Finished your crochet project but feel like it’s missing something? That’s where these super easy and attractive crochet edgings come in! This tutorial will give you three different edgings to choose from:
- Crab Stitch
- Mini Picot
- Cathedral
Each one is fairly basic and won’t take you very long. Usually when I’m adding crochet edgings to my projects I do a few simple steps first to make life easier.
- Block your work so the edges are straighter and the stitches are easier to see.
- Work a row of single crochet around your edge to give yourself a smooth row to start your edging on.
Once you’ve completed those steps continue on to the edging tutorials below!
Crab Stitch
Crab stitch is crazy simple and really quick to do. If you are in a hurry to finish up your project (nudge nudge Christmas gifts!) then crab stitch is a great choice. It looks nice and tidy and if you know single crochet you can do crab stitch!
- Work one row of single crochet around border.
- Crab stitch is essentially single crochet worked backwards so when you reach the end of your regular single crochet row do NOT turn your work like you normally would.
- Once you reach the end of the single crochet row chain one stitch. Do not turn work.
- Single crochet into the first stitch (marked with pin). Single crochet in each stitch across from left to right. This will feel a bit out of the ordinary as you are normally working right to left but you’ll get used to it after a few stitches.
*This tutorial will work in rows but it is the same technique when completing this edging in the round.
Mini Picot
I know you aren’t going to believe me but this stitch might be even easier than the crab stitch edging! A picot is a pretty round stitch that is created by creating a few chain stitches and then slip stitching into the indicated stitch. There are thousands of variations on how to use picot stitches in your crochet work but this particular edging might just be the simplest one!
Start with your row of single crochet.
Chain 1. Single crochet into first stitch. Slip stitch into next stitch. Chain 5. Slip stitch into same stitch to create mini picot. Single crochet into next stitch. Repeat bolded section to the end.
You can experiment with how many single crochet stitches you want to put between the picots to create different looks.
Cathedral Edging
Cathedral stitch is a term that is pretty general as there are a ton of variations on the cathedral pattern. In general they all make the same sort of pointed petal edge. It looks so elegant but is really quite simple to do!
Start with your row of single crochet.
Row 1: Double crochet across.
Row 2 : Chain 2. Double crochet across.
Row 3 : Chain 1. Single crochet into first stitch. Skip 2 st. [4 DC, ch3 picot, 4DC] in same space. Skip 2 stitches. Single crochet in next st. Skip 2 stitches. Repeat bolded section to the end. Single crochet into last stitch.
*Reminder*
To create a picot stitch simply work a number of chains (in this case 3) and then slip stitch back into the same stitch to make a small loop of chain stitches.
And there you have it! Three great options to finish off your crochet projects. Please share your crochet edgings creations below or feel free to comment if you have question or concern 🙂
Happy Crafting!
Great mini picot … exactly what I had in mind. Thank you!
Thank you Ingrid 🙂 You are welcome!
I’ve put this edge on a shawl I knitted. I just used the Row 3 instructions to put a beautiful edging on.
That’s awesome! I am so happy to hear that 🙂
Q: on the cathedral st how do you go around corners? Do you put 3 petals or 2?
Hi Patresa, I just work a regular point on the corner (one petal) 🙂
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