Double Treble Crochet Stitch {Dtr} Easy Tutorial

Double treble crochet (DTR) is one of the tallest basic crochet stitches. Because the stitch is worked with three yarn overs, it creates long, airy stitches that work up quickly and produce lightweight fabric with excellent drape. This beginner tutorial will show you how to crochet a double treble stitch step-by-step, including turning chains, stitch height, and common uses for DTR crochet.

What is Double Treble Crochet?

The double treble stitch makes an extremely tall, elongated type of crochet stitch. Where you would wrap your yarn over once for double crochet and twice for a treble crochet stitch, for this stitch you need to wrap your yarn over the hook 3 times before you start pulling through. It is, in fact, a very easy stitch to master if you already know the basic crochet stitches.

What is dtr in crochet? This means double treble crochet stitch

How to Double Treble Crochet (Step by Step)

1. First DTR Stitch of the Row

1. Make a slip knot and then your foundation chain as long as your desired number of stitches.
2. Make 4 extra chains for turning.
3. Yarn over the hook 3 times.

4. Insert hook into 5^th chain from hook. (Remember don’t count the loop on the hook.)

5. Yarn over and draw a loop through. (5 loops on hook.)

6. Yarn over and draw through 2 loops on the hook. (4 loops remain on hook)

7. Yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook. (3 loops remain.) You can see the height of your stitch slowly building up!

8. Yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook. (2 loops remain.)

9. Yarn over and draw through the final 2 loops on the hook (1 loop remains). Your first double treble crochet stitch is complete!

2. First Row Dtr Crochet

Continue making a double treble stitch into each chain of your foundation chain. This is your first full row of double treble crochet stitch.

3. Second Row of Dtr Crochet

The turning chain for double treble stitch is 5 chains.

1. *Turn and make 5 turning chains again. The purpose of a turning chain is to bring the new row up to the finished height.

2. Then work one double treble crochet stitch into the top of each stitch of the previous row. This will give you a straight row.
3. The last double treble crochet stitch will be worked into the top of your turning chains.
4. Repeat from* until your crochet piece is the required length.
5. Try and keep an even tension on future rows as these are very tall stitches.

Double Treble Crochet Conversion Chart Us vs Uk

You always need to know whether your pattern is written in US terms or UK terms. If it doesn’t say anything on the pattern itself, the simplest way to tell which ‘language’ it is written in, is to see whether it includes single crochet (sc) stitches. If it does, it will probably be an American pattern. There is no sc in UK crochet terms. The equivalent stitch for sc in UK terms is a double crochet.

This tutorial is for the US version of the double treble stitch. The UK version of the same stitch is called a triple treble.

USA	UK
dc – double crochet	tr – treble crochet
tr – treble crochet	dtr – double treble crochet
dtr – double treble crochet	trtr – triple treble crochet

Tips for Using Double Treble Crochet Stitches

If you find that the fabric is too unstable and wobbly, work a row of single crochet stitches between each row of double treble stitches.

Because this stitch creates such tall stitches, it also leaves fairly large gaps in between stitches. This gives an airy, lacy look to this work. For those who prefer a more solid look to their crochet, it is a useful stitch to combine with other stitches.

What to Make with Double Treble Crochet

It crochets up really quickly because each stitch is so tall. If you want to make something with double treble stitches alone, it will be good for making a light, airy summer cardigan, or a lacy shawl or wrap.

It makes a handy beach cover-up, a light poncho, or a lacy cowl or crochet scarf pattern. It makes up nicely into quick ‘market bags’ and if you use a fine cotton thread and work in the round, it will make lacy doilies.

Another idea is to make a cushion cover in a neutral color, then back the crochet with colored fabric, which will shine through the spaces between stitches.

Double Treble Crochet Stitch Variations

1. Double Treble Crochet Clusters

(Abbreviation dtrcl) To make lovely long petals or leaf shapes in your work, you can make a double treble cluster stitch. This is really just the same as double trebling 3 stitches together.

1. Chain a multiple of the clusters you are making. For example, if you are doing clusters of 3 then chain a multiple of 3.
2. To make the first dtrcl, ch4. (This counts as first dtr.)
3. Second Dtr: Yo 3 times, Insert hook into next st. (This will be 4 chains back) Yo, pull up a loop. (5 loops on hook) [Yo pull through 2 loops] 3 times. (2 loops left on hook). Now leave those 2 loops on the hook. Don’t do that final pull through!
4. Third Dtr: Yo 3 times. Insert hook into next st. Yo, pull up a loop. (6 loops on hook) [Yo and pull through 2 loops] 3 times. (3 loops left) Yo and pull through all 3 loops. (1 loop left) Your first dtrcl is complete. Chain 3
5. The next cluster will be made in the same way with 3 incomplete dtr

If you want a fatter cluster, just repeat with more double treble stitches, leaving the last loop on the hook each time, (i.e. don’t complete the dtr st) until you want to close the cluster, then pull the final loop through all those leftover loops on your hook.

These clusters will need chain stitches between them to make up for turning multiple stitches into 1 stitch. So however many double treble stitches you combine for each cluster, use that many chains in between each cluster.

The double treble cluster has a triangular shape. If you want to make it more of a leaf or petal shape, i.e. more oval, you must work the double treble cluster all into one stitch or space.

2. Double Treble Crochet Flower Pattern Instructions

Should you want to make a flat circle shape with your double treble stitches, this is how you go about it:

1. Start with a magic circle or a foundation ring of 4 ch.
2. 8 sc into the ring. Close with sl st.
3. 3 ch+2 ch, 1 tr, 2 ch into each sc. Close with sl st.

4. 4 ch+4 ch, 1 dtr, 4 ch into each 2 ch sp.
5. Close with sl st into 4^th ch from start of round.

5. 4 ch+4 ch, (dtr, 4 ch) twice into each 4 ch sp.
6. Close with sl st into 4^th ch of round. (You need to build up the height of your stitches slowly, to prevent buckling of the circle.)
7. Continue increasing in this way every round, until your circle is the required size. Finish off with a round of sc into every stitch.

3. Double Treble Crochet Wave Pattern

The most common use of double treble stitches is to combine them with other stitches to create varying heights. Here is an example of this, to make a crochet wave pattern.

1. Start with foundation ch38. 1 sc into 2^nd ch from hook.
2. Work this sequence into the foundation ch: 1sc, * 2hdc, 2dc, 2tr, 3 dtr, 2 tr, 2dc, 2hdc, 2sc.
3. Repeat from * to end of row. Ch 1, turn.
4. Work 1 sc into each st. Change color on last pull through.
5. Turn, ch4. (Acts as 1^st dtr.)
6. Now work the following repeat: * 1 dtr, 2 tr, 2 dc, 2 hdc, 3 sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc, 2 tr, 2 dtr.
7. Repeat to end of row. Ch1, turn. Work 1 row sc. Change color.
8. Repeat these four rows until you have worked the required length of your fabric.

You will see that the tall stitches must line up with the short stitches so that the overall height of the fabric is even. This makes a very attractive blanket or tote bag. Lovely in pastel colors for a baby, bright primary colors for an older child, or orange and black to create a tiger stripe effect!

Double Treble Crochet FAQs

In Conclusion

Double treble crochet is one of the tallest basic crochet stitches and creates a lightweight fabric with excellent drape. Although the stitch may look intimidating because of the three yarn overs, it follows the same basic process as other crochet stitches and quickly becomes easy to master. Because DTR works up quickly and creates airy fabric, it is especially useful for lace projects, shawls, wraps, decorative stitch patterns, and openwork crochet designs.

More Crochet Stitches

Now you know how to do double treble crochet, here are some more of the beginner crochet stitches.

• Single Crochet
• Half Double Crochet
• Double Crochet
• Treble Crochet