Treble Crochet Stitch Tutorial

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This free treble crochet stitch tutorial is an easy way to learn this essential crochet skill. The treble crochet is a beginner crochet stitch, and used in many patterns. This step by step photo tutorial is the perfect way to learn this fun crochet stitch or to get a refresher. This crochet lesson also includes the stitch symbol and common pattern language.

What yarn and hook should you use for practice?

A worsted weight, also known as a size 4, cotton yarn is best to practice with. Choose a lighter color, but not white. Cotton is great to practice with because the fibers are very visible, so you can easily see the stitches you are making. This is my personal favorite cotton yarn for beginners, and for wash cloths, mop heads, and dish cloths!

When you choose a crochet hook, the best place to start is either by looking at the pattern, or by looking at the yarn you are working with. Yarn will have a place on it’s label where it tells you the size it is and the best hook to use with it. BTW, you can learn way more than just that from the label of your yarn!

Double Crochet Stitch Tutorial from Caitlin's Contagious Creations. Learn this basic crochet stitch with my beginner friendly step by step photo lesson. — The pink circled info indicated the size of the yarn, the blue circle indicated the hook size to use. The purple circle indicates the care instructions for the yarn.

If you are using a pattern, that is probably the best place to start. But when it is just for practice, the yarn is a good place to look for hook size. A cotton worsted weight yarn will likely recommend an H8 hook size.

You can get a great starter set of crochet hooks here!

Learn all about the crochet hook with my free Crochet Hooks 101 post 🙂

Full set of susan bates crochet hooks with polymer clay handles and flowers on background

The Treble Crochet Stitch in Patterns

Treble Crochet Stitch Symbol

When reading a pattern chart, you may encounter a stitch symbol that looks like the one below:

It is for a treble crochet!

A great way to always know what to do for a stitch symbol when reading a chart is to count the lines on the main vertical bar of the symbol (not counting the top bar). The number of little horizontal lines along that vertical line indicate the number of yarn overs before inserting your stitch in the hook.

Does that give you a clue about how many times we will yarn over before we insert our hook in the directions below?

Treble Crochet Written Pattern

When reading a written out pattern containing the treble crochet, the most common abbreviation (in my experience) is TC. However, I have seen other abbreviations also. It is always a good idea to read all of the pattern directions, including the stitch abbreviations section of every pattern before you work it.

This stitch is most commonly 1 stitch worked into 1 stitch, but it can be used as a part of shell and other multi stitches in place of a double crochet stitch.

I will provide a live example of written pattern language pertaining to the treble crochet in the directions below.

Make your base row

The treble crochet needs to be worked into the top of another stitch. This means you need a base row to work into.

Step 1) For this tutorial I have a chain of 17 worked. This direction would be written as “Ch 17.”

14 of those 17 chains will be the base for the next row of treble crochet stitches. The last 3 chain stitches are considered the turning chains. The 3 chain stitches count as the first stitch of the row. There will be a total of 15 stitches in this row.

Turning chains are the chains you make to bring your hook to the proper height to work the next stitch.

Learn more about chain stitches with my free tutorial here.

chain of 10 crochet sttiches made from red yarn and a blue crochet hook

Step 2) Yarn Over (YO) twice.

step 2 of treble stitch tutorial, yarn over twice. 2 loops over shaft of crochet hook

Step 3) Insert your hook into the 4th chain from the hook. YO and pull up a loop through the stitch.

Step 4) YO and pull the yarn over loop through 2 loops.

yarn over added to shaft of crochet hook

pull yarn over loop through 2 loops on hook shaft

Step 5) YO and pull through 2 loops.

pull yarn over loop through the next 2 loops on hook

Step 6) YO and pull through last 2 loops.

yarn over loop added to shaft of crochet hook

pull yarn over loop through last 2 loops on hook

In each chain stitch, work steps 2 – 6 until you reach the end of the chain.

The pattern language you might see for a written pattern is: “TC in each stitch”

Getting to The Next Row

Once you get to the end of the row, you will need to chain up a few stitches and then turn your work over so you can do the next row.

Chain up 3 for a treble crochet stitch

Then flip your work so the tops of the previous row of stitches are to the left of your hook (assuming you are right handed).

turn your work to make the next row of stitches — Turn.

This direction to chain up and flip your work can be written multiple ways, depending on the designer. But a common direction may look like “Ch 3 and turn.” Keep in mind, this direction can happen at the end of the row, or the beginning.

Never Stop Learning New Stitches!

Keep practicing your crochet skills and never stop learning new stitches. If you enjoyed this treble crochet stitch tutorial, you will probably also enjoy my other basic stitch tutorials:

Chain Stitch

Single Crochet Stitch

Double Crochet Stitch

Half Double Crochet Stitch

If you are ready to challenge yourself a bit more, try my easy stitch tutorials:

Spike Stitch Crochet Tutorial

Front and Back Post Crochet Stitches

Learn the Magic Ring