In this tutorial, I will show you how to crochet the basic shell stitch in any number of rounds. Whether you are searching for an elegant border to finish a crochet blanket or a textured but lightweight stitch for your crochet top, the ease and beauty of the shell stitch make it a must-have.
In fact, with all of its variations, I found the shell stitch to be one of the most repeated stitches in crochet top patterns. The one we shall learn today is a solid two-row repeat shell stitch crocheted using double crochet and single crochet.
This variation is ideal for working with two colors of yarn, but it definitely looks beautiful in one. I will also briefly explain to you how to crochet the lacy, V, and Catherine wheel shell stitch here. So, you are good to go with me in this 10-minute read!
How is Shell Stitch crocheted?
Note: The standard shell stitch is not reversible, but it can be made reversible with a 4-row repeat pattern that uses two colors.
Shell stitch can be worked in foundation chains. However, with my experience, I recommend that if you are a beginner or do not have control over your tension, I recommend using single crochet as a foundation instead of chains. This will help you make a neater bottom edge. A solid shell stitch edging pattern is worked as follows (the swatch pattern is taught in detail in the next section):
- Make a single crochet.
- Skip the next two stitches.
- Work five double crochet in the next stitch.
- Skip the next two stitches.
- Single crochet in the next stitch.
Crochet Shell Stitch: Step-by-Step Pattern
Difficulty: Beginner – Level 3
Stitch Multiple: 6x + 2 (8, 14, 20, … so on)
Stitches Needed: Single crochet, double crochet, and chain stitch.
Supplies:
- 3.5mm crochet hook or the one on your yarn label
- 2mm – 2.5mm thick yarn works fine.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: Chain
- sc: Single Crochet
- dc: Double Crochet
- hdc: Half Double Crochet
- st(s): Stitch(es)
- Shell: 5 Double Crochets in the same stitch
Foundation Row
- Chain a multiple of 6 + 2 extra chains. If you want a small swatch, chain 20 (18 + 2). It will, however, only crochet six shell stitches.
Row 1: The Base Row
- Skip the first chain and work one single crochet in the next.
Note: Be sure to work the stitch through both the top and bottom loops of the chain stitch for a neater bottom of the shell stitch.
- Skip 2 chains, then work 1 dc in the next stitch.
- Work 4 more dc in the same stitch to make a total of 5 dc. This is called the Shell Cluster.
- Skip 2 chains.
- Work 1 sc in the next chain. This will complete our first shell stitch.
Repeat across: Skip 2 chains, 5 dc (shell) in next, skip 2 chains, 1 sc in next. End the row with a single crochet in the very last chain. This is how you will crochet the first row.
Row 2: Working Above the Shell Stitch
- Turn, then ch 3 (this counts as your first dc).
- Work 2 dc in the same stitch (it will give you a “half shell” of 3 total dc).
- Skip 2 stitches, then work 1 sc in the next stitch (this should be the center dc of the shell below).
- Repeat across: Skip 2 stitches, 5 dc (shell) in the next stitch (which should be the sc from the row below), skip 2 stitches, 1 sc in the next stitch.
- To Finish: When 3 stitches remain, skip 2 and place 3 dc in the last stitch.
Row 3: Reseting the Pattern
- Turn, then ch 1 (does not count as a stitch).
- Work 1 sc in the first stitch.
- Repeat across: Skip 2 stitches, 5 dc (shell) in the next stitch, skip 2 stitches, 1 sc in the next stitch.
- To Finish: Work your last sc into the top of the turning chain-3 from the previous row.
The Repeat
Repeat Row 2 and Row 3.
Optional: Straight Edge Row
If you are crocheting a blanket or pillow and want a straight top edge instead of scallops, follow this work this pattern for the last row:
- Turn, then ch 3 (counts as dc).
- dc in the next stitch, hdc in the next, and sc in the top of the shell.
- Repeat across: hdc in next, dc in next 3 stitches, hdc in next, sc in next.
- To Finish: When 3 stitches remain, finish with 1 hdc and 1 dc in each of the last two stitches.
That’s all for this tutorial!
Was this tutorial helpful? Tell me in the comments
Your feedback is a great way for us to improve my crochet tutorials. So, share your thoughts on whether you tried this one or not, and highlight the weak points.