In this post, I’ll teach you how to crochet spike stitch. The spike stitch is an easy way to add interest to a fabric, particularly if you’re working in alternating color rows. You can create spike stitches based on many different standard crochet stitches. See below for written instructions and a video tutorial!
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Supplies
You’re welcome to use whatever yarn and appropriate hook that you’d like, but here’s what I used:
- Vidalana Ambient Worsted yarn (Knitcrate exclusive)
- Size H Crochet Hook or size needed for yarn
- Yarn Needle for weaving in ends.
Spike Stitch Video Tutorial
How to Crochet Spike Stitch
Spike stitch is one of those deceptively simple stitches, in my opinion. You can do this stitch with just about any stitch besides a slip stitch, and there are just a few little tips to watch out for to keep yourself on track while working the spike stitch. In my example, I’m doing spike stitch with half double crochet (though I show single crochet and double crochet in the video as well).
To start, yarn over as usual.
Now, instead of inserting your hook into the top of the next stitch, as usual, you’re going to insert your hook below the bottom of the next stitch, where the hook is pointing in the next picture.
Once you’ve inserted your hook, yarn over and pull a loop up through that space. Make sure you pull the loop up even with the rest of the row. Now finish your stitch like normal (in the case of this hdc, by doing a yarn over and pulling through all three loops on the hook).
You can play with the spike stitch by going down just below the first stitch, as shown here, or skipping multiple rows. You can make fun patterns by alternating how many rows you skip, and combining spike stitch with colorwork really makes the stitches pop as they dive down into the contrasting color rows.
Things to Watch Out For
There are two things to look out for while doing the spike stitch. The first is that you need to make sure you skip the top of the stitch that you worked below (the place where a regular stitch would have gone if you weren’t doing a spike stitch). If you do the spike stitch and still work into the top of that same stitch, you will increase your stitch count. This is a very easy mistake to make, so be sure to double check as you are learning the stitch.
The second thing to watch out for is to make sure you pull the loop of yarn for the spike stitch all the way up to the level of the current row. If you don’t pull the loop up high enough, it will “pinch” your fabric, which doesn’t look good, and really can’t be fixed without frogging the work and redoing it. This is especially a concern if you do deeper spikes by going down multiple rows.
That’s it! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and have lots of fun exploring a new stitch. If you liked this post, you may also like how to crochet puff stitch or how to crochet shells.