Sidesaddle Shell Stitch - Crochet Tutorial

Week 3 - Shell Variations

Day 2 - Sidesaddle Shell Stitch

Second shell stitch variation! I'm excited about this one, the Sidesaddle Shell Stitch, because there are not too many resources for this stitch and because the instructions have lots of little variations. I've tested this out, frogging and frogging and restitching again, until I think I've found the ideal way to get this stitch working. It's a great stitch with a lot of interesting texture, and better yet, it's reversible!

These instructions are for working the stitch flat in rows, which would work for a joined item like a cowl or hat if you worked it flat and then joined one center seam. If you wanted to work it in the round, it would need a little rethinking. I think you'd want to start one round with a sc and finish with a sidesaddle shell, then the next round would be the opposite, starting with a sidesaddle shell and finishing with a sc.

What it's good for:

• Scarves/cowls
• Blankets/Afghans
• Sweaters 
• Dishcloths 

 

Alternate Names: 

• None that I found. There are the Sidesaddle Stitch and the Sidesaddle Cluster Stitch, but they are both different from this one.

 

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Supplies Used for this Swatch:

• Yarn: Paintbox Simply Chunky, color 302 (Champagne White)

• Hook: USJ10/6.00mm 

 

Techniques Used and Abbreviations:

(All instructions are given in US terms. UK terms are given here for reference) 
Stitch (st)
Stitches (sts)
Skip (sk)
Chain (ch)
Single Crochet / UK Double Crochet) (sc)
Half Double Crochet / UK Half Treble Crochet (hdc)
Double Crochet / UK Treble Crochet) (dc)
Sidesaddle Shell (ss-shell) 

Stitch Instructions:

Sidesaddle Shell Stitch (ss-shell): 3dc in same stitch. ch1. [sc, hdc, dc] around the post of the 3rd dc you just made. You are putting these stitches fully around that 3rd dc, so your hook goes into the space between the posts of the 2nd and 3rd dc.

For each tutorial I'll include instructions written out long-form for intro-level crocheters and short-form for more advanced crocheters. The instructions are the same but include different levels of detail. Use whichever you prefer!

Intro-Level

Chain a multiple of 6, then chain 4.
  
Row 1: 3dc in 4th ch from hook (the skipped 3 chains count as a dc). sk 2 chains. sc in next ch.

*sk 2 chains, ss-shell in next ch, sk 2 chains, sc in next ch*

Repeat from * to * until 3 chains are left in the row.

sk 2 chains, 4dc in last ch.

Row 2: Turn and ch1. sc in 1st st

sk 3 sts, ss-shell in next (which is a sc)

*sk 3 sts, sc in next (which is the chain in the middle of the ss-shell). sk 3 sts, ss-shell in next (which is a sc)*

Repeat from * to * until 3 sts and the turning ch are left in the row.

sk 3 sts, sc in the top of the turning ch.

Row 3: Turn and ch3. 3dc all in the 1st st (in the first space right up against the ch3. This counts as 4dc in the same st.)

*sk 3 sts, sc in the next st (which is the chain in the middle of the ss-shell), sk 3 sts, ss-shell in the next st (which is a sc)*

Repeat from * to * until 4 sts are left in the row. 

sk 3 sts, 4dc all in the last st.

Repeat Rows 2-3 until desired size is reached, finishing with a Row 3.

Final Row (this row achieves a flat top row instead of the wavy top created by the ss-shell): ch1, sc in 1st st

*hdc, 2dc, hdc, 2sc, sk the ch, sc*

Repeat from * to * until the final repeat.

hdc, 2dc, hdc, 3sc, finishing with the 3rd sc in the top of the turning chain.

Advanced

Chain a multiple of 6 + 4.

Row 1: [3dc] in 3rd ch from hook. sk2, sc *sk2, ss-shell, sk2, sc* Repeat from * to * until 3 sts remain. sk2, [4dc] in last.

Row 2: Turn and ch1, sc, sk3, ss-shell in sc, *sk3, sc in ch, sk3, ss-shell in sc* Repeat from * to * until 4sts remain. sk3, sc in top of turning ch.

Row 3: Turn and ch3. Do not sk, [3dc] in 1st st, *sk3, sc in ch, sk3, ss-shell in sc* Repeat from * to * until 4 sts remain. sk3, 4dc in last.

Repeat Rows 2-3 until desired size is reached, finishing with a Row 3.

Final Row to create a flat edge: turn and ch1, sc, *hdc, 2dc, hdc, 2sc, sk ch, sc* Repeat from * to * until final repeat. hdc, 2dc, hdc, 3sc with final sc in the top of the turning ch.

 

Tips and Modifications:

• I couldn't find two pattern for this stitch that matched - they all had slight variations. After some trial and error (and frogging), I figured out how to keep consistent stitch counts. Following the written instructions above will do that and have everything line up.
• Make sure that the chain in the middle of the ss-shell stitch is quite loose. Remember that you'll be putting a sc in these chains, so you want them nice and loose so they don't disappear. You may even want to use stitch markers to keep track of these chains as they can be a bit tricky to find the first couple of times.
• The fantastic video linked below is helpful to get the general idea and to see where to put the 2nd half of the ss-shell stitch, but be careful to follow the written instructions above. In the video, Johnny forgets the chains in some of the ss-shells (which he mentions in the comments). This means that he ends up putting stitches in the space below the sc instead of the chain and has to skip 2 sts instead of 3. I tried it this way just to see what would happen, but I ended up with a lumpier swatch that wouldn't lay quite flat.
• As usual, my foundation chains pulled and were a bit stiff. I recommend keeping your foundation chains extra loose or starting with a row of foundation sc instead.

 

Helpful Links:

• Video Tutorial by New Stitch A Day (but see tips above - I've modified the instructions a bit and watch out for the missed chains in the ss-shells)