My Wonderful Crocheters!
How are you doing and what’s on your hook?
At the moment, I’m writing up a couple of patterns which call for my favorite crochet stitch. The Moss Stitch! (Well, it’s also known as linen stitch or tweed stitch, however I love moss, so that’s what I choose!)
Anyway, I thought I’d provide a separate blog post on how to crochet this wonderful stitch.
Today, I’ll show you how I work these stitches from Corner to Corner (also known as ‘on the bias’). Now, I’m not reinventing the wheel here. However, I have my own preferences on how to achieve this lovely swatch. If you’d like to work up a more straight forward square worked horizontally, stay tuned as that tutorial is coming soon!
Why is the Moss Stitch my Favorite?
While I love crochet, when I compare the fabric created by my hook versus knitted texture, I find crochet has a thicker, somewhat rigid feel. The Moss Stitch, made up of alternating single crochet’s and chains, has a looser drape than solid stitches.
It also maintains a solid appearance, therefore this makes it a good choice for clothing fabric (which you might not want to see through).
Rows of this stitch do not create thick lines either. I think of it as miniature patchwork and I enjoy playing with the ‘mottling effect’ or ‘fade’ that this can create. (If you’re curious to see more on that, stay tuned as I am writing up a blog post on “How To Crochet Beautiful Scrappy Projects”. Coming soon!)
So anyway, let’s begin shall we?
How To Crochet: Moss Stitch
FROM CORNER TO CORNER
A Photo Tutorial by Consciously Crochet
SKILL LEVEL
Easy – Basic stitches, repetitive stitch pattern, simple shaping and finishing.
HOOK SIZE
4.50mm / US 7
MATERIALS
- DROPS Paris Unicolor (100% cotton, 50g/75m)
Color A Rust (Shade 65) – less than 1 ball (approx. 10g/15m)
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
10cm x 10cm (4″ x 4″) Square OR as close as possible
NOTE: My finished square was closer to 9.5cm x 9.5cm (3 1/4″ x 3 1/4″).
STITCHES USED (US TERMS)
chain
single crochet
SPECIAL STITCHES – ALL EXPLAINED WITHIN TUTORIAL
Magic Ring
sc2tog
ABBREVIATIONS
ch – chain
ch#sp – chain space (‘#’ denotes number of chains)
st(s) – stitch(es)
tog – together
INSTRUCTIONS
Start by making a Magic Circle. (Alternatively, you can simply make a slip knot and Chain 1, and refer to this chain made as your Magic Circle)
To make a Magic Circle, lay the tail end of yarn in your hand towards your pinky finger. Wrap the working yarn down across the back of your hand and up over the front of your hand, overlapping the yarn.
Take your crochet hook, placing it under the first strand of yarn and over the second, like so:
Using your hook, grab the second strand and pull it through, under the first strand:
Yarn over:
Pull through the loop on the hook. Tighten your loop, like so:
In the Magic Circle:
Row 1: ch1 (does not count as a stitch, however at the end of the next row, we will work a stitch into the loop created by this chain, so pop a stitch marker in it if you wish):
Now make 1 single crochet into the Magic Ring:
chain 1:
Make 1 single crochet into the Magic Ring. That’s Row 1 complete. Looking at our work from right to left (or vice versa if you’re left handed), we have a chain 1 loop and 3 stitches:
Pull on the tail end of the yarn to pull the Magic Ring closed:
Row 2: ch2 and turn your work (these chains do not count as stitches):
We will work a stitch into the loop created by the first chain made, so as before, if you prefer, pop a stitch marker in it.
Make 1sc into the second chain from the hook like so:
Insert your hook into both top loops of the second chain from the hook:
Yarn over, pull through the stitch, yarn over, pull through both loops on your hook. 1 single crochet made!:
Ch1, skip the next st:
Make 1sc in next ch1sp:
Ch1, skip the next st.
Now we will make 1sc into the loop of the first ch1 we made at the start of the previous row (this is the chain you may have marked). So, as follows: Insert hook down into the loop:
Yarn over, pull through the loop,
Yarn over, and pull through both loops on the hook. 1sc made. That’s Row 2 complete! From right to left we can see our ch1 loop, followed by our 5 sts (1sc, ch1, 1sc, ch1, 1sc):
Row 3: ch2 and turn, work 1sc into both top loops of the second chain from the hook. (ch1, skip the next st, make 1sc in next ch1sp) x 2, ch1, skip the next st, now as before, make 1sc into the loop of the first chain made at the start of the previous row. [7 sts]
Row 4: ch2, turn, work 1sc into both top loops of the second chain from the hook. (ch1, skip the next st, make 1sc in next ch1sp) x 3, ch1, skip the next st, make 1sc into the loop of the first chain made at the start of the previous row. [9 sts]
Row 5: ch2, turn, work 1sc into both top loops of the second chain from the hook. *Ch1, skip the next st, make 1sc in next ch1sp*, repeat from * to * until you have 1 st left unworked. Ch1, skip the last st, make 1sc into the loop of the first chain made at the start of the previous row. [9 sts]
Repeat Row 5 until the edges measure approximately 10cm (Note: NOT the diagonal measurement – see photo below). Stitch count will increase by 2 stitches for each additional row made.
I had worked 12 rows for my edges to measure 10cm. This gave me a stitch count of 25 stitches.
Now to work our decrease rows. For me, this is Row 13. Yours may differ.
Row 13: ch1, (this does not count as a stitch and we don’t work into this chain)
turn your work, skip the first st:
*make 1sc into the next ch1sp, ch1, skip the next st*.
Repeat from * to * across the row until you reach the last ch1sp:
Now we will single crochet the last ch1sp and last sc of the row together, like so:
Insert hook into ch1sp, yarn over, pull through the space:
Insert hook into last sc st, yarn over, pull through the stitch:
Yarn over, pull through all 3 loops on the hook. Sc2tog made! [23 sts]
Row 14: ch1 (as before, this does not count as a stitch and we don’t work into this chain), skip the first st, *make 1sc into the next ch1sp, ch1, skip the next st*. Repeat from * to * across the row until you reach the last ch1sp. As before, sc2tog across the last ch1sp and last st. [21 sts – NOTE: During decrease rows, stitch count will decrease by 2 sts for each row]
Repeat Row 14 until your last row has just 3 sts. For me, this was Row 23.
Final Row (for me, Row 24): ch1, turn:
skip the first stitch, and as like any other decrease row, sc2tog across the last ch1sp and last st. [1 st]
Fasten off by snipping the working yarn and pulling it through the loop on the hook… and that’s it!
When I measured my finished swatch, it measured closer to 9.5cm. I made a new swatch with an extra increase row and decrease row, which resulted in a 10.5cm x 10.5cm swatch. Next I plan to stick to my original stitch count, but go up a hook size, to a 5mm and see how that turns out.
I hope you found this photo tutorial on how to crochet the moss stitch from corner to corner useful!
Let me know if you have made any plans for projects using this method. I’d love to see your WIPs (Works-In-Progress) & FO’s (Finished Objects)! Let’s keep in touch…
I’m on Instagram: @Consciously Crochet
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Happy Crocheting!
With Love,
