half double crochet

The half-double crochet is a stitch with some controversy. Some say the tch counts as a stitch and some say it does not. I am presenting the information as best I could determine using the resources I had available. The majority, both online and in the publications I had on hand (listed below), say the tch does count. In some instances below I couldn't find a notation as to whether the author considered the turning chain a stitch or not. That doesn't mean it wasn't there, just that I didn't find it. In those cases, I noted what information I could find. Any typos or spelling errors are my own and do not necessarily appear in the publication. Every resource below says to chain 2 for turning chain so I did not note that in the listing. All but one reference said to go into the third chain from hook. Pauline Turner's book said 4th chain.

Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet, p. 24, 40, notes ch 2 for turning chain.

New Crochet Basics (Leisure Arts leaflet) - counts tch as a stitch, but cautions that this is not always so and crocheter should read pattern carefully

Crocheting in Plain English, Maggie Righetti p. 50, 58-61 - on foundation chain, hdc made in 3rd ch from hook, tch counts as stitch (quote: "remembering not to go into the base of the turning chain..." on p. 59)

Weekend Afghans by Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss, p. 14 "Beginning in 2nd stitch (2 chains count as first half double crochet)...work last half double crochet in top chain of chain 2"

How to Crochet by Pauline Turner, hdc worked into 4th chain from hook "exactly as if you were making a double"

In Pauline Turner's book, How to Crochet, she works the hdc into the 4th chain from hook, just as in the dc. The other resources worked into the 3rd chain from hook. Her method of decrease in the hdc is also different. So, no matter how you do it, you almost can't be wrong by somebody's estimation. :-)

Crochet Stitch Bible by Betty Barnden p. 19, pattern on p. 64 Crossed Half Double says "...1 half double crochet in 2nd of 2 chains"

200 Crochet Blocks by Jan Eaton, p. 116 "skip the first stitch...work the last stitch into the top of the turning chain"

There may be others and I will continue to look, but at this time, that's what I found online. Also know that the CYCA course does NOT count the tch as a stitch.

All of that said - In MY opinion, it doesn't matter which way you do it as long as you do it the same way throughout your piece. What I mean is, if you choose to use your tch as a stitch, then you ch 2, turn, and go into the 2nd stitch (because you're counting the first chains as a stitch) AND you make your last stitch in the turning chain when you get to the end of that row.

If you choose not to count your tch as a stitch, then you ch 2, turn, and go into the FIRST stitch, but you do NOT then make a stitch in your turning chain at the end of your row.

Below is a picture demonstrating both methods. Both swatches came out straight. I think I actually preferred the one on the left where the tch is not counted as it didn't have the "hole" that is made by going into the second stitch in the one on the right. Of course, you can get rid of that hole by doing a decrease there (working one stitch into two stitches) but then you have one big fat stitch as your first stitch.

I am using the "Japanese" method of going into the foundation chain for this demonstration. This means going into the back "bump" of the chain. In the first table, I DO count the tch as a stitch and work the last stitch into the tch on succeeding rows.

1) make a foundation chain, yo	2) insert hook into back bump of third chain from hook, yo	3) pull through (3 loops on hook)
4) yo, pull through all three loops (hdc complete) Work hdc in each chain stitch of foundation row	5) chain 2 to bring up to height	6) turn, yo
7) insert hook in second stitch of row	8) yo and pull through, 3 loops on hook	9) yo, pull through all 3 loops (hdc completed)
11) one stitch remaining on	12) last stitch complete