Crochet a Shell Stitch
Essentially, a shell stitch consists of any stitch pattern in which multiple double crochets are worked into the same stitch. There are both simple versions of the shell stitch and more complex ones. Playing with a few different types will give you the opportunity to find the look you like the best.
Contents
Steps
Basic Shell Stitch
- Make a chain. For this version of a basic shell stitch, you need to make a chain with a number of stitches equal to a multiple of four.
- The number of shell stitches you can have in each row will equal the number of times you can divide the total number of chains by four.
- For example, a chain of 12 stitches will have three shell stitches each row, but a chain of 32 stitches will have eight shell stitches in each row.
- The number of shell stitches you can have in each row will equal the number of times you can divide the total number of chains by four.
- Work a shell stitch into the fourth chain from the hook. Skip three chains from the hook and work a shell into the fourth. For this pattern, your shell stitch should consist of two double crochets, followed by one chain, and wrapped up with two more double crochets. Each of these stitches must be made in the same chain.
- Skip three and repeat. Pass over three more chains. Begin your next shell stitch in the fourth chain over, using the same pattern as before.
- Make two double crochets.
- Crochet one chain.
- Work two more double crochets into the same stitch.
- Follow the same pattern until the end of the chain. Skip three chains and form another shell stitch, using the same pattern, in the fourth chain. Repeat this pattern until you run out of chains in the row.
- Note that the first chain you crocheted, which is now the final chain of your row, should have a shell stitch in it.
- Chain three. Make three chain stitches at the end of your row after completing the last shell. Flip the material over, so that the previous left side is now on the right and vice versa.
- The additional three chain stitches will give your pattern the height it needs for the next row. If you skip these chain stitches, the rows of your shell pattern will end up folding over on top of each other.
- Work a shell stitch into a previous chain stitch. In the chain stitch made in the final shell of your previous row, work in the appropriate stitches for another shell.
- Make two double crochets.
- Crochet one chain.
- Work two more double crochets into the same stitch.
- Follow this pattern to the end of the row. There is no need to skip over chains or stitches for this second row. Instead, simply repeat a shell stitch in each chain from the shells of the previous row.
- Repeat rows as needed. All the rows following the second one should be created using the same technique used for the second row. Make sure that you also chain three at the end of each row and turn the material over before starting on the next row.
- For each row, continue making shell stitches into each consecutive chain stitch from the shells of the previous row.
Solid Shell Stitch
- Make a foundation chain. For this chain, the number of stitches must equal a multiple of six, plus one.
- For example, you could have a chain of 19 stitches (18 + 1), a chain of 25 stitches (24 + 1), 31 stitches (30 + 1), and so on.
- A chain with 19 stitches would have three shells coming off it. One with 25 stitches would have four shells, one with 31 stitches would have five shells, and so on.
- This added chain is necessary because it provides your row with the added height it needs for your shell stitch.
- Work one single crochet into the second chain from the hook. Skip one chain in the row. In the second chain from the hook, make one single crochet.
- Skip two and double crochet into the chain that follows. Skip two chains before making five double crochets into the third chain that follows.
- Skip two and single crochet into the chain that follows. Skip another two chains before making one single crochet into the third chain after that.
- Notice that this step and the one prior crossed over a total of six stitches. The first stitch you skipped is the extra "add on" stitch, so with this, you have completed one shell stitch for six stitches.
- Repeat until the end of the row. Follow the same steps you used to create your previous shell stitch to create as many as needed for you to reach the end of this row.
- Skip two chain stitches.
- Make five double crochets into the next stitch.
- Skip two chain stitches.
- Make one single crochet into the next chain.
- Chain three. Make three chain stitches at the end of the next row and flip the material over so that the right side is now on the left and vice versa.
- For the second row, this first set of three chain stitches will take the place of one double crochet.
- Double crochet into the first stitch. Make two double crochets into the first stitch of the previous row.
- The stitches can be more difficult to find now that they are no longer simple chains, but know that each visible stitch or set of loops along the top of the shells counts as its own stitch.
- Repeat the shell pattern. The shell pattern will be nearly identical to the pattern used for the last row, but the placement of the stitches will seem reversed.
- Skip two double crochets from the previous row.
- Make a single crochet into the next double crochet of the previous row.
- Skip another two double crochets.
- Make five double crochets into the next single crochet from the previous row.
- Repeat this pattern until you reach the end of the row. Note that the last repetition will be with three double crochets in the last single crochet.
- Chain one. Make one chain stitch and turn the material over again, once more reversing the left and right sides.
- Single stitch into the first stitch. Make one single crochet in the first stitch of the previous row.
- Repeat the shell pattern. This pattern will look almost identical to the pattern used in the first row.
- Skip two double crochets from the previous row.
- Make five double crochets into the next single crochet.
- Skip two more double crochets.
- Make a single crochet into the next double crochet of the previous row.
- Continue on until you reach the end of the row, ending with one single stitch at the top.
- Add more rows as needed. Repeat the patterns for rows two and three as needed. Alternate back and forth until you get the length you need or desire for your project.
Crazy Shell Stitch
- Make a foundational chain. This chain must have a total number of stitches equal to a multiple of three, plus one extra.
- For example, you could have a chain with 16 stitches (15 + 1), 19 stitches (18 + 1), 22 stitches (21 + 1), and so on.
- This extra stitch is important since it gives your starting stitches a little extra height to play around with. If you did not have this extra stitch, the pattern might looked cramped together or may end up folding over itself.
- Double crochet into the fourth chain from the hook. Skip three chains from the hook. In the fourth chain down, make three double crochets.
- Single crochet into the fourth chain down. Skip another three stitches and make one single crochet in the chain that follows.
- Chain and work three double crochet into the same stitch. Make three chain stitches before working three double crochets into the same stitch you formed your single crochet in.
- Skip and make another single crochet. Skip over the next three stitches. In the stitch that follows, make one single crochet.
- Note that this completes one shell stitch of this particular shell pattern.
- Repeat the pattern. Repeat the same pattern you used for the first shell all the way down the row. Your row should end with a single crochet.
- Chain three.
- Make three double crochet in the last chain worked.
- Skip three stitches.
- Single crochet in the next stitch.
- Chain three. Make three chain stitches and turn the material over so that the right is now the left and the left is now the right.
- The extra chain gives your new row the height it needs to avoid folding over on itself.
- Make double crochets into the first single crochet. Work three double crochets into the single crochet you ended the final row on.
- This is the same stitch on which the chain of three stitches was just made.
- Single crochet into the chain three space. Trace your previous row until you find the spot at which you made your last chain of three for that row. Make one single crochet into that space.
- This chain three space should be located on the side opposite the final double crochet cluster in your previous row.
- Set your shell pattern and repeat. Use the same basic pattern to make shell stitches all the way across the row. Continue making shell stitches until you reach the end of the row.
- Make three chain stitches.
- Make three double crochets into the same "chain three" space of the previous row you have already been working in.
- Single crochet into the next "chain three" space along the row.
- Repeat the same row as necessary. The remaining rows should all be made exactly the same as your second row. Chain three and turn at the end of each row before continuing on with the next. Continue on until your project is the size you need or want it to be.
Tips
- For each of these methods, you will need to review how to make a chain stitch, single crochet, and a double crochet. If any of these basic techniques are unfamiliar to you, review them before you attempt a shell stitch.
- Note that you must make a slip knot on your crochet hook before beginning your chains. To make a slipknot, form two loops near the tail end of your yarn. Slip the loop on the right side into the one on the left, and insert your crochet needle into the top of this inner loop. Pull the two loops tightly to close them around the needle.
Things You'll Need
- Crochet hook
- Yarn
