Spike Stitch Crochet Tutorial – Add Stunning Texture to Amigurumi
Do you want to add amazing textures to your amigurumi and still have the durability of a single crochet? The spike stitch is a simple variation of the single crochet that’s awesome for making feathers or other subtleties. Just insert your hook in a different place and you’ll create a pointy or jagged look to the stitches. Also, because you’re literally wrapping the stitch around more yarn, it makes a thicker fabric that holds its shape and prevents stuffing from leaking out.
If you’re ready to take your amigurumi to the next level, this spike stitch crochet tutorial will help you master this fun textured stitch.
You Will Learn:
- How to create the crochet spike stitch in various lengths.
- How to troubleshoot common issues people have when working the spike stitch
Step-By-Step (Crochet Spike Stitch)
- Insert your hook underneath the next stitch, one (or two or three) row(s) down. Essentially, you’re inserting your hook in the same space where that stitch was worked into the top of the row below.
- Yarn over and pull up a loop, but pull up a little more yarn than for your usual single crochet. This gives you a longer, pointy-looking stitch that wraps around the rows below.
- Yarn over, pull through both loops on hook. That’s it!
Spike Stitch Video Crochet Tutorial
The video tutorial shows how to crochet the spike stitch one, two, and three rows below.
If the embedded video won’t play, click here.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more tutorial videos like this one!
Troubleshooting
Q. Why are my rows bunching up?
A. When you pull up your loop, make sure to make it a little bit loose to compensate for the extra height of the stitch. If you just crank through this and do your single crochet really fast without pulling up any excess, it’s going to smoosh those rows together instead of making a longer, taller stitch.
Q. Why are my spike stitches slanted?
A. When you’re working a longer spike stitch—three rows down, for example—you’ll notice that the stitch several rows below is off to the side because our stitches always drift to the right. You have two options here, depending on how “slanty” you want your stitches to be. (You can see these options more clearly in the video at 02:50):
- Continue at the angle the stitches are leaning. I would usually recommend this, especially if you’re using spike stitches of varying heights in a row, so that all of your stitches are parallel.
- Count the rows below in a zigzag fashion so that you insert into a stitch that’s more directly below the one in the current row. This makes the stitch ever so slightly straighter but it will not be parallel to the rest of your spike stitches.
Have questions? Leave a comment below!
Patterns the Use the Crochet Spike Stitch
More Amigurumi Tutorials
Super Simple Jogless Color Change
Use This Method In Your Own Designs
Already thinking about how you can use this cool technique to create a custom, unique creature?
You can learn this and so many shaping techniques that can help you create you dream amigurumi. Whether you are making a customized gift or starting your own design business, I would love to help you grow you toolbox of design techniques.
Ready to really level up your amigurumi design skills? Ever wanted to learn how to make complex, one-piece creatures that will wow the community?
Find out more about my comprehensive design course, Next-Level Amigurumi Design.
Kati is the designer behind Hooked by Kati. With thousands of patterns sold around the world, Kati prides herself in creating innovative, easy-to-follow amigurumi patterns. She has designed for several publications, including Crochet!, Crochet World, Simply Crochet, and I Like Crochet. Kati finds her inspiration in science fiction, video games, and numerous visits to the zoo — all passions she shares with her husband and two boys.