Here is another way to add texture, dimension, and visual interest to your crochet projects! The bobble is similar to its cousins the popcorn stitch and the puff stitch. They may all look alike, but they are made differently.

There are also different kinds of bobbles–it all depends on how many half-finished stitches are made before closing the bobble. Shown on the right are three rows of bobbles, with rows of double crochet stitches in between. The bottom-most bobble row is made up of 3 half-finished double crochet stitches; the second bobble row is made up of 4 half-finished double crochet stitches; and the topmost bobble row is made up of 5 half-finished double crochet stitches. This tutorial shows how to make all these variations, step by step.

It also shows how to create the bobble stitch for both right-handed and left-handed crocheters. Mousing over the images shows the photos for the left-handed tutorial.

A quick run-down of the steps in making the bobble stitch:
The bobble starts the same as a double crochet stitch. The difference is that the last step that completes the dc stitch (yarn over, pull through two loops on hook) is skipped. Some more half-finished double crochet stitches are made in the same stitch or space. The bobble is then shut closed by pulling yarn through all the loops on the hook. A single chain locks down and completes the bobble.

Three-dc Bobble:

Yarn over, insert hook into designated stitch or space.

Yarn over, pull up loop through stitch or space.

By this step you should have three loops on hook, the same as the beginning of a double crochet stitch.

Yarn over, draw through the first two loops on hook.

Yarn over, insert hook into same stitch or space as half-finished dc stitch.

Yarn over, draw loop through and out of the stitch or space.

There should be four loops on the hook at this step. Yarn over, draw through the first two loops on hook.

Three loops left on the hook, and two half-finished dc stitches.

Make another half-finished dc stitch: Yarn over, insert hook into same stitch or space as the first two half-stitches. Yarn over, pull loop through stitch or space. Yarn over, draw through first two loops on hook. A total of four loops on hook and three half-finished dc stitches.

Time to start closing the bobble! Yarn over.

Pull yarn through all loops.

Seal the bobble with a chain: yarn over.

Pull yarn through loop: one chain made. Three-dc bobble completed!

Four-dc Bobble:

Make same as three-dc bobble; but do not close stitch. Make one more half-finished dc stitch.

There should be five loops on the hook. Yarn over. Pull yarn through all loops on hook.

Chain one. Four-dc bobble made!

Five-dc Bobble:

Make same as four-dc bobble, but do not close the stitch. Make another half-finished dc.

A total of six loops should be on the hook. Yarn over, draw through all loops on hook.

Chain one. Five-dc bobble accomplished!

Do you see how different the three rows of bobbles are from each other? The more stitches you crowd in the same stitch or space, the poofier the stitch gets! This photo shows the bobble rows from the side. The leftmost row is made up of 3-dc bobbles; the middle row, 4-dc bobbles; and the rightmost are 5-dc bobbles.

I hope that was helpful. If you need any help, just leave a comment below, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 25th, 2010 at 2:13 AM by Claire Ortega-Reyes and is filed under Tutorials and Help. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.