dive into five different ways you can achieve that gorgeous knit-like texture with your crochet hook! Each technique offers a slightly different look and feel, so you can pick the one that best suits your project.
Understanding the Goal:
The key to a knit-like fabric in crochet often lies in working into the back loop only (BLO) or the third loop of a stitch. These techniques create vertical lines that mimic the “V” shape of knit stitches. We’ll explore variations on this theme.
Technique 1: The Basic Back Loop Single Crochet (BLO SC)
This is probably the most straightforward way to get a ribbed, knit-like effect.
Materials:
- Yarn of your choice
- Crochet hook appropriate for your yarn
Instructions:
- Foundation Chain: Chain the desired number of stitches for your project. Add one extra chain for turning.
- Row 1: Insert your hook into the second chain from your hook. Yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through both loops (single crochet made). Continue to single crochet in each chain across.
- Turning Chain: Chain 1 and turn your work.
- Row 2 (and all subsequent rows): Identify the top of each single crochet stitch from the previous row. Notice the two loops that form a “V”. For this technique, you will insert your hook only into the back loop (the loop furthest away from you).
- Yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through both loops (single crochet made in the back loop only).
- Repeat step 5 across the entire row, working a single crochet into the back loop of each stitch.
- Repeat Rows 3 onwards: Chain 1, turn, and continue working single crochet stitches into the back loop only of each stitch across.
Look and Feel: This creates a vertical ribbed texture that is quite elastic. It’s a great choice for cuffs, brims, and garments where you want some stretch.
Technique 2: The Back Loop Half Double Crochet (BLO HDC)
Using a half double crochet in the back loop only creates a slightly taller and looser knit-like fabric compared to BLO SC.
Materials:
- Yarn of your choice
- Crochet hook appropriate for your yarn
Instructions:
- Foundation Chain: Chain the desired number of stitches for your project. Add two extra chains for turning.
- Row 1: Yarn over, insert your hook into the third chain from your hook. Yarn over and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through all three loops (half double crochet made). Continue to half double crochet in each chain across.
- Turning Chain: Chain 2 and turn your work.
- Row 2 (and all subsequent rows): Yarn over. Insert your hook only into the back loop of the first half double crochet stitch from the previous row.
- Yarn over and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through all three loops (half double crochet made in the back loop only).
- Repeat step 5 across the entire row, working a half double crochet into the back loop of each stitch.
- Repeat Rows 3 onwards: Chain 2, turn, and continue working half double crochet stitches into the back loop only of each stitch across.
Look and Feel: This produces a fabric with more drape and a slightly more open texture than BLO SC. The vertical ribs are still present but less tightly defined.
Technique 3: The Third Loop Single Crochet (3rd Loop SC)
This technique works with stitches that have a distinct “third loop” located below the back loop. This loop is usually visible when you tilt the stitch forward.
Materials:
- Yarn of your choice
- Crochet hook appropriate for your yarn
Instructions:
- Foundation Chain: Chain the desired number of stitches for your project. Add one extra chain for turning.
- Row 1: Insert your hook into the second chain from your hook. Yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through both loops (single crochet made). Continue to single crochet in each chain across.
- Turning Chain: Chain 1 and turn your work.
- Row 2 (and all subsequent rows): Locate the third loop of the first single crochet stitch from the previous row. This loop is behind the front loop and slightly below the top “V”. Insert your hook only into this third loop.
- Yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through both loops (single crochet made in the third loop).
- Repeat step 5 across the entire row, working a single crochet into the third loop of each stitch.
- Repeat Rows 3 onwards: Chain 1, turn, and continue working single crochet stitches into the third loop of each stitch across.
Look and Feel: This creates a very distinct vertical knit-like texture on the front of your work. The top “V” of the stitch is pushed forward, creating prominent vertical lines. The back of the work will have a different texture.
Technique 4: The Modified Half Double Crochet (Waistcoat Stitch)
The waistcoat stitch, also known as the knit stitch or center single crochet, creates a very dense and truly knit-like fabric. It’s worked similarly to a single crochet but with a slight variation in insertion.
Materials:
- Yarn of your choice (non-splitting yarn works best)
- Crochet hook appropriate for your yarn
Instructions:
- Foundation Chain: Chain the desired number of stitches for your project. Add one extra chain for turning.
- Row 1: Insert your hook into the second chain from your hook, going between the two vertical strands of the stitch (instead of under the top loops). Yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through both loops (waistcoat stitch made). Continue to work the waistcoat stitch in each chain across.
- Turning Chain: Chain 1 and turn your work.
- Row 2 (and all subsequent rows): Insert your hook between the two vertical strands of the first waistcoat stitch from the previous row.
- Yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through both loops (waistcoat stitch made).
- Repeat step 5 across the entire row, working a waistcoat stitch into each stitch.
- Repeat Rows 3 onwards: Chain 1, turn, and continue working waistcoat stitches across.
Look and Feel: This technique produces a very dense, almost woven fabric that strongly resembles knitting. It has minimal stretch and can be a bit more time-consuming than other crochet stitches.
Technique 5: The Extended Single Crochet in the Back Loop Only (ESC BLO)
This stitch adds a little more height and texture compared to a regular BLO SC while still maintaining a knit-like rib.
Materials:
- Yarn of your choice
- Crochet hook appropriate for your yarn
Instructions:
- Foundation Chain: Chain the desired number of stitches for your project. Add two extra chains for turning (this counts as the first extended single crochet).
- Row 1: Insert your hook into the third chain from your hook. Yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through one loop (1 loop on hook). Yarn over and pull through the remaining loop (extended single crochet made). Continue to work extended single crochet in each chain across.
- Turning Chain: Chain 1 and turn your work.
- Row 2 (and all subsequent rows): Insert your hook only into the back loop of the first extended single crochet stitch from the previous row.
- Yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through one loop (1 loop on hook). Yarn over and pull through the remaining loop (extended single crochet made in the back loop only).
- Repeat step 5 across the entire row, working an extended single crochet into the back loop of each stitch.
- Repeat Rows 3 onwards: Chain 1, turn, and continue working extended single crochet stitches into the back loop only of each stitch across.
Video tutorial
Look and Feel: This creates a ribbed fabric that is slightly taller and has more texture than a regular BLO SC. The vertical lines are still prominent, offering a nice knit-like appearance.
Experiment and Explore!
