Crochet Open Shells Stitch – VIDEO TUTORIAL

Forget everything you THINK you know about complicated lace crochet. The Open Shells Stitch is about to become your new favorite technique for creating breathtaking, lightweight fabric with surprising ease. Join me in my step-by-step tutorial to prove that crochet lace doesn’t have to be fussy to be beautiful.

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Get into the breezy crochet Open Shells Stitch

Crochet lace isn’t just for your grandmother’s delicate doilies anymore – the Open Shells stitch is here to prove that intricate-looking designs can be totally approachable for crafters of all skill levels. This stitch creates a breathtaking, lightweight fabric that looks like it took hours of complicated technique when, in reality, it’s surprisingly simple to master with just a few practice rows.

From ethereal summer shawls to elegant home decor accents, Open Shell stitches transform ordinary yarn into something that looks like wearable art, giving you maximum visual impact with minimal technical complexity. Whether you’re a beginner looking to stretch your skills or an experienced crocheter wanting a stitch that impresses without overwhelming, the Open Shells pattern is your new crafting best friend.

Unlock the magic of crochet lace! Open Shell stitches are your ticket to beginner-friendly crochet that looks way more complex than they are.

Ready to conquer some crochet lace with the Open Shells Stitch? Grab your crochet hooks and your favorite color yarns, and let’s get to it!

Learn even more crochet with these helpful videos:

Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Crochet [watch here]
Crochet Color Changes [watch here]
An easy Beginner Crochet Project [watch here]

Crochet Amour Sampler Blanket – Open Shells Stitch Square

This tutorial was made as a supplement to the Open Shells Stitch Square as part of the Crochet Amour Sampler Blanket pattern. Find the full pattern to make your square below.

Join the Double the Fun 2024 Crochet Along! This free crochet along to make the Crochet Amour and Tunisian Snowy Sampler Blankets runs from November 11th, 2024, to December 20th, 2024. Get full details in this blog post and join the fun!

Open Shells Stitch Square Pattern

Prefer a printable version? Purchase the ad-free Crochet Amour Sampler pattern from my shop HERE.
Find Gauge and Abbreviations in this blog post.

MATERIALS

Worsted weight yarn – color A
6mm crochet hook
6.5mm crochet hook
Scissors
Tapestry needle

FINISHED SIZE

12″ square after border and blocking

STITCH MULTIPLE: The Open Shells Stitch can be worked over a fsc multiple of 6 + 1, or a chain multiple of 6 + 2.

SPECIAL STITCHES

Shell Stitch (shell): (3dc, ch 1, 3dc) in same sp
V-Stitch (v-st): (Dc, ch 1, dc) in same st or sp

INSTRUCTIONS

With A and 6mm hook, fsc 37. Alternately, ch 38, sc in 2nd ch from hook and each rem ch, turn.

ROW 1 (WS) Ch 1, v-st in st at base of ch, (ch 2, sk 5, v-st in next st) across row, turn.

ROW 2 (RS) Ch 1, dc in st at base of ch, 3dc in next ch-1 sp, (shell in ch-sp of next v-st) across row to last ch-2 sp, sk ch-2 sp, 3dc in next ch-1 sp, dc in last dc, turn. (5 shells)

ROW 3 Ch 1, v-st in st at base of ch, ch 2, (v-st in ch-sp of next shell, ch 2) to last 4 dc, sk 3 dc, v-st in last st, turn.

Repeat Rows 2-3 until square measures 11.5″ when lightly stretched. Finish with a Row 2 repeat. This took me 16 rows, NOT including the fsc row.

LAST ROW (WS) Ch 1, sc in the st at base of ch, sc in next st, (ch 5, sc in ch-sp of next shell) 5 times, sc in 2nd to last dc of row, sc in following dc, turn. Proceed to Standard Border.

STANDARD BORDER

Change to 6.5mm crochet hook and ensure the square faces right side up.
Ch 1 (does not count as a stitch), single crochet 35 stitches evenly across the first edge of the square, placing increases and decreases where needed. At corner, ch 2 and rotate to work along the next edge.
Single crochet 35 stitches evenly across the edge, placing increases and decreases where needed. At corner, ch 2 and rotate to work along the next edge.
Repeat the last step for the remaining 2 sides. At the end of the round, join with a slip stitch in the first single crochet of the round. Fasten off and block your finished square to 12″ x 12″.

Click here to access stitch patterns for the other squares in the Crochet Amour Sampler Blanket.

Crochet Amour Sampler Blanket Layout