How to Crochet Using the Back Loop Only

Another way to create a ribbing in your crochet projects besides the front loop only technique, it would be to crochet through the Back Loop Only (BLO). By crocheting only through the back loop, it “pushes” the front loop out and creates a ribbing effect.

The back loop is the loop that is away from you which would be on the wrong side of the crochet project.

Just like crocheting through the front loop only, using the back loop only technique creates that ribbing effect you want in a sweater’s cuffs or collar and the rim of a winter hat.

You can crochet through the back loop only using practically any stitch. For this tutorial, we’ll use the single crochet for the stitch.

To crochet through the back loop only,

Make a slip knot and chain a certain number of chains to create your foundation chain. To practice make 10-20 chains in your foundation chain.
For Row 1, crochet the single crochet in each chain of the foundation chain.
Turn your work and chain 1.
Skip the first stitch and insert the hook through the back loop only (loop farthest from you).
Complete the single crochet stitch as usual.
Crochet a single crochet in each stitch until the end of the row but only through the back loop only.
Repeat steps 3 through 6 for as many rows as you need for practice.

Once you completed the first few rows of crocheting through the back loop only, you’ll notice how the front loop that you did not crochet through has been pushed out. Plus, the ribbing your practice swatch has created.

A while back, I posted about paying it forward when I wrote about Warm Up America! on how you can crochet for charity. One of the panels that I crocheted was created using the half double crochet. But, it crocheted by alternating the front loop only and back only techniques.