How To Front Loop Only Crochet (And Make A Stunning Throw Pillow)

A few months ago I was teaching a friend to crochet, and they were getting very frustrated with the appearance of their stitches. It didn’t look bad, it just looked different to the pictures they were trying to follow. And that was because they were doing a crochet technique, just not the one that the pattern had dictated. What they were doing was crocheting, but just into the front loop only instead of the full stitch.

I tell you this story because it’s fabulous news for anyone who is new to crochet, that front loop only crochet is so simple that you can do it entirely by accident.

So let’s begin by taking a look at how to do it on purpose. And then I’ll show you how to practice while you make this cozy and stylish pillow!

Where to Hook

When you make a standard crochet stitch, you work your hook under and through the set of two loops at the top of the stitch you made in the previous round or row. With front loop only (often abbreviated to FLO) you work only into the loop nearest to you.

Let’s practice.

FLO Sample

Make a chain of about ten loops, then make a single crochet into each stitch.

Turn and hold the crocheted fabric so that you can see the top edge of the stitches. You’ll see each stitch has two upper loops, one nearer to you and another further away.

The loop nearest to you is the front loop.

To crochet into the front loop, insert your hook underneath it and out of the center of the stitch, as shown by the arrows in the image here:

This stitch creates a very similar appearance to a standard crochet stitch, but with an extra line across the crocheted material which is left by the loops that were not worked into.

Front Loop Only Crochet Pillow Pattern

So now let’s practice working into the front and back loops, with a crochet pillow pattern I created recently. It will really highlight how different these stitches are, and keep your interest as you switch back and forth.

What you’ll need

• 5mm crochet hook
• 100g cream DK yarn
• 50g dark pink DK yarn
• 50g light pink DK yarn
• 50g white DK yarn
• 50g oat DK yarn
• 50g brown DK yarn
• 30 inch cushion pad
• Yarn needle

The Stitches

• ch – chain
• sc – single crochet
• hdc – half double crochet
• dc – double crochet
• FLO – front loop only
• BLO – back loop only
• cc – change color

The front panel is just front loop only, so we’ll start there.

Front Panel

Begin in your dark pink yarn.

Row 1

ch52

Row 2

sk2, 1dc x 50

Row 3

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

cc cream

Row 4 – 7

ch2, 1hdc FLO x 50

cc light pink

Row 8 – 13

ch1, 1sc FLO x 50

cc white

Row 14 – 15

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

cc dark pink

Row 16 – 19

ch2, 1hdc FLO x 50

cc cream

Row 20 – 25

ch1, 1sc FLO x 50

cc light pink

Row 26 – 27

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

cc white

Row 28 – 31

ch2, 1hdc FLO x 50

cc dark pink

Row 32 – 37

ch1, 1sc FLO x 50

cc cream

Row 38 – 39

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

Back Panel

Begin in the oat yarn

Row 1

ch52

Row 2

sk2, 1dc x 50

Row 3 – 4

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

Row 5 – 6

ch2, 1dc BLO x 50

cc brown

Row 7 – 8

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

Row 9 – 10

ch2, 1dc BLO x 50

cc cream

Row 11 – 12

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

Row 13 – 14

ch2, 1dc BLO x 50

cc oat

Row 15 – 16

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

Row 17 – 18

ch2, 1dc BLO x 50

cc brown

Row 19 – 20

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

Row 21 – 22

ch2, 1dc BLO x 50

cc cream

Row 23 – 24

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

Row 25 – 26

ch2, 1dc BLO x 50

cc oat

Row 27 – 28

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

Row 29 – 30

ch2, 1dc BLO x 50

cc brown

Row 31 – 32

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

Row 33 – 34

ch2, 1dc BLO x 50

cc cream

Row 35 – 36

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

Row 27 – 38

ch2, 1dc BLO x 50

cc oat

Row 39 – 40

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

Row 41 – 42

ch2, 1dc BLO x 50

cc brown

Row 43 – 44

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

Row 45 – 46

ch2, 1dc BLO x 50

cc cream

Row 47 – 48

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

Row 49 – 50

ch2, 1dc BLO x 50

cc oat

Row 51 – 52

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

Row 53 – 54

ch2, 1dc BLO x 50

cc brown

Row 55 – 56

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

Row 57 – 58

ch2, 1dc BLO x 50

cc cream

Row 59 – 60

ch2, 1dc FLO x 50

Row 61 – 62

ch2, 1dc BLO x 50