Crochet Basics: Stripe Shell Stitch

The crochet Stripe Shell Stitch is an advanced beginner crochet stitch that adds decorative appeal to projects. It makes a great border, or you can work it in rows. Crochet the Stripe Shell Stitch in a single color to create a beautiful texture or change colors from row to row for a more intricate design. There are many shell stitch variations. This version uses four colors, but if you'd rather work yours all in one color, skip the color changes. Of course, you can also use fewer or more than four colors. Ready to learn how to crochet Stripe Shell Stitch? Grab a hook in a size that matches your yarn weight and get started!

Techniques used in this pattern (British term / American term):

Chain Stitch – ch

Slip stitch - slt

Treble / Double crochet – tr/dc Post Font tr / dc – FPtr/dc

Puff picot – pff picot

Stitch – st

Foundation Chain: 18 + 5 chs

Row 1: skip 3ch, * 1tr/dc in each of next 5ch, 1ch, skip 4ch, { 1tr/dc in next ch, make 1 pff picot: work 1ch, yarn over, insert hook into two loops of tr/dc.

Yarn over, draw yarn through stitch. Repeat preceding step one more time. Yarn over and draw through all loops on hook. Make 1ch, inert hook into same two loops of tr/dc and work slt.

Work 1ch } . Repeat preceding step in { } - 3 more times working tr/dc in same ch.

Skip 4ch, 1tr/dc in each of next 4ch; rep from *. Work 1tr/dc in each of next 2ch, turn.

Row 2: make 3ch and make 1tr/d in next stitch, * 1tr/dc in each of next 4ch, { 2ch, 1FPtr/dc over tr/dc of shell } – make 4 times, make 2ch, 1tr/dc in each of next 5tr/dc below; rep from *, make 1tr/dc in third ch, turn.

Row 3: make 3ch, * 1tr/dc in each of next 5tr/dc below, 1ch, { 1tr/dc + 1 pff picot + 1ch in the middle (third) space of 2ch } – work 4 times. Make 1tr/dc in each of next 4tr/dc below; rep from *, make 1tr/dc in next tr/dc and 1tr/dc in third ch, turn.

Repeat rows 2 - 3 until you have reached your desired length.