How To Crochet The Crazy Stitch
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Did you know that, in the year 1899, crocheters were already enjoying making items with the crazy shell stitch? This fun stitch is still popular today. When you give it a try, I think you'll see why!
Further down the page, you can see what the vintage instructions from 1899 and 1917 said too, so you can compare them.
Starting Chain: Crochet a chain of length needed. A multiple of 4 will work. Multiple Of - Explained
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Row 1: 3 double crochet in 4th chain from hook, * skip 3 chains, sc in next chain, chain 3, 3 double crochet in same chain. The photo at left shows the first of these 3 double crochet in progress. |
Row 1, cont. Repeat from * across row. End with: single crochet in next chain.
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Row 2: Chain 3 to turn. 3 double crochet in single crochet of previous row. |
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Row 2, cont. * single crochet in next chain-3 space of previous row, chain 3, 3 double crochet in same chain-3 space. |
Row 2, cont. Repeat from * across row. End with single crochet in last chain-3 of previous row.
Repeat row 2, until desired length is reached.
Here are the same directions again, all together:
The Crazy Shell Stitch -
Abbreviations: dc = double crochet, sc = single crochet
Starting Chain: Crochet a chain of length needed.
Row 1: 3 dc in 4th chain from hook, * skip 3 chains,
sc in next chain,
chain 3,
3 dc in same chain. Repeat from * across row. End with: sc
in next chain.
Row 2: Chain 3 to turn. 3 dc in sc of previous row.
* sc in next chain-3
space of previous row, chain 3, 3 dc
in same chain-3 space. Repeat from * across row. End with sc in last
chain-3 of previous row.
Repeat rows: Repeat row 2, until desired length is reached.
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I crocheted this two-color example showing how the crazy stitch looks when changing to the other color on each new row. |
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In this example, I crocheted 2 rows of each color in crazy stitch. |
An interesting bit of info: Instructions for the crazy shell stitch were printed in A Treatise on Embroidery, Crochet and Knitting, published in 1899. Fleisher's Knitting & Crocheting Manual of 1917 published the instructions but called it just "crazy stitch". Below you can see the two different ways that these directions were written.
The 1899 Directions For Crazy Shell Stitch:
Sandi's Note: Notice the hook is called a needle here. In those days,
crochet hooks were commonly called needles. Also, the crochet stitches in these directions
correspond to today's United Kingdom stitches; in the United States, for
the stitches in these directions, tc = today's US dc, dc = today's US sc.
I typed the directions exactly as written, even the punctuation (and the 3 that's
all by itself). sh = shell, shs = shells -- end of Sandi's Note
Here's the 1899 Directions -
Make a chain of required length, or work on a foundation. In the latter
case, ch. 3 to turn, 2 tc. in 4th st. from needle, miss 3, fasten with dc.
in next, * ch. 3, 3, tc in same st. as the dc., miss 3, dc in next, and
repeat, finishing with 1 dc. Turn. ch. 3, 3 tc, in last dc., 1 dc. under 3 ch. of next sh.,
* ch. 3, 3 tc. under same ch., dc. under next ch., and repeat from *.
Repeat 2d row. If wanted fuller, the shs. may be of 4 or 5 tc., with 2 instead of 3 ch., to
make the shs. puff.
The 1917 Directions For Crazy Stitch:
Make a chain.
Row 1: * Make a single crochet, chain 3, 3 double crochet in same stitch,
skip 3 stitches * Turn and chain 3 at end of row.
Row 2: * Make a single crochet in chain 3 of first row,
chain 3 and make 3 double crochet in same place *.
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