Fancy Crochet Stitches
Puff stitch
In general, this stitch is done by itself and the pattern will tell you where to place it.
The main concept is that you are making the start of a half double crochet multiple times in the same stitch, then pulling the yarn through all the loops on your hook and making a chain stitch to secure it.
Yarn over. Insert your hook into the stitch and pull up a loop. You should have 3 loops on your hook.
Repeat step 1 until you have 9 loops on your hook.
Yarn over and pull through all 9 loops on your hook.
Chain 1 to secure the stitch.
To make this sample
You will need an odd number of chains for your puff stitches + 3 chains for your edge height
Chain 16
Puff stitch in 4th chain from hook
Skip next chain
Puff stitch in next stitch
Repeat steps 3 and 4 across the row, ending with a puff stitch. You should have 7 puff stitches in the row.
Chain 3 and turn.
Make your next puff stitch in the chain one space from the previous row. Follow the same steps for the stitch across the row, but instead of skipping chains, work a puff stitch into each space along the row. You should end with a puff stitch.
Work 7 rows total and fasten off.
Bobble Stitch
In general, this stitch is done by itself and the pattern will tell you where to place it.
The main concept is that you are making the first half of a double crochet multiple times in the same stitch, then pulling the yarn through all the loops on your hook. Making a single crochet in the next stitch in the row makes the bobble stitch pop out.
Yarn over, insert hook into stitch and pull up a loop. Yarn over, pull through two.
Repeat step 1 in the same stitch/space until you have a total of 6 loops on your hook.
Yarn over and pull through all 6 loops on your hook.
To make this sample
You will need a multiple of 4 + 1 chains for your bobble stitches/sc + 1 chain for your edge height
Chain 14
Single crochet in each stitch across (13 sc)
Chain 1, turn. 2sc, bobble stitch, 3sc, bobble stitch, 3sc, bobble stitch, 2sc
Chain 1, turn. Single crochet in each stitch across
Chain 1, turn. (bobble stitch, 3sc) x3, bobble stitch
Chain 1, turn. Single crochet in each stitch across
Work rows 3-6 2 more times and fasten off.
Front and Back Post Double Crochet
In general, this stitch is done by itself and the pattern will tell you where to place it.
The main concept is that instead of working into the top “v” of the stitch, you are working around the vertical post of the stitch itself, either from the front of the work or from the back of the work.
Rather than repeat all of the detailed steps, I recommend going to this photo tutorial by Easy Crochet. It’s much better than what I could come up with. :)
To make this sample
You will need an even number of stitches + 3 for your edge height (chain 3 counts as 1 dc)
Chain 17
Starting in the 4th chain from the hook, dc in each stitch across (15 dc)
Chain 3, turn. (back post dc, dc) x7, working last dc in the top of the ch3
Chain 3, turn. (front post dc, dc) x7, working last dc in the top of the the ch3
Work rows 3 and 4 one more time and fasten off.
Star Stitch
This pattern is worked over an odd number of chains.
The main concept is that in one row you create the bottom of the star with a series of “single crochet 5 together” in particular places and in the next row you create the top of the star with 2hdc in the star centers.
Row 1: sc5tog from 2nd chain, ch1, *sc5tog starting from the eye of the ch1, ch1*, repeat from * until you have 1ch left, 1hdc in that last ch, turn. You will need to reference Steps 4-8 of the photo tutorial in order to see where you need to put your hook!
Row 2: ch2 (counts as a hdc), *2hdc in each ch1 from the previous row*, repeat from * until you crocheted in each ch1 from the previous row, 1hdc in the last stitch, turn
Row 3: ch3 (does not count as a stitch), sc5tog from 2nd chain, ch1, *sc5tog from ch1, ch1*, repeat from * until you have 1st left, 1hdc in that last ch, turn
Row 4: ch2 (counts as a hdc), *2hdc in each ch1 from the previous row*, repeat from * until you crocheted in each ch1 from the previous row, 1hdc in the last stitch, turn
To make this sample
You will need a multiple of 2 + 3 chains for your star stitch + 2 chains for your edge height (ch2 counts as hdc). For example: 8 stars x 2 = 16. 16+3 = 19. 19 + 2 ch = 21.
Chain 21
Work Rows 1-4 of the star stitch as indicated on this page. In rows 2 and 4, you will have 17 hdc.
Repeat Rows 3 and 4 2 more times and fasten off.