Learn here how to crochet a puff stitch (puff cluster stitch). You crochet the puff stitch from 4 half-finished half double crochet stitches, which are crocheted into the same stitch and then finished all at once.
The puff stitch creates a small bulge on the crochet piece that shows on either side, the front or back, of the crochet piece, depending on which side the stitch is pressed through.
The puff stitch is a perfect stitch to add detail to your amigurumi or as decorative elements for your other crochet projects.
You can find more instructions for voluminous crochet stitches here:
The Puff Stitch
Needed Techniques
Needed Materials and Tools
To order the materials click on the respective link (affiliate link).
- Colors: blue
- This pattern was crocheted using the “Schachenmayr Catania” yarn (100% Cotton, Meterage: 125 m, Yarn Ball Weight: 50 g, Yarn Weight: Sport – 5ply / Fine (2)) in the following colors:
- Capri (Capri (384))
- 2.5 mm Crochet Hook
Crochet a Puff Stitch
In this tutorial, the puff stitch is crocheted “in rows”. Puff stitches can of course also be crocheted in spiral rounds and joined rounds. The crochet piece was crocheted with single crochet stitches.
Use the check boxes to mark your finished rounds, rows and steps.
- Step 1: Yarn over, push the crochet hook through the next stitch, yarn over and pull through the stitch you just pushed through. You have 3 loops on the crochet hook.
- Step 2: Repeat step 1 another 3 times (for a total of 4 times), always pushing through the same stitch. You end up with 9 loops on the crochet hook.
- You can also repeat step 1 fewer times to crochet a flatter puff stitch, or repeat it more than a total of 4 times to make a more voluminous puff stitch.
- Then crochet step 1 again, for the next repetition: Yarn over, push the crochet hook through the same stitch as before, yarn over and pull through the stitch.
- Step 3: You now have 9 loops on the crochet hook. Yarn over and pull through all 9 loops on the crochet hook. Yarn over again and pull it through the loop on the crochet hook, thus crocheting 1 chain stitch. With this you have theoretically finished crocheting the puff stitch.
- Step 4: The finished puff stitch gets its final appearance after the next single crochet stitch (or another stitch of your choice) is crocheted into the next stitch. Now push the crochet hook through the next stitch on the crochet piece and crochet 1 single crochet stitch (or another stitch of your choice).
- The longer the used stitch, the flatter the puff stitch will turn out. The shorter the stitch, the more the puff stitch bulges outward.
Puff Stitch Variations
This example is just one of many ways you can crochet a puff stitch.
By crocheting more unfinished half double crochet stitches than shown here, you can get a thicker, more voluminous puff stitch.
By crocheting fewer unfinished half double crochet stitches, you will get a slightly flatter, less voluminous puff stitch.
You can also press the puff stitch to the other side of your crochet piece to get a different look to the stitch.
