How to Crochet in the Back Loop

Once you've mastered the basic crochet stitches, it's time to get more creative. An easy way to do this is to work your stitches in the back loop of the stitch in the previous row. This leaves a pattern of raised lines in your project.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Partially completed crochet project
• Crochet hook
• Yarn or crochet thread

1. Hold your project so you're looking straight down at the top of your stitches. You will see 2 loops, strands of yarn or thread.
2. Insert your hook between the 2 loops instead of putting it under both loops from front to back.
3. Push your hook through to the back of the row so only the back loop is over the hook.
4. Yarn over and work the stitch as usual, leaving the front loop untouched.
5. Turn the piece at the end of the row. Decide whether you want your pattern to appear on every row or every other row. For every row, turn and work the stitches in the front loop. For every other row, work the stitches in both loops as usual and turn and work in the back loop. You can also work in the back loop of every other stitch, or alternate front and back loops.

Tips & Warnings

• Many crochet patterns will abbreviate this stitch as tbl for "through back loop." Similarly tfl means "through the front loop."
• Remember that when you work in 1 loop, your piece will be a little looser than when you work in both loops.