Bobble Stitch: How to Do It Step by Step

Bobble Stitch is a crochet stitch that makes round raised knobs; very textured. Makers reach for it for textured blankets, picture designs, pillows. It is rated intermediate here, so it helps to be comfortable with the basic stitches first and to practice on a swatch before a project.

1. Yarn over, insert the hook into the stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop. 2. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops, leaving the stitch unfinished. 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 in the same stitch until you have 5 unfinished dc (6 loops on the hook). 4. Yarn over and pull through all 6 loops. 5. Work bobbles on wrong-side rows if you want them to pop on the right side, or follow the pattern. Work slowly for the first few repeats, keep your tension even, and check the result against the steps before continuing across a whole row or motif.

US patterns abbreviate bobble stitch as bobble. UK patterns use the same abbreviation, bobble, so this one reads the same on both sides of the Atlantic. Pattern keys list every abbreviation used, usually near the materials list.

The most common problems are: finishing each dc completely, making a shell instead; placing bobbles on the wrong side of the fabric. Most are easy to spot if you pause after a few repeats and compare your work with the steps. Good light helps a great deal, especially with dark yarn or thread.

Stitches closely related to bobble stitch include Puff Stitch, Popcorn Stitch. Learning them together makes patterns easier to read, because many designs switch between related stitches to change texture, height or line. Each has its own step-by-step page in the stitch dictionary.