How to Treble Crochet Stitch (tr) + Video Tutorial

The treble crochet (tr) is one of the more common crochet stitches you’ll come across. So, in this post I provide you with all the information you need to know to master this stitch. I will provide you with the written steps on how to treble crochet stitch and offer a quick video tutorial as well. In the video and the article below I outline several notable characteristics about the type of fabric the treble crochet makes so you can familiarize yourself with not just HOW to do it but WHY you might want to use this stitch in various different crochet projects.

I also include photo tutorials and explanations about: the front and back loops created by the treble crochet (tr) stitch, how to increase and decrease with treble crochet, how to make a front post and back post treble crochet stitch, how the stitch compares to other stitches and how to handle the tr turning chain.

So, are you read to become a TREBLE CROCHET MASTER!?

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INTRODUCING THE TREBLE CROCHET STITCH:

The treble crochet stitch is one of the most basic crochet stitches. It will be one of the first stitches you learn to make and one of the stitches you will see used most often.

ABBREVIATION:

In a pattern using US terms, the treble crochet stitch is abbreviated tr. In UK terms, it is called the double treble crochet stitch (dtr). You may also hear the treble crochet stitch referred to as the TRIPLE CROCHET stitch, but the abbreviation will always be tr. Moving forward in this article, I may refer to the stitch using “treble crochet”, or simply by using the abbreviation of “tr”.

HEIGHT:

The treble crochet stitch is the tallest of the “basic” crochet stitches, which include single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet and treble crochet. To compare:

VERSATILITY:

The treble crochet (tr) stitch is highly versatile. It can be made by crocheting into any of the 3 different loops created by a crochet stitch (illustrated and discussed below). It can be increased or decreased (also discussed below).

TREBLE CROCHET FABRIC CHARACTERISTICS:

Compared to the dense fabric created with a single crochet, the treble double crochet provides ample flexibility and drape because the posts are super tall.
It will create a fabric that has a a lot of breathability – just look at those gaps between stitches!
It will build your fabric quite quickly because it is a really tall stitch.

HOW TO TREBLE CROCHET IN MANY WAYS:

As we’ve highlighted already, the half treble crochet (tr) is highly versatile. So, let’s practice! Below you will find written steps as well as video tutorial on how to make a treble crochet stitch. We cover the basics, as well as get down to the nitty gritty about all the different loops and posts, as well as increasing and decreasing while using the tr.

When you’re done here you will be a tr master!

WRITTEN STEPS:

Yarn over hook twice
Insert your hook into the next stitch
Yarn over and pull up a loop (you now have 4 loops on your hook)
Yarn over again and pull through 2 loops on your hook (you now have 3 loops on your hook)
Yarn over again and pull through 2 loops on your hook (you now have 2 loops on your hook)
Yarn over again and pull through the final 2 loops on your hook

WRITTEN STEPS WITH PHOTO TUTORIALS:

1.Yarn over hook TWICE from back to front:

2. Insert the hook into the next stitch

3. Yarn over and pull up a loop (you now have 4 loops on your hook)

4. Yarn over again and pull through 2 loops on your hook (you now have 3 loops left on the hook)

5. Yarn over again and pull through 2 loops on the hook (you now have 2 loops left on the hook)

6. Yarn over again and pull through the final 2 loops on the hook

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE 2 LOOPS OF THE TREBLE CROCHET STITCH

As with several of the basic crochet stitches, the tr is made up of 2 loops that you can work into: the front loop and the back loop. This next photo is of a swatch of tr that I twisted slightly so you can see the stitches more completely. The front and back loops make up the recognizable “V” made with your crochet stitches. These are the two loops we crochet through most of the time and with which we first learn how to count our stitches.

When crocheting through only one of the 2 loops row after row, you achieve a different textured look to your fabric.

When reading a crochet pattern that calls for working in the front loop only, the abbreviation you will see for TREBLE CROCHET FRONT LOOP ONLY IS: TR FLO or FLO TR. Here is how it looks when you crochet under the front loop only:

When reading a crochet pattern that calls for working in the back loop only, the abbreviation you will see for TREBLE CROCHET BACK LOOP ONLY IS: TR BLO OR BLO TR. Here is how it looks when you crochet under the back loop only:

TREBLE CROCHET POST STITCH

Another common stitch you’ll find with the treble crochet is the post stitch. This is where you make your stitch around the post of the stitch (below the front/back loop), versus under the two loops we just discussed. This is a really fun use of the treble crochet stitch because you can create interesting textures and even illusions of shapes in your fabric.

This is what it looks like to make your stitch around the post:

FRONT POST TREBLE CROCHET (fptr):

With a front post treble crochet, you insert your hook from front to back and then around the stitch from back to front like this:

BACK POST TREBLE CROCHET (BPTR):

With a back post treble crochet, you insert your hook from the back to the front, around the front of the post and to the back again, like this:

TREBLE CROCHET INCREASE

A treble crochet increase is when you make more than one tr into the same stitch. You can make 2, 3 or more tr into the same stitch too! In a pattern, the tr increase will be abbreviated tr inc.

TR INCREASE WRITTEN STEPS:

Yarn over hook twice
Insert your hook into the next stitch
Yarn over and pull up a loop (you now have 4 loops on your hook)
Yarn over again and pull through 2 loops on your hook (you now have 3 loops on your hook)
Yarn over again and pull through 2 loops on your hook (you now have 2 loops on your hook)
Yarn over again and pull through the final 2 loops on your hook
Repeat steps 1-4 into the same stitch for as many times as required

TREBLE CROCHET DECREASE

A treble crochet decrease is when you stitch 2 (or more) tr stitches together into one. In a pattern, the tr decrease will be abbreviated tr dec or tr2tog which stands for “treble crochet 2 together”. Here’s how you do it:

TR DECREASE WRITTEN STEPS:

Yarn over hook twice
Insert your hook into the next stitch
Yarn over and pull up a loop (you now have 4 loops on your hook)
Yarn over and pull through 2 (you now have 3 loops on your hook)
Yarn over and pull through 2 (you now have 2 loops on your hook)
Yarn over hook twice
Insert yoru hook into the next st
Yarn over and pull up a loop (you now have 5 loops on your hook)
Yarn over and pull through 2 (you now have 4 loops on your hook)
Yarn over and pull through 2 (you now have 3 loops on your hook)
Yarn over and pull through 3

VIDEO TUTORIAL – HOW TO TREBLE CROCHET STITCH:

WHAT ABOUT THE TR TURNING CHAIN?

A turning chain is a number of chain stitches that you make at the beginning of a row to ensure your next row is brought up to the correct height to match the height of the stitch you are making. This creates a straight edge. There multiple ways to treat a turning chain for tr. It is important to know the difference here because sometimes they count as a stitch and sometimes they don’t. So, let’s talk about this. Ultimately, if you’re following a pattern, you’ll want to follow what the designer instructs on how to treat the turning chain.

If your tr turning chain uses 4 chains, the turning chain DOES count as a stitch. You will then skip the first stitch of the row (referred to as a “false stitch”) and make your next tr of the row in the next st. If your tr turning chain uses any less than 4 chains do not count it as a stitch (UNLESS your pattern specifically states that it does count). In the case that the turning chain does NOT count, you will make your first tr of the row in the very first stitch.

When your turning chain counts (and with tr it usually does), when you come to the end of the row you will make your final tr of the row into the top of the turning chain. It can be helpful to mark the top of your turning chain so you don’t miss it as you go along!

Okay, I think you are now officially a master of how to TREBLE CROCHET STITCH! I hope you found this tutorial helpful and instructive!

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