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One night while I was sitting there idly with a bunch of different colors all around me for this stash buster I just started whipping up a little bobble stitch piece of crochet fabric. There was no goal or intention, it just kind of happened. And of course that made me decide it was time for a bobble stitch crochet tutorial on the good ol’ blog!
Now, I did photos but I worried that not everything came across well. So, in spite of the nervously sweaty pits it causes, I made a video. So if you don’t get when I’m putting down verbally, you can watch me whip up a bobble or two through that pretty awkward piece of moving film history (just kidding) or you can skip it by if you can tell what’s happening without it…
For this project you will need:
- Yarn of varying colors (can stash bust or purchase yarn specifically to go well together)
- Large crochet hook. I rock a K when working the bobble stitch.
First up chain an even number. For my little sample swatch I crocheted 14. Go into the first loop from the hook and single crochet down the length (will be an odd number of times).
When you reach the end, chain three (will act as first double crochet) and turn. Begin a double crochet in the first slot.
And say hi to Marla.
Yarn over and pull through so that you have four loops on your hook (business as usual). In the next movement only take off the first TWO loops.
Continue to start three more double crochets in the SAME STITCH, only taking off the first two loops on the hook each go. Placing them together will make them bunch up causing our “bobble” or “puff”.
As you work you can keep track of the number of double crochets you have begun by the loops on the hook. The first is the loop we started with. Each additional is a loop from a double crochet. Since we want 5 stitches total, when you have six loops you’re ready to move on. As you can see from the pic above, I only have five loops so I need to start one more double crochet to finish this bobble up.
Yarn over and pull the yarn through all six loops in one go. Pull the yarn to tighten the bobble up. In the next stitch, do a single crochet then five double crochets in the next stitch, finished off together then a single crochet in the stitch after that.
After you make your first bobble or two, you’ll be able to tell that the “pretty” side is actually the side away from you.
You totally don’t HAVE to watch the video unless you need some clarification. I mean, you’ve got things to do :)
Continue until you reach the end. For this first row both your first and last will be bobble stitches.
Change colors and begin to single crochet all the way down. Be sure to count because the stitches can look kind of funky and you can accidentally throw in an extra until you get the hang of it.
To start the bobble row, chain one, turn and single crochet in the first available stitch. Start your five double crochet bobble in the next.
Continue making your bobble stitches down the length. After the first two, flip over to be sure that they are sitting neatly in between the puffs from the previous row.
On this row you’ll have a single crochet on each end and one less bobble than on the rows on either side.
And be warned that your tension can totally get jacked up if you have a cat biting at your yarn :) Hi Liddy!
This stitch uses A TON of yarn… lots more than if you were just doing a straight double crochet, but the texture is so worth it in my opinion.
I used some craft yarn that I bought and never used in colors that look like peaches, raspberries and bananas. It reminds me of a fruit salad!
But this pattern is equally pretty with just lots and lots of different colors so feel free to stash bust one of these suckers out!
What do you think? Is the puff or bobble stitch crochet something you might start working up soon?
I can’t wait to try this❤️
This pattern is so beautiful! I bought a lot of yarn some time ago to make an afghan and I kept ripping it back because I was not happy with the pattern. This pattern is exactly what I’ve been looking for. Thank you so much for sharing it.
Thank you for your tutorial! I was trying to use the Bobble as the ending couple of rows on the hat I’m making but I wanted the bobbles to be offset not in a row. And I love your kitty too! I have two and sometimes I have to keep an eye on them!
Un point expliqué avec un très bon pas-à-pas ! Merci beaucoup.
This explanation and tutorial is so helpful. I am going to startbmy daughters blanket soon. Thanks so much :)
Hope you reply, I’m making a test swatch and increased the stitches, it’s curling up a bit, but just started second row, will it lay flat when done! Making scarf. Thanks
In my experience crochet curls up pretty regularly at first. When you get some more length to it and if it still keeps curling you might need to try crocheting with a looser hand. But my best guess is that it should start to straighten out with a bit of length! :) Good luck!
This looks awesome! I can’t wait to give it a try. I think it would be perfect to make a small blanket for my new nephew! When he gets to be a few months old, I can see him loving the texture and grabbing the little puffs with his (I’m assuming) chubby little fingers!
Great tutorial and video
I saw a sheep pattern made with complicated knitted bobbles, blah, then I found this site, so a lamb for easter for the grandbaby will be a go after all. Thanks, so much easier then that multiple double pointed knitting needles and circular needle mess for the sheep pattern, crochet all the way baby.
<3
dott
I see – people who love to crotchet love cats, too. My two assistens, Gizzi + Cleo, and me will check out you tutorial! :)
My cats name is Cleo too lol
I have been working on the Bubble stitch project for years. It takes so long to get it done since it is back to back stitches. I haven’ t worked on it for a very long time. I think you just inspired me to pick it up again. Thank you
Love this tutorial – thanks – and your little helper is too cute!!
Ha. Ha. I was reading how to do the bobble stitch and all of a sudden you said hi to me. At first I was a bit freaked out at how good data mining had become.
It took me a second to figure out what was going on, but HI MARLA :) You have quite a lovely name that I am very fond of :)
i just love the colors that were used in the bobble stitch tutorial. Do you know the colors and the yarn that was used.
These colors were actually from little craft yarn bits sold by plastic canvas at Hobby Lobby. Unfortunately the cost makes it difficult for big projects but I love the colors for my little sample swatches!
I always thought the bobble stitch is complicated, but you explained it so well that it was easy to follow. I’m going to crochet a little lamb for my friend’s daughter that is having her baby shower in a couple of weeks and I needed that stitch for the body part. (No, I don’t have a proper pattern, I’m going with my gut feeling :D)
I bet you’ll knock it out of the park! I am a firm believer in gut feelings :)
thank you! I am finishing up a little drawstring bag for my niece and wanted a quick crocheted bobble for a knitted flower. Love that your cats help you… I have three who help me too!
Ok, I am super excited to try out this bobble stitch! I am making a blanket for a baby and I think this texture will be really nice! Thanks so much!
And I just have to say that this is the first video I have seen of another crocheter who holds the yarn just like I do- between the pointer and middle fingers- I don’t feel so alone now! Lol!!!!!
I so the same thing I didn’t no anyone else did it as well my aunt would always fuss at me cause I feld my yarn this way I can’t do it the other way..
Liked your explanations!
I like the bobble stitch BUT I am looking for a stitch that makes a bobble on both the front and the back. Any ideas??? In other words — HELP!! :- ) An afghan was started four years ago but the pattern is lost.
Unfortunately I don’t know of anything where both sides will be pretty bubbles. There is something I’m thinking I kind of remember and if I do figure it out I’ll email you :)
I realize this post is a year old, but just in case you see this…
I’ve made items needing double sided motifs with motifs that are one sided. You will need to make two blankets (no way around it). Don’t edge the blankets. When both blankets are done, join the two blankets together, wrong sides facing in of course, using a close weave blanket stich.
To ensure the two blankets dont shift while joining, match each corner exactly (and perfectly) then, with a very offensive contrasting color yarn, make a few basting type stitches about 1 inch below the corner edges. This yarn will be removed at finish so it needs to be so contrasting you will see it. After basting corners, find the exact center of each side between corners, and baste again, also 1 inch below official edges. (Make sure edges are exactly even before basting.) Then baste the quarter lengths (halfway between the corner basting and center basting.) THEN…continue basting “half lengths” until youve enough basting stitches all around the blanket to ensure the blanket is perfectly centered around all edges and will stay that way while you blake weave the edges together. When done edging, remove all basting. Be careful not to cut blanket yarn! (You can use any blanket edging stitch. There are some fancy edgings in embroidery books for edging blankets). If it’s for a baby, I then bind the edges with baby satin binding. Lot of steps but if you don’t follow this protocol, your two sided blanket will pull unevenly and won’t lay flat on the bed.
NORE: If you are making blanket for a child, use a soft baby weight yarn, or use stocking/fingering yarn for a baby so the weight of the two blankets ist too heavy. Adjust crochet hook for light yarn size. 3-4mm. If the blanket is for an adult, the regular 4 ply acrylic is fine, and will make a heavy warm blanket. Hobby lobby’s “I love this yarn” is super soft and runs lighter in weight than red heart or Lion Brand.
Sorry for typos in above post. I was using my tablet, and trying to finger type…sorry.
Corrections below:
blake weave = blanket weave
NORE: = NOTE:
ist too heavy = isn’t too heavy
muchas gracias por explicar este punto a crochet…cariños desde Chile…
Sooo cute! I love the fruit salad (or in my mind sherbet) colors! They are so pretty together. Thanks so much for the video as well. Though I’m sure it’s frustrating to do, it is so helpful to watch a video for something like this that is a bit different.
Thanks for sharing!
Very nice!!! I’m going to try this pattern soon
My daughter in law has asked me to crochet her a baby cot blanket and she sent me a pic she had seen on facebook. It had bobbles/popcorn stitches on it which I have never done, so this tutorial is so so helpful and gives me the incentive to get going on the blanket. Many thanks.
omg this is sooo cuute .. do you think it would look as great with just one color?????
It will have the texture but the bobbles won’t stand out quite so much. Still cute, though!
Thank you so much! I just started crocheting and am making a baby blanket for my granddaughter using this stitch. You explained it so well. Hats off to you!
I volunteered to make a tea cozy for my twin sister and she said yes but it needed to be plain—agh! This done in a tea coloured cotton will be perfect as we both love texture. Thanks for the posting.
thank you … and hi Maria!
I cannot follow a crochet pattern, but cabin learn new stitches if I’m shown. Very helpful!
I have to learn visually too as can not read patterns
Thanks for this! It’s a great tutorial and your video was wonderful! I needed to learn the bobble stitch for another project I’m making and found this through Pinterest! Just what I needed. Your instructions were very clear- both the written AND the video! Thanks again!
Thanks! Thanks! Thanks!
This is a well done tutorial of the bobble stitch. But it’s not a puff stitch (even though the bobbles puff out!). Puff stitch is unworked yarn overs, i.e. yo go into the next stitch, pull up a loop, yo again, go into the same st, pull up another loop. Continue 4 or 5 times and then yo and pull through all the loops on your hook. That’s a puff stitch.
Happy crocheting!
Puff stitch and bobble stitch are not the same!
Look here:
http://crochetstreet.com/2014/10/what-is-the-difference-between-bobble-stitch-popcorn-stitch-and-puff-stitch/
This is an amazing stitch! Great for empelishments! Thanks so much for sharing!
Akamatra.etsy.com
Hi. My puffs are flat! Please help. What am I doing wrong? The last row was perfect.
My guess is you’ve started finishing off each double crochet as they happen, rather than the group for each puff as one. Is that what’s going on?
Love this, but how do you do the ends? Do you just tie the excess yarn together and then cut it?
On all crochet projects you take care of the loose ends by weaving the ends in. I don’t have a tutorial for it but if you google “weave in ends” you can see how to. It’s super easy and all you need is a yarn needle (looks like a jumbo needle) and some snips. Good luck!
Hello,
I’m new to crochet and I really love it. I really like this stitch too and I am probably going to use it in a bag I am making for one of my kid’s stand he uses for his music sheets when practicing violin. I bought the stand online and I didn’t realize the bag was not included. Anyways, I am making it myself and experimenting with crochet in the process. Just having fun!!!!! :) Not that I can be crocheting all day (I wish I could lol) but just a few stitches now and a few stitches later, I advance little by little.
I also think your cats are very beautiful.
I Love colorful and crazy patterns and I can’t wait to try this one
Wow great tutorial!! Thank you so much for sharing.
I will be saving your website and coming back for more of your fab patterns and inspiration. :)
Thank you so much for this pattern I LOVE LOVE LOVE It &your instructions were so easy to follow, I am now your biggest fan, thank you again :)
Adorable! Can’t wait to try it.
I love your tutorial, thank you for reminding me how much I loved this stitch! Now, I did this as a pillow back in 1977, yes I was a teen lol. I used a heavier yarn and it was nice and firm and stood up well to wear. I would use the same if making a bag. But, if making something you want really soft, choose carefully. I found out the hard way that sometimes stash yarn used in haste just ruins your intended result. That being said, I will be hitting the yarn aisle and making one of these as a gift since your timely reminder has given me inspiration. Thanks Again!
I would love a throw made with this stitch! How many skeins of worsted weight yarn do you figure it would take to make a decent sized throw?
This uses a TON of yarn. I personally would start with 10-12 skeins. If you alternate colors it won’t matter if you can’t get the exact same dye lot so much… Or buy a whole bunch extra and save the receipt. I’ve returned yarn at WalMart a month later without any problems!
great – i am beginning to learn to crochet and i could follow this – would you be able to do a scarf with this pattern?
Absolutely!
This is brilliant. Thank you. So simply explained.
This is so cool! I’m not much of a crochet-er (yet!) but am looking forward to making it a winter project to get into it and I definitely wanna try this. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the pattern! I included this in my spring crochet round-up post! http://www.memadonna.com/2014/03/10-free-crochet-patterns-for-spring.html
I love it sooo much! xx MaDonna
Yay!!!! I was just searching for a bobble stitch tutorial, and this one is perfect!!! Thanks for the great step-by-step!! This is awesome!
This tutorial is SO much better and easier than anything else on youtube or internet… clear pics and easy instructions… Thank You
A true crafter always crochets with his/her cats nearby. Haha!
I found you via pinterest. Thanks for this tute. I’m certainly going to give this a try :)
Thank you for the awesome tutorial on the puff stitch…I can’t wait to try it out! I especially love your “helper” Liddy….I have one too!
I LOVE this pattern and can not wait to try it. I have seen other examples of this although their bobbles are not as close together as yours and that is what I think makes this one more exciting and pleasing to my eye!! Thanks you for sharing this with us!!! You are a peach!!!!! ;-)
I love this stitch – it’s so cute and squishy and fluffy! Thanks for posting the easy to follow to tutorial. ps, my puppy does the same thing to my yarn ;)
I love and appreciate your step by step and pictorial instructions, could you possibly post some for Lacey type crocheted blankets?
can’t wait to try this, glad I know have a pattern I can understand. I made a baby afghan called Dream Puff and it is a stitch similar to this. I use it all the time and everyone loves it. Thank you so much, I’ll be looking for more ideas from you.
I love this stitch, I’ve been trying it out for a bag idea, but that’s still in it’s development phase (ie I keep ripping it out and starting again!) You are right about the amount of wool it uses but it’s great when you have a big stash to use up!
Love it! Thank you for sharing! I can do this with knitting, but the crochet version is new to me (and totally adorable).
I am a beginner and find myself being drawn to textured stitches, chunky yarn etc! I actually did this and loved it! Thank you for the easy instructions!!
I don’t know much about crochet, but this looks completely amazing. I’d love to snuggle up in a blanket made of all these little puffs!
I love how this turned out! I just started crocheting here and there and this looks like it would be so much fun, Im going to pin it to try later.