- CraftCrochet
- US abbreviationshell
- UK abbreviationshell
- Most loops on hook3
What is shell?
Several tall stitches worked into one stitch so they fan out like a seashell. Shells make pretty edges, baby blankets and lacy rows.
In a pattern you will see it written as shell in both US and UK patterns.
How to do it, step by step
- Skip the stitches the pattern tells you to (often 2).
- Work 5 dc into the same stitch so they fan out.
- Skip again and anchor with a sc.
The mistake to watch for
Too few skipped stitches makes the fabric ruffle. Count the skips as carefully as the shell itself.
If you are left-handed
Hold the hook in your left hand and the yarn in your right. Work rows from left to right, and read any chart diagram as a mirror image.
Related stitches
Questions
What is the most common mistake with shell?
Too few skipped stitches makes the fabric ruffle. Count the skips as carefully as the shell itself.
How many loops are on the hook?
At the busiest moment of shell there are 3 loops on the hook.
Keep count with Crochet Counter
The app has this stitch and 31 more in its stitch dictionary, in US or UK terms, with a row counter for every project. The core app is free, has no ads and needs no account. Pro is optional.
