Ch 3, 2 dc in rg. Ch 2, *3dc in rg...

Is it just me, or should a "half double crochet" stitch be the same as a "single crochet" stitch?

I know this post makes me sound like an old lady, but I am trying to teach myself to crochet. Thanks to my mum I have actually been able to crochet since I was 7, but I can only do straight crocheting in rows, turning at the end of the row and coming back again to eventually build a scarf. At a push I can even fake it enough to crochet in a round beret style. However I never learned to read a single crochet pattern, and as I am finding out it is like learning a new language.


This afternoon I found a beautiful new wool: mohair-like and fine as gossamer. I decided the old brick style crocheting would just not do it justice. Last winter I taught myself to knit from some instructions on the internet, so when I found this wool I figured I could teach myself a prettier style.

Armed only with google, and a rapidly waning patience I looked up a relatively simple crochet pattern. I was left with this:

Ch 4, join with sl st to first ch to form ring.
RND 1: Ch3, 2 dc in rg. Ch 2, *3dc in rg, ch3. Repeat from * 2 times more. Ch2, slst in top of ch3.

RND 2: Sl st in the first 2 dc's and in the first ch 2 lp. Ch3, 2 dc in ch 2 sp, ch2, work 3 dc in same sp. Work the following 3 times (Ch1, work 3 dc, ch2, 3 dc in next ch 2 lp.) Ch1, join with slst to top of ch 3.

RND 3: Sl st in the first 2 dc's and in the first ch 2 sp. Ch 3, 2 dc in ch 2 sp, ch 2, work 3 dc in same sp. Ch 1, work 3 dc in next ch 1 sp. Ch 1. Work the following 3 times (Work 3 dc, ch2, 3 dc in next ch 2 sp. Ch 1, work 3 dc in next ch 1 sp. Ch 1.) Join with sl st to top of ch 3.

Ok, so I was sure that would make perfect sense, if I knew what the abbreviations meant. So I googled a cheat-sheet for the abbreviations and that was when I discovered that, yes, apparently there is such a thing as a "half double crochet" which is different to a "single crochet" stitch.

I mean... what the???