Half-Double Back Loop Only Ribbing As You Go

Have you ever wondered how to add a stretchy crocheted ribbing to the end of your project? In this video, crochet expert Brenda K.B. Anderson demonstrates how to work a back loop only ribbing that is joined as you go. It’s the perfect technique to finish off crocheted hat patterns and crocheted baby blanket patterns.

Brenda begins by looking at an example of a swatch where half double crochet back loop only was added to the fabric. She notes that to make the ribbing, typically you’ll want to go down a couple of hook sizes, but it may take a little experimentation. For her sample in the video, Brenda goes down two hook sizes to begin the ribbing. She chains seven stitches, skips the first chain, and then adds a half double crochet (hdc) stitch into the remaining chains.

To join the ribbing to the main fabric, she slip stitch into each of the next two stitches of the main fabric. This attaches the ribbing, and she is ready to begin working half double crochet back loop only (hdc blo) on the next row. When she gets to the end of the row, Brenda chains two stitches to turn and continues working hdc blo. She once again attaches the ribbing by working two slip stitches into the main fabric.

Once Brenda has established how to work this technique, she shares her tips for how to work this on different projects. When working this type of crocheted edging onto a blanket, it can be cumbersome to turn the whole blanket back and forth. She demonstrates how to turn the fabric so that you don’t have to turn the entire piece around on every row. She also shares her tips on how to make the ribbing really pull in by working additional slip stitches and attaching the first hdc blo to the slipped stitches.