster, step-by-step, and then provide instruction for a few rows of practice.
For this tutorial, you should be familiar with the following stitches:
Ch: chain
hdc: half double crochet
hdc-cl: half double crochet cluster
Last hdc-cl: last half double crochet cluster
Sk: skip
Sp: space
St(s): stitch(es)
YO: yarn over
Here are the written instructions for the HDC-cl.
Hdc-cl: YO, insert hook into same st as last st made (or first st of the row), YO, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), YO (4 loops on hook), sk 1 st, insert hook in next st or ch-1 sp, YO, pull up a loop (5 loops on hook), YO, pull through all 5 loops, ch 1
Confusing? Follow along with the pictures below.
Step 1: Ch a multiple of 2+1.
Step 2: Working in 4th ch from hook, hdc, ch 1.
Step 3: YO, insert hook in same st as the hdc (3 loops on hook)
Step 4: YO (4 loops on hook), sk 1 st [Pic. 4], insert hook in next st, YO, pull up a loop (5 loops on hook) [Pic. 5.]
Step 5: YO, pull through all 5 loops, ch 1
Step 6: The next hdc-cl is started in the same st as the last st made [Pic. 7-9]
Step 7: Make hdc-cl across until 1 st remains for the last hdc-cl
Once again, here is the short hand to follow for the last HDC-cl.
Last hdc-cl: YO, insert hook in same st as last st made, YO, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), YO (4 loops on hook), do not sk 1 st, insert hook in last st, YO, pull up a loop (5 loops on hook), YO, pull through all 5 loops
Still confused? Follow the pictures below.
Step 8: YO, insert hook in same st as last st made, YO, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)
Step 9: YO (4 loops on hook), do not sk 1 st, insert hook in last st, YO, pull up a loop (5 loops on hook) [Pic. 13], YO, pull through all loops [Pic. 14]
To make a practice swatch
Ch 21 [refer to Pic. 1]
Row 1: Hdc in 4th ch from hook, hdc-cl across until 1 st remains, last hdc-cl, turn [refer to Pic. 14]
Row 2: Ch 2, hdc in first ch-1 sp, ch 1 [Pic. 15, black arrow indicates ch-1 sp], hdc-cl in each ch-1 sp until 1 st remains, last hdc-cl, turn
Row 3-8: Repeat Row 2
I hope you enjoyed todays tutorial, if you want to put what you learned into action check out these patterns that use this stitch here. If you would like to learn more subscribe here for more tutorials, pattern roundups and crochet garment and accessory patterns!
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