The Puff Stitch is family of the Bobble Stitch and the Popcorn Stitch. It is a beautifully fluffy (puffy) stitch that works really well for flowers, hats, and blankets.
Unlike with the Popcorn Stitch and the Bobble Stitch, you are not completing or even partially completing each of the stitches that form the Puff Stitch. You are basically just stockpiling a bunch of yarn-overs and then finishing them off with a final yarn-over and pull-through.
Confused? Don’t be.
Puff Stitch Written Instructions
Yarn over and insert your hook into the specified stitch/space. Yarn over again and pull up a long loop. (Yarn over and insert your hook into the same stitch/space. Yarn over again and pull up a long loop) three more times. Yarn over and pull through all 9 loops on your hook. Ch 1 to close the Puff Stitch.
If you would like a thinner puff stitch, you can stop when you have 7 loops on your hook. If you would like a fatter puff stitch, keep going until you have 11 or 13 loops on your hook, bearing in mind that it gets VERY tricky to insert your hook into that same stitch after 4 repeats.
Puff Stitch Photo Tutorial
You can start the very first Puff Stitch in one of 3 ways. I am going to use the sl st join for these instructions, but you can find instructions for the alternative starts below.
Getting Started
- If you are making the Puff Stitch at the beginning of a row or round, sl st into the indicated stitch (Photo 1) and then pull up a loop to the height of a double crochet. This is referred to as a long loop (Photo 2).
- If you are making the Puff Stitch in the middle of a row or round, you will already have a loop on your hook, so just follow the instructions “To Make the Puff Stitch” below.
To Make the Puff Stitch
Yarn over (Photo 3) and insert your hook into the indicated stitch/space. Yarn over again and pull up a long loop (3 loops on hook). See Photo 4.
(Yarn over and insert your hook into the same stitch/space. Yarn over again and pull up a long loop) three more times. You should now have 9 loops on your hook.
Yarn over (Photo 5) and pull through all 9 loops on your hook (Photo 6). Ch 1 to close the Puff Stitch (Photo 7).
This chain stitch will form the top of your Puff Stitch and will lie right on top of the puff stitch. When instructed to work into the top of the Puff Stitch, this is the stitch you will work into (see arrow below).
Alternative Ways to Start a Puff Stitch
Starting With a Ch-3
You can start with a ch-3 if you want (Photo 1), although I do not recommend it as the ch-3 will be visible. If you DO start with a ch-3, it replaces one of the uncompleted dc’s of the Puff Stitch, so you will skip one of the repeats above. You should end up with 7 loops on your hook before the final yarn-over and pull through (Photo 3)…not that it’s easy to count the loops all squished up like that!
Starting With a Standing Stitch
Start with a slip knot already on your hook (Photo 4). Insert your hook into the indicated stitch and complete the Puff Stitch as above (Photos 5 and 6). This, to me, is the neatest way to start the Puff Stitch.
Related Tutorials
More Tutorials
Free Puff Stitch Patterns
- Puff Stitch Scarf by All About Ami
- Puff Stitch Fingerless Gloves by Hopeful Honey
- Puff Stitch Crochet Baby Booties Pattern by Crochet Hooks You
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Sydney says
Hi, I recently started to crochet and I love it!! I want to learn the puff stitch (I first learned chain and single crochet) and I want to use the puff stitch to make a blanket for my mother using 3 different colours, alternating colours after each row. I know how to change colours for the SC but I am unsure how to change colours for the puff stitch. Can you help me?
Jenny Lowman says
You would have to work from with the right side facing all the time, and start each new row with a standing stitch as described in this blog post. That is where you will make your colour changes.
Pat Caley says
Does the puff stitch include the closing ch 1? In other words, if pattern reads “puff stitch, ch 1” does that mean a second ch 1 after closing the puff stitch before doing a second puff stitch?
Thanks.
Dedri Uys says
Hi Pat. That does depend on the specific designer (and should be listed under the stitch instructions for the specific pattern), but most Puff stitches are closed with a ch-1, so ‘Puff st, ch 1’ would mean an extra ch AFTER closing with a ch. Have you got an example of the stitch explanation for the pattern you are using?
LaDona Henrie says
I completed my Sophie is the turquoise scheme…following your color guide.
Do you have any color schemes available for another? We had pure joy in the process–my friend and I both did the afghan.I think I want to do one with soft neutral and touch of some muted colors, but I am not good with color!
Dedri Uys says
Hi,
My friend San from Loopsan is doing her Sophie in muted tones, so maybe that will give you an idea? Alternatively you can find a thousand sophies on ravelry and most of them have their yarn/colours listed.
I hope that helps,
Dedri
Lorraine Sanchez says
I love your work! Can you help me, i need a pattern of a 2 row puff stitch flower with a 1 or 2 row hexigon background.
Dedri Uys says
This daisy puffagon pattern is very cute and sounds like what you are after.