The foundation double crochet stitch allows you to work your starting chain and first row of dc at the same time. It’s much quicker and much less fiddly than working as separate rows and inserting your hook into each chain stitch – especially for larger projects!
Let’s face it we all just want to get going when starting a new crochet project and the instruction to chain 120 (or insert any high number, depending on your level of patience!), then work a row of dc is a common start for many crochet patterns. But it’s difficult to get into a rhythm inserting a hook into a chain stitch making the first two rows take longer than necessary. Here’s how to get to the good bit quicker by using a foundation double crochet stitch.
This post uses UK terms, the US term is the foundation single crochet – fsc stitch.
Here’s how you do the foundation double crochet stitch:
- Chain 2:
2. Insert the hook into the second chain from your hook:
3. Wrap yarn around the hook and pull through both loops of the chain st – you will now have two loops on your hook:
4. Wrap the yarn around your hook, pull through one loop – you will now have two loops left on your hook. This is the chain part of the stitch:
5. Wrap yarn around the hook and pull through both loops. This is the dc part of the stitch. You have made your first fdc:
6. To make the next stitch. Insert hook into the bottom of the stitch you have just made, under both loops – see needle in image below:
7. Wrap yarn around the hook, pull through both loops of the chain st – you will now have two loops on your hook:
8. Wrap yarn around hook, pull through first loop. You can see in the image below, you’ve now made the bottom chain stitch:
9. Wrap yarn around the hook and pull through both loops to make the dc part of the stitch. You should now have one loop on your hook and have made two fdc stitches:
For all new stitches insert your hook under both loops of the chain part of the previous stitch – see needle in image:
You should start to see chain stiches along the bottom (left in image) and the dc stitches along the top (right in image):
After a few stitches:
I hope you find this useful. The fdc is used in my Lichen it poncho pattern, take a look here. Let me know in the comments if you try it, or if it’s one you’ve used before.
Happy crocheting!
