Understanding Front Loop And Back Loop Crochet

The Foundation: Single Crochet

Before we get into front and back loops, let us quickly chat about the single crochet stitch. It is the main stitch in crochet and the starting point for lots of patterns.

We are assuming you know how to do a single crochet, but if you don't, check our page on how to single crochet.

In this example, we will use the single crochet stitch to help you find the front and back loops of a stitch. This applies to all the basic crochet stitches.

Front Loop (FL) and Back Loop (BL) Unveiled

How to Find the Front Loop (FL/FLO)

• When you crochet normally, you usually look at the side of your work. To find the front loop, imagine looking down at the row from the top.
• Each stitch looks like a "V" lying down, with the point of the V facing left and away from your hook if you are a right-handed crocheter.
• The front loop is the loop of the "V" that is at the front of your work.
• When a pattern says to crochet into the front loop only, it means you should insert your hook into this single front loop of each stitch.
• In patterns, you might see FL or FLO, which stands for front loop or front loop only.
• Sometimes, in patterns, you will find it written with a stitch name, like hdc-flo (half double crochet in the front loop only) or tr-flo (treble stitch in the front loop only). So, when you see FL or FLO, remember to crochet into that front part of the "V" shape.

How To Find The Back Loop (BL/BLO)

Conversely, the back loop is the loop that is farthest from you when you're working on the right side of your project.

• When you crochet normally, you usually look at the side of your work. To find the back loop, imagine looking down at the row from the top.
• Each stitch looks like a "V" lying down, with the point of the V facing left and away from your hook if you're a right-handed crocheter.
• The back loop is the loop of the "V" that is at the back of your work.
• When a pattern says to crochet into the back loop only, it means you should insert your hook into this single back loop of each stitch.
• In patterns, you might see BL or BLO, which stands for back loop or back loop only.
• Sometimes, in patterns, you'll find it written with a stitch name, like dc-blo (double crochet in the back loop only) or sc-blo (single crochet in the back loop only). So, when you see BL or BLO, remember to crochet into that back part of the "V" shape.

Playing with Texture: Mixing Front and Back Loops

Once you feel comfortable crocheting in the front and back loops separately, you can try mixing them in the same row. This makes cool patterns and textures, letting you be creative.

So, by knowing how to use the front and back loops in crochet, you can make all kinds of interesting projects. 

Take your time to practice each method, and soon you will confidently use these stitches in your crochet projects. 

Happy crocheting!

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