The shell stitch is a great example of a stitch that you can add quickly to your projects to give them that extra special something that makes them look spectacular. This shell stitch is made using double crochet stitches that are separated by chain spaces and slip stitches; these are easy stitches that a beginner could confidently tackle. A similar variation on this is the v-stitch crochet shell, which has sets of 2 dc separated by a ch-1 space that creates the v-stitch shape.
Crochet Project Size
This crochet edging is designed to work on projects that are a multiple of 6 + 1 (for example, 31 stitches across or 61 stitches across). That said, you can cheat the edging a little bit to adapt it to other projects; this option is discussed at the end of this tutorial.
Begin Edging With New Yarn
If you are going to use a different color from the main project color, then you need to finish off the project (weaving in ends at this time if you wish) and get ready to join new yarn. You will join your yarn in the top right corner of the work (assuming a right-handed crocheter). To join the yarn, make a slip knot of the edging color on the crochet hook and then slip stitch into the first stitch of the row. Skip the next 2 stitches. You will work all of the following into the next (third) stitch:
dc, ch 1repeat 3 timesdc
(In other words, you will have five dc stitches each separated by a ch 1, all worked into the same space). Skip the next two stitches and slip stitch into the following (third) stitch. If you are only adding this edging to one row of the work, then you will end off and weave in ends. If you are adding an edging to the opposite side (top or bottom of the work) then you will simply rotate the work, join the yarn with a slip knot in the (new) right top corner and repeat the shell stitch across that second row.
Cheating the Count
If you are lucky (or you planned everything perfectly) then the sides of the project will be a multiple of 6 + 1 and your shell stitch will fit perfectly on every side. But don’t worry if that’s not the case. You can cheat your shell stitch a little bit if the count is slightly off. There are two good ways to do this.
