If you are looking to create ribbing in your crochet projects, one way to do this is to crochet a stitch through the front loop only (FLO). Normally, when you crochet a stitch, you are crocheting through the top of the stitch (through both loops). But, when you crochet through only one of those loops, then it “pushes” the other loop outwards and creates the ribbing effect.
With these two loops that make up the top of the stitch, the loop that is towards you is the front loop. The loop that is away from you, is the back loop.
It’s great to use if you are crocheting a sweater and you want that “look” for the cuffs or the collar. Or perhaps a hat, so you want the ribbing in the rim of the hat.
You can crochet through the front loop only using practically any stitch. For this tutorial, we’ll use the single crochet for the stitch.
To crochet through the front 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 front loop only (loop closest to 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 front loop only.
- Repeat steps 3 through 6 for as many rows as you need for practice.
Once you complete one row of crocheting through the front loop only, notice how the other loop you did not crochet through has been pushed out. When you complete more rows, you’ll notice the ribbing your practice swatch has created.
Check out the video tutorial that I posted on my YouTube channel. Keep crocheting rows through the front loop only until you feel comfortable with the stitch.
Let me know how you use the front loop only method. Hats? Sweaters?
Wherever you are in the world, happy crocheting!
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