The Half Double Herringbone stitch uses hdc stitches to create a zig zag like look that is meant to look like the spine of a fish and is a simply stitch to create. In this stitch guide I will show you how to crochet the Half Double Herringbone stitch with all the pictures that you need along with a video guide that you can follow along with too.

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I first used the Half Double Herringbone stitch in the FrankenScrap crochet along as one of the pieces of the quilt like blanket. You can access the whole pattern for free here.

The Hdc Herringbone stitch is a slanting stitch that when worked in rows looks like the backbone of a fish due to the way 2 rows come together. It is a hole free stitch that has a flat surface. It is ideal for making clothing, wraps, scarves and so much more.

This is a simple stitch to make and works up quickly. It also works well made in the round as well as rows, but takes on a different look when made in rounds as all the stitches slant in the same direction as you can see in the pictures below. In the round is on the left , made in rows is on the right.

For the sample in the picture below I used Rico Essentials Cotton DK for this piece, a 100% cotton yarn that keeps appearing in my stash. I like this brand of yarn a lot as it’s lovely and silky, has a great colour range to choose from and is a good price compared to other brands of cotton.

This how to guide is part of Froggity Frog’s Stitch Vault collection. Have you seen all the other stitches in there? You can take a look here all the guides are free to access and maybe you will discover some new stitches to create for yourself.

The yarn I used in the pictures of this stitch guide below is Stylecraft Cotton Classique DK, a 100% cotton yarn. It’s a non mercerised cotton that is lovely and soft, but it can get a bit splitty if you frog it a couple of times. It does makes lovely cosy blankets though and is the yarn that got me hooked on cotton as my fibre of choice. I think I first got a ball of this yarn in a mystery bag I got off ebay, and it was a great yarn discovery for me and I’ve been loving using this yarn ever since.

I also used my trusty Clover Amour hooks which are perfect if you are looking for a good value ergonomic crochet hook that won’t cause your hand to ache if you are crocheting for long periods of time. I’ve tried many different crochet hooks over the years, but I always end up coming back to my trusty Clovers. They just sit so well in my hand and never let me down.

How To Crochet The Half Double Herringbone Stitch

Click here for the left hand video

Abbreviations

• Ch = Chain
• Sk = Skip
• St = Stitch
• YO = Yarn Over
• Hhs = Half Double Crochet Herringbone Stitch

Start by making a foundation chain in any multiple of stitches

Row 1. In the 3rd chain from your hook make a hhs (hdc herringbone stitch) – YO, insert your hook into the st, YO and pull up a loop and then slst through the 1st loop on your hook. 

YO and pull through the last 2 loops on your hook.

hhs in each st across.

Row 2. Turn and ch2 (the ch doesn’t count as a st). Make a hhs in the first st and then make a hhs in each st across.

Repeat row 2 until you have as many rows as you need

How To Add A Border To The Half Double Herringbone Crochet Stitch

With the Half Double Herringbone stitch, all the rows begin and end with a half double crochet stitch, so for your border you need to treat them in pairs. For the first row make 2 stitches in the side, then for the next hdc row you need to make 1 stitch.

I always recommend that you make a round of single crochet stitches around your piece first before adding any border pattern that you have planned, as doing this just helps to even your stitches out and make a nice solid round to add any further stitches into.

I used the Half Double Herringbone stitch as one of the pieces in the scrappy quilt like FrankenScrap crochet along – find out more about this free pattern here, and join in and access the entire pattern for free.

You can find more free crochet stitch guides here in Froggity Frog’s stitch vault. Come on over to our Facebook group – Froggity Frog’s Ribbit And Stitch and show us what you made with the Half Double Herringbone stitch. I’d love to see what you created with this crochet stitch. 

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