How to Treble Crochet in 6 Easy Steps (US Triple Crochet Tutorial)

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Once you’ve mastered double crochet (DC), you’re ready for the tallest of the basic stitches: the treble crochet, also called triple crochet and abbreviated tr in US terms. It creates long, drapey stitches that are perfect for lacy shawls, airy blankets and openwork details.

In this beginner tutorial, you’ll learn:

• What treble crochet (tr) is in US terms
• How it compares to your other basic stitches
• 6 easy steps to work the treble crochet
• How to treble crochet in rows and in the round
• Common mistakes and how to fix them

By the end, you’ll feel confident using treble crochet anywhere you want height and drape.

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What Is a Treble Crochet (tr)?

In US crochet terms:

• tr = treble crochet (also called triple crochet)

The movement in one sentence:

Yarn over twice, insert hook, yarn over and pull up a loop (4 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through 2 loops three times.

Important note about terms:

• US treble crochet (tr) is taller than double crochet.
• In UK terms, “treble crochet” means something different (it equals US double crochet), but in this article we’re using US terms only.

Treble crochet gives you:

• Very tall stitches
• Lots of drape and air between rows
• Great texture for lace patterns, fans, shells, and mesh stitches

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Materials You Need

To practice how to treble crochet, you can use:

• Yarn
  • Medium weight yarn (Category 4)
  • Light, solid color so you can clearly see each tall stitch
• Hook
  • Size recommended on the yarn label (for example 4.0–5.0 mm)
• Extras (optional)
  • Stitch marker
  • Scissors
  • Yarn needle

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Before You Start: Review the Previous Stitches

Treble crochet will feel much more natural if you already know:

• How to crochet a chain stitch
• How to single crochet (SC)
• How to half double crochet (HDC)
• How to double crochet (DC)

For this practice swatch, start with a foundation chain of 15:

• Make a slip knot.
• Ch 15.

You’ll work Row 1 of treble crochet into this chain.

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How to Treble Crochet in 6 Easy Steps

This section explains how to treble crochet in a simple row, using US terms.

Step 1 – Yarn over twice

Look at your foundation chain. For treble crochet:

• You’ll work your first stitch into the 5th chain from the hook.
• The first 4 chains will act as your turning chain (they usually count as the first treble).

Before inserting your hook:

• Yarn over twice: wrap the yarn around the hook two times.
• You should see 2 wraps plus the original loop on your hook.

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Step 2 – Insert the hook into the 5th chain from the hook

• Count back 5 chains from your hook.
• Insert your hook into that 5th chain (under the top loop or both loops, as you prefer).

Now the hook goes through the chain with two wraps of yarn already on the hook.

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Step 3 – Yarn over and pull up a loop

• Yarn over again.
• Pull the yarn through the chain.

You now have 4 loops on your hook.

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Step 4 – Yarn over and pull through 2 loops

• Yarn over.
• Pull through the first 2 loops on the hook.

You’re left with 3 loops on your hook.

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Step 5 – Yarn over and pull through 2 loops again

• Yarn over once more.
• Pull through 2 loops.

Now you have 2 loops on your hook.

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Step 6 – Yarn over and pull through last 2 loops

• Yarn over again.
• Pull through the remaining 2 loops on your hook.

You’ve just made 1 treble crochet (tr) 🎉

To continue across the row:

• Yarn over twice.
• Insert hook into the next chain.
• Yarn over, pull up a loop (4 loops on hook).
• Yarn over, pull through 2 loops (3 loops).
• Yarn over, pull through 2 loops (2 loops).
• Yarn over, pull through the last 2 loops (1 loop).

Repeat until you reach the end of the chain.
With 15 chains, you’ll see:

• Turning chain group (ch-4) counting as 1 tr
• 11 more treble crochets

So you’ll have 12 tall posts in the row.

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Watch the treble crochet movement in real time

Once you understand the written steps, it’s time to see the motion:

👉 YouTube Short – How to Treble Crochet (US triple crochet):

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How to Treble Crochet in Rows

Let’s build a small treble crochet rectangle.

1. Turning chain for treble crochet

At the end of a treble row:

• Ch 4, then turn your work.
• That ch-4 usually counts as the first treble crochet of the next row.

2. Row 2 and beyond

Row 2:

1. After the ch-4, skip the first stitch, because the turning chain already counts as a tr in that spot.
2. Work 1 tr in each stitch across the row.
3. At the very end, remember to work your last treble into the top of the ch-4 from the previous row so your edge stays straight.

Repeat this to build rows of tall, drapey treble crochet.

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How to Treble Crochet in the Round

Treble crochet in the round is less common for amigurumi (because it’s very open), but it’s great for:

• Lacy doilies and mandalas
• Circle shawls
• Open ponchos and wraps

Basic round start:

1. Make a magic ring, or ch 4 and slip stitch into the first chain to form a ring.
2. Ch 4 (counts as first tr).
3. Work, for example, 11 tr into the ring (12 tr total including the ch-4).
4. Slip stitch to the top of the ch-4 to close the round.

From here, you can increase in each round by spacing increases evenly, just like you would with double crochet circles, only taller.

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Common Mistakes When Learning How to Treble Crochet

1. Forgetting to yarn over twice

Symptom: your stitch looks more like double crochet, not as tall.

Fix:
For treble crochet, always yarn over twice before inserting the hook.

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2. Not doing all three “pull-through” steps

Treble crochet has:

1. Yarn over, pull through 2 (4 → 3 loops)
2. Yarn over, pull through 2 (3 → 2 loops)
3. Yarn over, pull through 2 (2 → 1 loop)

If you only do two of these, you’ll get something between DC and TR.

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3. Leaning or twisted stitches

If your treble stitches tilt or twist:

• Make sure your turning chain counts the same way every row.
• Insert your hook into the correct stitch and the top of the ch-4 at the end of the row.

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4. Very big gaps between stitches

Some space is normal with treble crochet, but if the holes look too huge:

• Try a smaller hook size with the same yarn.
• Or use treble crochet only in specific rows to create openwork and combine it with shorter stitches.

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Easy Practice Projects Using Treble Crochet

Once you understand how to treble crochet, try these simple ideas:

• Lacy scarf
  • Work rows of treble crochet with chain spaces between groups of stitches.
• Openwork shawl
  • Alternate rows of treble crochet and chain spaces for a light, airy fabric.
• Fancy edges and borders
  • Use treble crochet stitches in the edging of blankets or shawls to create taller picots, shells, or fans.

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FAQ – How to Treble Crochet (US Triple Crochet)

Final Thoughts

Learning how to treble crochet completes your set of core stitches: chain, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet and treble crochet. With these, you can follow almost any beginner-friendly pattern on TopAmigurumi.

If you’re ready to use your new skills in real projects, here are some easy amigurumi patterns you can try next:

• Start with a full toy from scratch:
  👉 First amigurumi step-by-step guide
• Practice basic shaping with a simple, cute sea friend:
  👉 Free whale crochet pattern
• Try a classic soft toy that uses simple stitches and shaping:
  👉 Amigurumi bunny free pattern
• Add one more small, quick project to build confidence:
  👉 Crochet bee pattern

Use these patterns to practice your stitch control and reading patterns. As you get comfortable mixing SC, HDC, DC and treble crochet, designing your own simple textures and rows will start to feel natural.