Star Stitch Crochet - Easy Method for Beginners

Star stitch crochet, you say? That sounds awfully complicated! But it is not! It is one of those stitches which many people don’t even attempt because they think it will be too difficult. But get those crochet hooks ready because it is actually quite simple to learn! Just follow the steps, one by one, and in no time you will be creating all sorts of things with this very attractive (and very impressive!) stitch.

How to Star Stitch Crochet

The secret to star stitch is just to learn where to insert your hook each time. Otherwise, you are just simply wrapping your yarn over and pulling through, plus a bit of single crochet! Each row of ‘stars’ is separated by a row of single crochet. It has a right side and a wrong side, so is not really ideal for things that need a reversible pattern. Crochet star stitch has an attractive texture suitable for projects where you need a dense stitch.

The star stitch is also known as a spiked cluster, the daisy stitch, or the Marguerite stitch. Each star is made up of a group of ‘spikes.’ It may be a good idea to practice on a swatch first, just to get the feel of it, before creating your blanket or garment.

Crochet Star Stitch Pattern - Abbreviations

All terminology is US terms.

• ch - chain stitch crochet
• st - stitch
• sc - single crochet
• yo - yarn over
• hdc - half double crochet stitch
• No - number
• sl st - slip stitch crochet

Choose any yarn you like, and then match your crochet hook to that yarn.

Star Stitch Tutorial

Step 1: Foundation

• Make your foundation chain. You will need an odd number of stitches.
• Insert your hook into the 2^nd chain from the hook.
• Yo from back to front, and pull up as though you are going to make a sc. (2 loops on hook.)
• Leave that loop on the hook. (Do not finish the stitch.)

Step 2: First Stitch

• Insert hook into next ch, yo, pull up a loop. (3 loops on hook.)
• Keep doing this, into a subsequent ch each time, until you have 6 loops on your hook.
• Keep your tension loose for this step!

Step 3:

• When you have the 6 loops on the hook, yo again and pull through all 6 loops. These loops make the points of the star.

Step 4:

• Ch 1. This closes off the first star and locks it into place.
• This ch will create a little hole in the center of your star. This hole is called the ‘eye’ of the stitch. You will continue working into this eye.

Step 5:

• Insert your hook into the eye that you have just made.
• YO, pull up a loop. (2 loops on hook.)

Step 6:

• Insert the hook into the space between the last 2 spikes of your first star. This is probably the only tricky part of star stitch, placing the hook correctly! I have inserted my yarn needle into the correct space so you can see where the hook must go.
• Yo, and pull through. (3 loops on hook.)

Step 7:

• Insert your hook into the same ch on your foundation ch as where you worked the last st of your previous star. This makes the stars interlock nicely.
• Yo, pull through. (4 loops.)
• Now insert hook into next ch along, yo, pull through.
• Repeat again so that you have 6 loops on the hook.

Step 8:

• Yo and pull through all 6 loops on hook.
• Ch1 to close this star.

Continue following these steps all the way across your foundation ch. When you reach the last st, make 1 hdc. This finishes the row off neatly. Remember to keep working loosely!

Step 9:

• Turn your work, ch1, and work 2sc into the eye of the star directly below your hook.
• You will need to work 2 sc into the eye of each star along the row.
• Crochet 2 sc into the final stitch of the row.

Step 10: Next Star Row

• Turn and ch 3.
• Insert your hook into the second ch from the hook.
• Yo, and pull through. (2loops.)
• Insert into next st, yo, pull through. (3 loops.)
• Insert hook into each of next 3 sc, yo and pull through each time. (6 loops.)
• Yo, pull through all 6 loops
• Ch1 to close star.

You can see that are repeating exactly the same steps as in your first row of stars, but working into sc this time, instead of ch sts.

• Continue working stars in this way, all across your piece, then hdc into last st.
• Turn and ch1.
• Repeat row of sc.

Your star sts will be on the odd rows, the sc on the even rows. The odd rows are the ‘right’ side of your work.

Variations of Star Crochet Stitch

Star Stitch with HDC

Many crocheters like to work a row of hdc as their ‘even’ row, rather than the row of sc. This results in a slightly wider ridge between your stars. Try both ways, and see which ‘look’ you prefer!

Crochet Star Stitch In The Round

You may decide that you would like to create boot cuffs without a seam, or a hat with this lovely stitch. Working this in the round results in a cylinder shape, rather than a flat circle.

• Start with an even number of ch sts, and join into a circle with a sl st.

1st Round:

• Work 1 sc into each ch. Sl st to end the round. Place a stitch marker to show where the round ends.

2^nd Round

• Now follow the instructions as described above to make the star stitch, working into each sc.
• To work the last star stitch of the round, for the final pull through of the star, (when you have 5 loops), insert your hook into the same base st as the first star before pulling it through. (Where the stitch marker is placed.)
• Yo and pull through all 6 loops, then ch1.
• Join the round into the top of the first star.

3rd Round

• Work 2 sc into the eye of each star of the row below.
• Join the third round after 2 sc into last star.
• Sl st into top of first sc. 

(Of course, if you prefer the look of a row of hdc instead of sc for this row, by all means, work this round in hdc.)

4^th Round:

• Work another round of stars

5^th Round:

• Work another round of sc.

And so on, until you have reached the required length of your cylinder.

What Can I Make With Star Stitch?

This stitch makes a lovely dense, thick fabric which is very attractive! You can use it to make:

• Bags, purses and totes. 
• It looks great on hand-warmers or finger-less mitts.
• Cowl-style scarves lend themselves to this stitch, as do boot cuffs.
• You can choose to make a normal scarf with it, but remember it is not reversible. The same applies to shawls or capes.
• A very attractive and warm baby blanket could be made with star stitch.
• It can even be used as a border stitch around any project made with any stitches at all. Simply work it all the way around the edges.

Star Stitch Crochet - In Conclusion

If you look at samples or patterns of star stitch, you may wonder how on earth you will ever get all those ‘spikes’ right, but after reading these instructions, you will see that it really forms itself, just by working all those ‘insert and pull through’ steps. It is certainly not as complicated as the finished product looks! What are you going to make with this very pretty and unusual stitch?      

More Crochet Projects

Here are some free crochet patterns for you to enjoy: