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Well, I’ve taken back to my crochet hook  and a bit earlier than I expected, really. It’s still stupid hot here in Oklahoma soaring past 100 degrees and I normally don’t have the desire to dig into the yarn stash until the temperatures start to drop.
But I decided to go with it and have started thinking about all of the lovely patterns and stitches I wanted to teach you. So today we’re staring with the first of, hopefully, many crochet tutorials I’ll bring you through the end of summer and coming into Autumn. Yay!
And because I had a reader explain that the videos were so much easier to understand than pictures for her, I decided to start making video tutorials to go along with the stitches. Now, I must warn you I’m still having trouble with my video editing software so there isn’t a whole lot of editing going on (it took me half an hour to get two videos together – geez!) but I’ll learn and they’ll get better! And maybe next time I’ll kick the cats out before I get started :)
So grab your H hook and some yarn that looks pretty together and let’s get after it.
One of the greatest things about this stitch is that you don’t have to have a specific count to start. Just start chaining and work those into single crochets. Make 4 or more rows of single crochets and get ready to get your spike on.
First you’ll need to change colors so that the spikes are apparent. After attaching on make a single chain.
Push you hook through the front of the fabric to the left and under a single crochet in one of the rows below. Here I’m going under the first.
Yarn over and pull through the fabric.
Now you’ll have two loops on your hook. Bring the hook parallel to the top of the piece. You’ll have to kind of wiggle the hook back and forth to make it work.
Yarn over and take off both loops finishing your first spike.
Continue the process either in a pattern or randomly. Here the spikes are gradually increasing in size and they’ll start decreasing in the next stitch.
Continue through the end of the line. Turn, chain one and single crochet down the length. Continue turning and single crocheting until you have the same number of rows in the new color as you did for the first (I had four rows of gray so I’ll single crochet four rows of orange on top of my spikes.)
Now this is a different piece than I started on for the tutorial, but since I am out of practice I started off with a chain of like 40. That was way too big for a little sample swatch so I started over!
You can use just about as many colors as you please for the spike stitch and you can orient your spikes any way you please, too. I kept with the increasing to decreasing pattern, but varied where I started the pattern at for an asymmetrical look. Because guarantee if I tried to make it all the same or alternating or whatever I’d get halfway done and see one area where I was a bit off and it would drive me nuts.
Now, want to check out the video tutorial? I’ve got to warn you… I’m talking a whole heck of a lot for around 8 minutes and basically spending a whole lot of your time but at least you get to see my cats Max and Marla who stopped in for guest appearances :)
In the end, if you can single crochet you can totally rock this. If you have a hard time with the spikes in the beginning, be patient because there is a learning curve but the end fabric is totally worth the effort!
I don’t understand your sorry about the cats “helping”. Personally I don’t think it’s possible to crochet without at least one furbaby in my lap. Love the video and can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing.
I love your voice and humor. I am working on 3 afghans right now, but this is my next one!! Your cats are precious. Thank you!!
Thank you so much, for this pattern, it was one that a deceased friend had done, but I did not have the pattern and had asked the universe, so to speak, for it and YOU came forth. attitude of gratitude :-)
How do u think this would look with double crochet instead of single?
It could definitely work and if you’re happy with the results then that is all that matters. The double has spaces in it that the single doesn’t so it might not have the same sharply spiky appearance. If you give it go, I’d love to know how it turned out!
I must try this soon! What a great way to use left over yarn in a fun way! Love your little helpers too!
This is so awesome! Definitely going to attempt this! I’m a newbie crocheter so I’m hoping I’ll learn fast, but your steps are very clear and easy to follow. Thanks for sharing! :-)
Andrea // CocoDrizzle
I am going to have to ask you to stop this now.
I have too many projects on my to do list without you showing me lovely things like this.
I now want to make a bag from this stitch but I already have 2 half made crochet bags that are waiting for me to finish. What should I do????? Help me please!!!!!
I know exactly what you mean, but unfortunately I’m just getting started :) You should start a swatch throw. It just came to me… make all of these neat patterns and connect them into one, patchwork type of afghan. Woot!
You can also make swatches in a 9×9 square and donate them to chemo crochet. They make them into blankets for chemo patients. That is what I do with all my swatches of new patterns I’m learning. This will for sure be the next! Thank you!!
I LOVE this. Thanks so much for letting me know! My sample fabrics will now have a purpose!
Whoa! That is so great! I exclaimed aloud when I really saw that it’s something I can do with what I already know. Thanks.