The question of which crochet stitch works up the fastest for a project is commonly asked but not well researched. In this post, I will provide the results of an experiment that I completed to answer this exact question for the four basic crochet stitches.
Which basic crochet stitch works up fastest? After testing single crochet, half-double crochet, double crochet, and treble crochet stitches, I found the double crochet stitch was the fastest to work in a square pattern.
Do you need to move quickly to make a blanket or scarf? Well, you may want some additional information about the double crochet stitch! But also, check out the detailed results of the experiment because the actual differences in time may surprise you, as some are VERY significant!
I will also provide information about the stitches I chose to compare and how to crochet them!
Results of the Basic Crochet Stitch Speed Experiment
So, for the experiment, I chose an inexpensive size 4 yarn. I decided to crochet a 4 by 4-inch swatch with a 5.5 mm hook because this is the gauge guide that was provided on the packaging.
I crocheted a swatch for each of the single, half-double, double, and treble crochet stitches. I ensured that the swatch sizes were the same once completed.
While crocheting each stitch, I attempted to go as fast as possible without sacrificing quality. I wanted my swatches to be very neat when completed.
Here is a table with the results.
| Stitch | Number of Stitches | Number of Rows | Time to Complete (min:sec) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Crochet | 12 | 13 | 7:13 |
| Half-Double Crochet | 12 | 8 | 5:46 |
| Double Crochet | 12 | 6 | 4:49 |
| Treble Crochet | 12 | 4 | 4:53 |
The result of the basic crochet stitch speed experiment showed that the Double Crochet was the fastest to use to complete a 4 by 4-inch swatch of crochet. In a close second, losing by only 4 seconds, was the treble crochet.
Why Did I Do the Crochet Stitch Speed Comparison Experiment?
When I researched the question of which basic crochet stitch is the fastest to complete, I found no resources that performed actual experiments to find the answer.
I found one resource that did a large poll on Facebook to get many experienced crocheters’ opinions on this topic, and the general consensus was either the double crochet or the half double crochet.
I found one resource that spoke about the “logic” behind how long the stitches take and also came down to the half double crochet and the double crochet being the fastest.
The other resources found were forums online, which generally stated the tallest stitch, the treble crochet, would be the fastest.
So from this, I get that the single crochet is the slowest, but which of the other three is the fastest?! They were all named as fastest!
Because of this conflict, and because I am a nerd and like to experiment, I knew I HAD to do the experiment myself!
How do You Make the Fastest Crochet Stitches?
I’ll give you a description of how to crochet each of the basic crochet stitches (because the techniques build on each other.) Then, you will know how to crochet the fastest stitch, too!
All these stitches are a series of yarn overs and pulling through stitches or loops on the hook, just a different number of times for each stitch!
- Single Crochet (SC): Insert hook, yarn over, draw through stitch, yarn over, draw through two.
- The Spruce Crafts provides a detailed post with a video tutorial here if you are a beginner looking to learn this stitch!
- Half-Double Crochet (HDC): Yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, draw through stitch, yarn over, draw through all three loops on your hook.
- The Spruce Crafts provides a detailed post with a video tutorial here.
- Double Crochet (DC): Yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, draw through stitch, yarn over, draw through two loops, yarn over, draw through last two loops.
- The Spruce Crafts provides a detailed post with a video tutorial here.
- Treble Crochet (TC): Yarn over twice, insert hook, yarn over, draw through stitch, yarn over, draw through two loops, yarn over, draw through two loops, yarn over, draw through last two loops.
- The Spruce Crafts provides a detailed post with a step-by-step picture tutorial here.
Why do Certain Crochet Stitches Work Up Faster?
The first thing to consider is the height of the stitch. The single crochet is very short, so you have to do many more rows to achieve the same height as the other stitches. In my 4 by 4-inch swatch, it took 13 rows compared with the other stitches that only took 4, 6, or 8.
Just the sheer amount of turning slows you down quite a bit, and the single stitch itself is not that much faster to make, even though it has fewer steps.
The half double crochet, though significantly faster than the single crochet with about a minute and a half less for a small square, still has the problem of not adding much height to the work.
So that brings us to the double crochet and the treble crochet. Both of these have significantly more height. The double crochet took 6 rows for 4 inches, and the treble crochet took 4 rows. So, if we ONLY talked about the height of the stitch, the treble crochet should be faster…
But…That is not what happened! Now it was very close with only 4 seconds different, but the treble crochet was actually a little bit slower even though it was only 4 rows instead of 6!
So I don’t know for sure the true “scientific” reason that the treble isn’t a minute faster (like the difference between the half double and double crochet, which was also 2 rows different). But anecdotally, this stitch is “harder” to make.
It is still basic and not HARD, so don’t be scared off from it if you are a beginner, but it does have more steps.
What I find that takes more time than the double crochet is making sure I only pull through two loops each time. There are more loops on the hook to “keep track off.” It is really not hard, but it does take a few more seconds to make sure the hook doesn’t just slide through the extra loops.
So there you have my opinion on why the results are what they are. But in general, we know that the double and treble crochet stitches take basically the same amount of time to complete the same size of project.
Why is it Good to Know Which Stitch Works Up the Fastest??
Think about a time when you may need to whip up something very quickly in crochet.
Maybe you forgot one of your nieces when purchasing Christmas presents…..I have NEVER done this…..except maybe that one time! I actually did whip up a super quick crochet beanie for her (she was about 6 months old at the time and wouldn’t have known the difference, but her mom, my sister, definitely would have!)
Maybe you got a last-minute invite to a baby shower, and you want to make a small car seat blanket with some of your yarn stash! Go for a simple double crochet pattern that is quick, warm, and beautiful!
Maybe you just want to make a quick scarf for yourself to wear that same day! Again, jump right on the beautiful double crochet pattern, or maybe treble crochet if you want an airier, more flowy scarf since they take about the same amount of time.
You might want to make a king-size blanket, which you know will take a long time, but you want to make it faster. Choosing a double crochet versus a single crochet would save you OVER 15 HOURS of work!
One caveat to This Experiment About Stitches That Work Up the Fastest
I have specified that these experiments looked at crocheting a complete project with length and height (my swatches were 4 by 4-inch squares). BUT…What if you are ONLY going for length?!
Technically, chains are the absolute fastest crochet stitch there is. You generally don’t make much out of chain stitches (usually only the foundation row or chain spaces when you are doing open work/lacy crochet patterns). But you could always make a chain necklace or earrings if you truly want the fastest crochet project there is!
Well, I could go on, but basically, I think I’ve covered it! You have your answer! If you have any other questions about it, drop me a comment, and I will answer the best I can!
Now it is time for YOU to get Crafty with Ashy! Show me YOUR quick crochet creations in the comments!
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