How to Crochet the Star Stitch

Make the Foundation Chain and Start the Star Stitch

Start with a foundation chain. If you're working with a pattern, it'll tell you how many chains to make. Otherwise, begin with an odd number of chain stitches.

Insert your hook into the second chain from the hook. Yarn over and pull a loop through.

This is the beginning of a single crochet stitch, but instead of completing the entire stitch, leave the loop on the hook.

Draw up Loops on the Hook

Insert your hook into the next chain, yarn over, and pull through. The hook now has three loops.

Continue inserting your hook into subsequent chains, yarning over and pulling through until your hook has six loops.

Yarn Over and Pull Through the Loops

With six loops on your hook, yarn over one more time and pull through all six loops. The loops create the "spikes" that make up your first star.

Finish the First Star

Chain one. This finishes the star and creates an "eye" in the center. You'll work into the eye, so getting a feel for the stitch design is helpful. 

Begin the Second Star

Next, insert your hook into the "eye" you just made. Yarn over and pull through. Your hook will now have two loops.

Insert the Hook Between the Spikes

Insert your hook into the space between the two last "spikes" from the first "star." Yarn over and pull through. Your hook will have three loops.

Placement is everything with the crochet star stitch, so pay careful attention to where you insert the hook at each step.

Insert the Hook Into the Chain

Insert your hook into the same chain where you worked the last stitch of the previous star. Yarn over and pull through. There will now be four loops on your hook.

Insert your hook into the next chain, yarn over, and pull through. Repeat in the next chain.

This will give you six loops on your hook.

Complete the Second Star

Finish this second star as you did the first one. Yarn over and pull through all six loops on the hook. Chain one to close the second star.

Crochet Star Stitch Across Row

Repeat the steps above to make stars across the row.

When you reach the end, make one hdc in the last stitch.

HDC for the Second Row

Between each row of star stitches, work rows of hdc stitches.

Turn the work and chain two. This counts as the first hdc stitch of the row. Crochet two hdc stitches into the eye of the star in the row below. 

Complete the HDC Row

Work two hdc in the eye of each star across the row.

Crochet two hdc in the final stitch when you reach the end.

Start the Next Star Stitch Row

The process for making another row of crochet stars is almost the same as before, except that it begins with extra chain stitches.

Turn the work and chain three.

Insert your hook into the second chain from the hook. Yarn over and pull through. The hook will now have two loops.

Insert your hook into the next chain, then yarn over and pull through. There will now be three loops on the hook.

Complete the Star Stitch

Insert your hook into the following three stitches, doing a yarn over and pull through in each so that you have six stitches on the hook.

Yarn over and pull through all six loops on the hook. Chain one to close the star.

This creates the eye of the first star of this row (the third row of the pattern and the second of the star stitch rows).

Continue Working Star Stitch and HDC Rows

Finish the row of star stitch, then work another row of hdc, and so on.

Work the crochet star stitch on odd-numbered rows and half double crochet stitches on even-numbered rows.