Five easy decorative crochet stitches

5 Easy Decorative Crochet Stitches

This week I decided to learn some new crochet stitches, some of which I have used before but hadn’t realised, and some that were completely new to me. I also looked into the benefits of each style of stitch and have found some easy patterns, all free of course, which use each stitch. I will be talking about stitches in US terms and will link you to great Youtube tutorials throughout the blog. I have also crocheted swatches of each stitch so you can see what they will look like using aran weight yarns and a 5.5mm HiyaHiya Aluminium crochet hook.

Moss Stitch

First up is the moss stitch, also known as both linen and granite stitch. This is a really simple combination of chain stitches and single crochet and creates a lovely straight edge and can be easily customised to add stripes and colour work to your project. It is a great beginner stitch and doesn’t take long to master. This tutorial from Bella Coco is fab and also uses both US and UK terms which helps you get accustomed to the different terminology.

Here are a couple of moss stitch patterns that I really love: Moss Stitch in Square Blanket which I made as a wedding present for a friend; Ombre Moss Stitch Cowl which can help you learn to crochet in the round and master changing colours and finally Moss Stitch Fingerless Gloves which make crochet up really quickly. 

Puff Stitch

Next, I tried my hand at mastering the puff stitch. This is a really pretty stitch which is used a lot to make flowers, blankets, and face scrubbies. The puff stitch is created by a bunch of yarn overs and is finished off with another yarn over and pull through. The size or density of the puff stitch is determined but the number of yarn overs, sometimes it’s nice to play around with the number of yarn overs to see what works for the yarn you are working with.  Once again, this is a really easy stitch for beginners and creates a lovely texture when finished. I found this video from Crochet Guru helpful, be aware she uses US terminology. 

The puff stitch really lends itself making flowers as the stitches resemble petals when crocheted in the round, this Puff Stitch Flower Tutorial is a great one to teach you how to crochet flowers. If you want to take on a larger project why not try your hand at this Puff Stitch Scarf.

V Stitch

Next up is the V stitch. This one baffled me a bit as there are so many videos showing you so many different ways of doing it. The video and swatch that I liked the most are from Blossom Crochet who really takes you through every step of the stitch, be aware this video uses UK terminology. This V stitch gives you a thinner and less bulky material and can be easily customised depending on what you have in mind.

If you want to start with something quite simple and have some cotton lying around why not give this Double V Stitch Washcloth a go. If you want to do a little stash busting and have lots of aran weight yarn hanging around you could give this stunning V Stitch Blanket a try.

Shell Stitch

Then I dabbled with shell stitch, something I have seen a lot of in pattern but had never tried before, and I have to say, I am really glad I gave it a go because I love it. Shell stitch lends itself really well to stripy projects such as blankets, but can also be used to make lovely summer projects and autumnal cowls, can you tell I love cowls? Bella Coco has a wonderful tutorial on how to master the shell stitch.

Having fallen head over heels for this lovely stitch I am quite excited to give it a go and I have found this lovely oversized beach bag made from rafia that is stunning as well as this shell stitch cowl that are definitely going on my to-make-list.

Basket Weave Stitch

Last but not least is the basketweave stitch, another one that I had not dared to tackle until this week as it looks like it would be really complicated, well surprise it’s not. All you have to know is how to double crochet through front and back posts, which this video from Bella Coco shows you how to do. Once I understood the basics I was on a roll until I ran out of the yarn I was using. This stitch creates quite a thick swatch and I think it would be fab for winter garments.

If you want to learn how to create this wonderful texture, why not start with something nice and simple such as this Basket Weave Coffee Sleeve, and if you want something a little more challenging, why not give this Buddy Basket Weave Beanie a go? 

Top tips

If you want to find patterns using these stitches but aren’t a fan of those I have listed, simply search the stitch you would like to use on Ravelry, and loads of patterns come up for you to choose from.

Making swatches is a great way to practice a stitch before you dive in with a pattern. If you are like me and like making swatches but never know what to do with them afterwards, why not save them and join together to create a blanket?

If you decide to give any of these stitches a go, don’t forget to grab yourself a set of our lovely crochet hooks and tag us on Instagram and Facebook in your creations so we can see your amazing work.

Happy knitting and until next week!

Emilly x