How to Crochet the Tinsel Stitch—Free Crochet Pattern

Only 2 crochet stitch patterns left for December, and this is one of them! Today I want to show you how to crochet the Tinsel Stitch—once again, we’ll be using the surface crochet technique to form a truly unique stitch pattern!

Do you use tinsel to decorate your tree? It’s funny, because in my house, my dad always loved tinsel, and my mom hated it. She would say, if we wanted to put tinsel on the tree, we had to do it ourselves. She didn’t want any part in that mess!

That being said, I love the look of tinsel, and so I created a stitch inspired by it! As we learn how to crochet the tinsel stitch, we’ll be using a technique called surface crochet. Be sure to keep reading to find out more info about this technique!

Before beginning surface crochet, there are a few terms you need to know:

Background Square: this is the piece of fabric we will begin with making for each stitch pattern. It is usually a simple square using either sc or dc. I have added some rows that include chain spaces because we will work around these when we do the surface crochet. 

Ch/Sc Rows: These are the rows I mentioned above! I will need to refer to them within the stitch patterns as ch/sc rows, because we will work our surface crochet mostly in these rows. As I said before, they are not just straight sc, but sc with chain loops. 

This stitch is also apart of a larger series called the Desert Blossom Stitch Along, which is running throughout all of 2019! Be sure to join the community in my Facebook Group HERE.

You can also view a Master List of all the stitch patterns that have been released! This way, you’ll be able to see pictures of all the individual stitches and learn your favorites!

Want to get rid of the ads? This stitch pattern is available as apart of a PDF bundle with 3 OTHER stitch patterns—all my December stitches! There are some pretty cool Christmas-themed stitches I know you’ll want to see! From this PDF, you can easily print out the patterns, or view it without ads.

Last thing before we get to the pattern…if you make this stitch, please share pictures!! I absolutely LOVE it when I’m able to see what you guys are making! You can post in the Facebook group, or tag me on Instagram.

How to Crochet the Tinsel Stitch

All right, let’s get started on this stitch pattern!

• To Pin this Tutorial to your Pinterest Boards, click HERE
• To get the PDF version of this pattern (+3 bonus stitch patterns!) click HERE
• To get the ENTIRE Desert Blossom Stitch Dictionary, click HERE

NOTES: 

1. Stitch pattern is multiple of 2+1
2. Ch 3 at beginning of rows counts as dc
3. Ch 1 at beginning of rows does NOT count as sc

MATERIALS

You can potentially use ANY yarn and hook for this stitch. However, here’s what I used:

• Worsted Weight Yarn (I used Red Heart Super Saver)
• Sport weight yarn (for “tinsel” – I used Vanna’s Glamour)
• H/5mm hook
• F/3.5mm hook

Instructions:

NOTE: For a picture tutorial going along with these written instructions, be sure to view the video above! It will show you pictures to help with any tricky steps. You can pause it at any time if you need to focus in on a given step!

Background Image:

With MC, fsc a multiple of 2+1 (to start with a chain stitch, you’ll need a multiple of 2, and then one row of single crochet). 

Row 1: Ch 3, dc across, turn. 

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first 2 sc. *Ch 2, sk next dc, sc in next dc. Rep from * until 1 dc left. Sc in last dc, turn. 

Row 3: Ch 3, dc in next sc. Dc in ea sc and ch-sp across, turn. Rep rows 2-3 until square is as big as you want. 

Last row: Ch 1, sc across, fasten off. 

Surface Crochet: 

With silver yarn, join with a sc around the post of the second sc from Row 2 (the ch/sc row).  *Ch 2, sc around dc from the row above. Ch 2, sc around the post of next sc from Row 2. You have now finished one “zigzag”.

Rep from * across the row. Basically, you are just creating a zigzag pattern by working in the sc from the Ch/Sc row, alternating with the dc in the row above, all while doing chs in between your sc. Once you work around your last sc, ch 3 and sc around the post of the last dc (make this toward the top of the dc)

Ch 3, and turn your work upside down so that you will be able to work your way across again from the opposite direction. Now sc around the post of the first sc from row 4 (the next ch/sc row). Ch 2, sc around the post of the 3rd dc from row 5.

Continue to repeat these steps across, zig-zagging your chains between dc and sc. When you get to the end of this row, you will do the same thing, just turning your square back around the right way again. Keep zig-zagging across the square until you’ve gone across all the sc/ch rows!

I hope you have enjoyed learning how to crochet the Tinsel Stitch. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I would love to help!

Happy Crocheting!