Front Loop Only (FLO)
front loop only is called the same thing in US and UK patterns, and zendan no temae hanme wo hirou in Japanese ones. Written as FLO in patterns.
The opposite of BLO. Only the near loop is used, leaving the back loop as a ridge on the reverse.
The Japanese name 前段の手前半目を拾う (zendan no temae hanme wo hirou) literally means "picking up the near half stitch of the previous row".
At a glance
| How many times you wrap the yarn first | none — go straight in |
|---|---|
| How tall it is | about the height of 1 chain |
| Turning chain at the start of a row | not usually needed |
| How it looks on a Japanese chart | standard symbol on a horizontal bar, front-facing |
| Difficulty | beginner |
| Stitch family | technique |
What it is used for
- · Surface texture
- · Petal and scale effects
- · Fold lines in amigurumi
Watch out for
Japanese patterns often describe this in a sentence rather than with a dedicated symbol, so it appears in the written notes rather than the chart.
A smooth aluminium or ergonomic hook in the size your pattern calls for.
View on Amazon USShopping elsewhere? Amazon UAE
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to Amazon on this page are affiliate links; buying through them costs you nothing extra.
Related stitches
Full US to UK conversion table · Full US to Japanese table
Last updated 2026-08-30.