The treble crochet is the tallest of the basic stitches: two yarn overs, one loop pulled up, then three rounds of “pull through two”. Once you know the double crochet it takes only a few stitches to learn, and it lets a row grow quickly into an open, drapey fabric.
This lesson shows every step with a close-up of the loops on the hook, explains the turning chain and the US and UK names, and covers the mistakes that make trebles lean or look loose.
What Is a Treble Crochet?
The treble is the tallest of the four basic stitches. It stands about four chains high, a little taller than a double crochet, and you can see two diagonal bars across its post where the extra yarn wraps were worked off. A row of trebles grows fast and leaves small gaps between the posts, so the fabric is open and drapey.
The name is the confusing part. In US patterns it is abbreviated tr. In crochet, UK treble means something else: the UK “treble” is the US double crochet, and the stitch on this page is called a double treble (dtr) in UK patterns. Some crocheters call it the triple crochet, which is the same stitch. When a pattern does not say which terms it uses, look for “sc” (US only) or “htr” (UK only); our US ⇄ UK stitch converter sorts out the rest.
What You Need
- Smooth worsted weight (4) yarn in a light, solid color. Cotton shows every loop clearly; the mint cotton in the photos is a good practice yarn.
- A 5 mm (US H-8) hook, or the size on your yarn label. The hook size chart converts letters and millimeters.
- A starting row to work into. Chain 20 and work a row of single crochet, or start straight from a foundation chain as described below.
If the double crochet is still new to you, learn it first. The treble uses the same moves with one more wrap, so it feels familiar within a few stitches.
How to Treble Crochet, Step by Step
Every treble follows one rhythm: wrap twice, go in, pull up a loop, then work the loops off two at a time until one is left. Watch the number of loops on your hook, it tells you exactly where you are.
- Yarn over twice. Wrap the yarn around the hook two times from back to front. With the loop that was already there, the hook now carries three strands. Keep your index finger lightly on the wraps so they do not slide off.
- Insert the hook and pull up a loop. Go under both top loops of the next stitch, yarn over and draw the yarn back through the stitch. Lift this new loop to about the height of the wraps. Four loops are on the hook.
- Pull through two. Yarn over and draw the yarn through the first two loops. Three loops remain.
- Pull through two again. Two loops remain.
- Finish with the last two loops. Wrap once more and pull through them. One loop is left on the hook and the stitch is finished, about four times as tall as a single crochet.
A short way to remember it: yarn over twice, go in, then “through two” three times.
Turning Chains and the First Treble Crochet of a Row
Starting from a foundation chain. Work the first treble into the fifth chain from the hook. The four chains you skipped stand up beside it and count as the first stitch, so a chain of 24 gives you a row of 20 trebles.
Starting a new row. Chain 4 and turn. In most patterns those 4 chains count as the first treble, so you skip the first stitch and put your first real treble in the second stitch. At the end of the row, work the last treble into the top of the turning chain of the row below. Check the pattern notes, because a few designers do not count the chain and say so there.
If the edge leaves a gap next to the turning chain, try chain 3 instead of 4. A loose hand often makes 3 chains as tall as a treble.
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
- The stitches lean or twist. The first loop you pull up was too short, so the post tilts to reach the height of its neighbors. Lift that loop to the height of the wraps before you start working off.
- Loose loops on the post. The wraps slipped while you inserted the hook. Hold them with your index finger, and keep the hook throat facing down as you go through the stitch.
- The row grows or shrinks. Count your stitches at the end of each row. A missing stitch usually hides at the end, where the last treble belongs in the top of the turning chain.
- A double crochet sneaks in. If one stitch looks shorter than the rest, you wrapped once instead of twice. Each treble has two diagonal bars on its post; a double crochet has one.
Taller Stitches and Other Variations
Double treble (US dtr). Yarn over three times, insert, pull up a loop, then work off two loops at a time four times. It stands about five chains tall, and the turning chain is 5. This crochet double treble is the US stitch; in UK patterns it is called a triple treble.
Triple treble crochet (US trtr). Four wraps and five rounds of “through two”, with a turning chain of 6. It appears mostly in lace and doilies.
Front post treble crochet (FPtr). Instead of going under the top loops, insert the hook from front to back to front around the post of a stitch in the row below, then make the treble as usual. Post stitches lie on the surface of the fabric and are used for cables and ribbing.
Treble corners and clusters. Groups of trebles in one stitch or space make corners and fans. In our sunflower granny square, Round 7 turns the round flower into a square with corners of (3 tr, ch 2, 3 tr).
Where You Will Use It
Trebles add height in a single round, which makes them good for shaping. The two rounded tops of our crochet heart are made with trebles, and in the sunflower square every petal has a treble at its center with shorter stitches on each side. In fabric, rows of trebles give a light, quick wrap or a market bag that drapes.
Want the full picture of stitch heights? The beginner guide How to Crochet shows all the basic stitches side by side, and How to Read Crochet Patterns explains the abbreviations you will find around them. More lessons are in Learn to Crochet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the treble crochet stitch?
Yarn over twice, insert the hook in the stitch and pull up a loop (4 loops on the hook), then yarn over and pull through two loops three times until one loop is left.
How do you treble crochet UK style?
A UK treble is worked like a US double crochet: yarn over once, insert, pull up a loop, then pull through two loops twice. The stitch on this page is a UK double treble.
Is a treble crochet the same as a triple crochet?
Yes. Treble crochet and triple crochet are two names for the same US stitch, abbreviated tr. Both mean two yarn overs before you insert the hook.
What is the American treble crochet in UK terms?
The American treble crochet is a UK double treble (dtr). Every US stitch name moves up one step in UK terms: US single crochet is UK double crochet, US double is UK treble.
Does the turning chain count as a stitch in treble crochet?
Usually yes: a chain of 4 at the start of a row counts as the first treble, so you skip the first stitch. Some patterns say otherwise in their notes, so check them first.
How tall is a treble crochet?
About four chains tall, roughly four times the height of a single crochet. In worsted yarn with a 5 mm hook, one row of trebles is a little over 1 in (2.5 cm) high.
Clara Parker
I’m Clara — a mom who is never without a hook, and the crochet half of the Recipes Dad family. I write cozy, practical patterns you can actually finish.
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