Linked double crochet connects each new stitch to a horizontal bar in the previous stitch. This fills some of the space between tall posts and produces a more continuous fabric. It is a useful option to sample when ordinary double crochet looks too open for a particular project.
Stitch terminology: This guide uses US names. US single crochet is UK double crochet; US half double is UK half treble; US double is UK treble. See the full US/UK reference.
Replace the first yarn over with a linked loop
For an interior linked double crochet, insert into the horizontal bar across the middle of the previous stitch and draw up a loop. Then insert into the next base stitch and draw up another loop. Three loops are now on the hook.
Finish by drawing through two loops, then through the final two, as for double crochet. The loop taken from the previous stitch creates the sideways connection.
Start a row with its own setup
The first stitch does not have a completed neighbour to borrow from. One common setup uses a chain-three and draws a loop through its second chain before entering the first base position. Use the complete starting instructions from your chosen tutorial.
Do not add an ordinary yarn over as well as the linked loop unless a different stitch definition explicitly asks for it. That would change the loop count and the stitch construction.
Use a base strip to isolate the new movement
Make a plain twelve-stitch single-crochet strip first. On the next row, use the linked-stitch row-start method, then make one linked double crochet in each base position. Keep the setup chain uncounted if you are following the uncounted version in the linked demonstration.
Count twelve stitch tops. The horizontal bars linking them are part of the structure, not extra stitches to work into on the following row.
Find the bar without splitting the yarn
Tilt the previous stitch slightly so its middle horizontal strand is visible. Insert under the whole strand. If the hook catches only one ply, remove it and try again before pulling the loop through.
A light, smooth yarn helps you see the bar. A very fuzzy yarn can conceal the insertion point and make an accidental ordinary double crochet harder to notice.
Check the tension of the sideways link
A tight linking loop can draw neighbouring posts together and reduce the width. An oversized loop may leave an uneven horizontal line. Keep the loop comfortable on the hook shaft and compare several stitches before adjusting.
Measure a sample of linked double crochet itself. The same hook and yarn can give a different width and feel from a plain double-crochet sample.
Consider both faces of the fabric
The connecting bars can make the front and back look different. In turned rows, that difference becomes part of the texture. For a bag or garment panel, choose which side will face outward before seaming.
Finish a small sample and test its flexibility. Linked stitches can reduce visible gaps, but they do not make every yarn suitable for every job or remove the need for a lining when small objects could still slip through.
Continue learning
Review double crochet · Plan a bag fabric · Consider a lining
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