Updated: 11 November 2026 by Sylwia (MyCrochetory)
Standing double crochet is the little trick that lets you skip the turning chain at the start of a row. Your first stitch is a real, full-height double crochet, so there’s no chain 3 pretending to be a stitch and no gap at the edge.
Crochet tricks like this one fascinate me. When I was teaching myself to crochet from YouTube videos, I spent every free minute learning, and small tricks that make my work neater still make me curious.
Below you’ll find the standing double crochet for a new row, plus standing single crochet, half double crochet and double crochet for joining a new color. Everything comes with photos and a video, so take the ones you like and leave the rest.
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What is a standing double crochet?
A standing double crochet is a double crochet you work right at the start of a row or round, without a turning chain. With the same yarn you use the loop that’s already on your hook, and with a new color you start from a slip knot.
You’ve probably seen it in your own work. The chain 3 at the beginning of a row is thinner than a real double crochet, so it leaves a small gap or a loose edge, and joining a new color with a slip stitch adds a little bump on top.
A standing stitch skips all of that. It’s a full stitch from the very first second, and the same idea works for single crochet and half double crochet.
When standing stitches come in handy
The best job for standing stitches is starting a new row without turning chains. Every row then begins with a real stitch, and your sides come out straighter and neater.
They also help whenever you start with fresh yarn, like a new stripe in a blanket, a new round of a granny square or a border around a finished piece. For color changes, the one I reach for most often is the standing single crochet.
Standing double crochet video tutorial
Prefer to watch first? The video below shows every stitch in action, and the written steps with photos come right after it. The video covers
- how to start a new row with a standing double crochet, with no turning chain,
- how to make a standing single crochet,
- how to make a standing half double crochet,
- how to make a standing double crochet when changing colors.
Tip: if the video doesn’t show up, try turning off your ad blocker.
How to start a row with a standing double crochet (no turning chain)
This is the main trick of this post. You start a new row with a standing double crochet in the same color, and the chain 3 is gone for good, with no slip knot needed because the loop is already on your hook.
It feels a bit odd the first time you hold that long loop. Go slowly on the first few rows and it soon makes sense.
Step 1. Turn your work and gently pull the loop on your hook a little longer, so it’s just a bit shorter than a double crochet is tall.
Step 2. Hold the loop on the hook with your finger so it doesn’t slip.
Step 3. Bring the hook forward and around, behind the stitch.
Step 4. Insert your hook in the first stitch, still holding the loop tight.
Step 5. Yarn over and pull up a loop.
Step 6. Yarn over and pull through the first 2 loops.
Step 7. Yarn over and pull through the last 2 loops, just like a regular double crochet.
How to crochet a standing single crochet
Now for new colors. A standing single crochet is just a single crochet that begins with a slip knot on your hook, and it’s the easiest of the color-change stitches.
Step 1. Make a slip knot with the new color and put it on your hook.
Step 2. Insert your hook in the stitch where you want to start.
Step 3. Yarn over and pull up a loop. You now have 2 loops on your hook.
Step 4. Yarn over and pull through both loops. Your standing single crochet is done.
Step 5. Keep crocheting with the new yarn as usual.
How to crochet a standing half double crochet
The standing half double crochet is the single crochet’s slightly taller cousin. Same slip knot start, plus one yarn over before you go into the stitch.
Step 1. Make a slip knot with the new color and put it on your hook.
Step 2. Yarn over and insert your hook in the stitch you want to work into.
Step 3. Yarn over and pull up a loop. You have 3 loops on your hook.
Step 4. Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops to finish the half double crochet.
Step 5. Keep crocheting with the new yarn as usual.
How to crochet a standing double crochet when changing colors
The standing double crochet works for color changes too. The new color starts at the edge with a real, full-height double crochet, and the slip knot simply takes the place of the loop you’d normally have on your hook.
Step 1. Make a slip knot with the new color and put it on your hook.
Step 2. Yarn over and insert your hook in the stitch you want to work into.
Step 3. Yarn over and pull up a loop. You have 3 loops on your hook.
Step 4. Yarn over and pull through the first 2 loops.
Step 5. Yarn over and pull through the last 2 loops to finish the stitch.
Step 6. Keep crocheting with the new yarn as usual.
Standing double crochet in the round and in a magic ring
Good news for round projects. A standing double crochet works there too, so to start a new round in a new color, make it in any stitch of the round below, work the round as usual and close it with a slip stitch in the top of your standing stitch.
In a magic ring it’s the same idea as the no-turning-chain row above. Pull up a loop through the ring, hold it with your finger, and work your first double crochet straight into the ring instead of chaining 3.
If you’re making a flat circle, my how to crochet a circle tutorial shows how to keep it flat round after round.
Pros and cons of standing stitches
The biggest win is the edge. No turning chain, no gap at the start of the row and no bump at the color change, just a first stitch that looks like all the others.
Is there a catch? Just a small one. When you change colors, the slip knot leaves a tail that you weave in like any other end, and you can crochet over the tails as you go or use one of my 4 easy ways to join yarn ends.
For a color change in the middle of a row, a Russian join or a magic knot is often the better pick.
Want this trick at hand next time? Pin it to your crochet board on Pinterest, so it’s easy to find when you start your next row.
Standing double crochet FAQ
Does a standing double crochet count as a stitch?
Yes, it does. It’s a full double crochet that replaces the turning chain, so it’s always the first stitch of your row or round.
Can I use a standing double crochet if my pattern says chain 3?
In most patterns, yes. Work the standing double crochet in the stitch where the chain 3 would go, and your stitch count stays the same.
Why does my slip knot spin around the hook?
That happens to almost everyone at first. Hold the knot with your finger until you’ve pulled up the first loop, and it will stay put.
Do I need a standing stitch for every color change?
Not at all. It’s one handy option, and a slip stitch with a chain still does the job, so pick what looks best in your project.
More crochet tricks to try
If this one made you curious, here are a few more crochet tricks from my blog to try next.
- Single crochet 2 rows at once, plus the half double crochet and double crochet versions.
- Invisible decrease in 4 basic stitches.
- Straight edges every time, for rows that don’t wander.
- Half double crochet in between the stitches, for a smooth fabric with no line between rows.
- Foundation single crochet, a chain and first row in one.
- All my crochet tutorials for beginners, in one place.
Tried a standing stitch? Tell me in the comments which one won you over. If you get stuck, ask in my Facebook Group or Ravelry Group, or email me at mycrochetory@gmail.com.
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