Needlecrafts Crochet Crochet Basics

How to Crochet Brick Stitch

A "Crazy Stitch" Variation on Crochet Shell Stitch

Five Rows of Crazy Stitch

The Spruce / Kathryn Vercillo

The crochet brick stitch is a vintage stitch pattern that has been called by a few different names over the years. Whether you call it the crazy stitch, the crazy shell, or the brick stitch, this crochet stitch is fun to work and attractive to the eye. It is made using basic crochet stitches, so an advanced beginner should be able to crochet this stitch without a problem.

Origin

This stitch is considered to be a version of the crochet shell stitch. However, it is more rectangular than traditional shell due to the unique placement and directionality of the double crochet stitches. The shape is why it is usually called brick stitch; it looks a bit like a brick.

Types of Crochet Brick Stitch

It can be confusing when you look up crochet stitches because they may have the same name and be a different stitch—that's definitely true with crochet brick stitch. So you might see a "brick stitch" pattern that looks different from what you see here; they are both different patterns that have been named brick stitch over the years because they both look like bricks. To make things even more confusing, there are variations of other stitches in "brick" versions such as the v-stitch in brick repeat. Despite this, it is very common for the stitch described here to be called the brick stitch. To differentiate it from other brick stitches it is best to call it "crazy" stitch, which almost always refers to this stitch pattern in particular and not any other crochet stitch out there.

Corner-to-Corner Crochet

The pattern made with brick stitches looks a little bit like corner-to-corner crochet, also called diagonal box stitch, but the effect is achieved by working in rows rather than on the diagonal. Some designers have mixed up the two, so you will occasionally see patterns that provide the crazy stitch instructions but call it the "c2c stitch". If it's worked on the diagonal (with the first "row" being just one box, the next two boxes, etc.) then it's the corner-to-corner stitch; if it's worked in true rows then it's the crazy crochet stitch or the brick stitch. The names get confusing, but don't worry; the instructions are easy to follow!

Crazy Stitch: Row 1

Crazy Crochet Stitch, Row 1

The Spruce / Kathryn Vercillo

Begin with a foundation chain that is a multiple of 3 + 1. (For example, try a starting chain of 19, which is 3 times 6 + 1.) Then follow these instructions:

  • 3 dc in 4th ch from hook
  • Sk 3, sc in next ch, ch 3, 3 dc in same ch
  • Repeat the previous step all the way across the row
  • Sc in last ch

Row 2

Crazy Stitch: Row 2

The Spruce / Kathryn Vercillo

This row (and all subsequent rows) will use the following pattern:

  • Turn and ch 3
  • 3 dc in the sc that ended the previous row
  • Sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same ch-3 sp
  • Repeat the previous step across row until you reach the final ch-3 sp of the row. Do not repeat the steps in that final ch-3 sp.
  • Work 1 sc in final ch-3 of the row.

Additional Rows

Five Rows of Crazy Stitch

The Spruce / Kathryn Vercillo

All additional rows for the crazy stitch are completed using the instructions for row 2. It is really an easy stitch pattern to learn and one that can become quite meditative once you have gotten the hang of it.

You can see here why it's called brick stitch; the individual boxes are brick-shaped. You can also see why it's called "crazy stitch" since those boxes are set in a way that looks a little off-kilter. The result is an undulating graphic design.