How To: The Crochet Shell Stitch

The Crochet Shell Stitch is a pretty stitch with lots of rich texture. It’s simple to learn and great for many different types of crochet projects. Today I am sharing one of my very favorite crochet stitches with you all – the shell stitch! This stitch looks a bit complicated, but it is really pretty simple to learn. It is one of my go-to stitches and one I use all the time. I especially love the scalloped shape of the shell stitch – it is so pretty! This stitch also produces a nice tight fabric with lots of texture and not many holes. It makes lovely scarves, blankets, or even washcloths. Ready to learn?

Supplies needed to do the crochet shell stitch:

• Yarn (I used Caron Simply Soft in Soft Pink for my sample and Wool Ease Thick & Quick for the scarf)
• Crochet Hook (I used a Size H (5.00 mm) for the sample and a Size N (9.00 mm) for the scarf)
• Scissors
• Yarn Needle

Crochet Shell Stitch Tutorial.

Row 1. Begin with a row of single crochet. You can either start with a chain and single crochet in each chain stitch or start with a row of foundation single crochet stitches. The row of chains should be a multiple of six plus one. For this sample, I started with 31 single crochet stitches, which equals five shells across.

Row 2. Start the second row by chaining one and working a single crochet in the same stitch. Next, skip two stitches, and work 5 double crochet stitches in the next stitch. Skip two stitches and work a single crochet in the next stitch. Your first shell is formed! Continue repeating the skip 2 stitches, work 5 double crochet in the next stitch, skip 2 stitches, single crochet in next stitch pattern until you reach the end of the row.

 Row 3. Start by chaining 3, working two double crochet in the same stitch, and working a single crochet in the center double crochet of the first shell. Your first half shell is formed! Next, work five double crochet in the next single crochet and then work a single crochet in the center double crochet of the next shell. Repeat this pattern until you reach the end of the row. Finally, work 3 dc in the last sc stitch of the previous row.

Remaining Rows. Just repeat rows 2 and 3 until your piece reaches the desired length. And that’s it!

The crochet shell stitch is one of my favorite stitch patterns. You can use it for so many things, but I especially love it for scarfs. I used a chunky yarn and a large hook to work up a pretty, chunky scarf in just a couple of hours.

For this scarf, I started with 19 single crochet and my scarf was 3 shells across. I love the look of the shell stitch in this chunky yarn – it’s so cozy!

I hope you will give this crochet shell stitch a try. I really think you will love it! Ready for another crochet tutorial? Try your hand at this lemon peel crochet tutorial!

Happy Crocheting!

Alexis

Alexis Middleton is a lifelong crafter/DIYer and blogger at Persia Lou. She started crafting at a young age. As a girl, she spent summers with her grandmother crocheting baby doll afghans, making coasters out of plastic canvas and yarn, and canning apricot jam. Today, Alexis spends a lot of time dreaming up and working on projects for her family’s home. She loves mixing traditional crafting techniques with a more modern aesthetic.