How to Cluster Stitch
Tie the yarn onto your hook., Create a foundation chain., Chain two., Yarn over the hook., Insert the hook into the next stitch., Yarn over and draw through., Yarn over and draw through twice., Yarn over the hook and insert it into the next stitch...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Tie the yarn onto your hook.
Attach the yarn to your crochet hook using a slipknot.
To tie a slip knot:
Create a loop toward the end of your yarn by winding the tail side under the skein side.
Push yarn from the skein side through this loose loop, creating a second loop in the process.
Tighten the first loop around the second.
Slide the hook into the second loop.
Adjust the width of the second loop so that it is snug around the hook. , For most projects using the cluster stitch, you will need to create a foundation chain in multiples of three.
This is due to the fact that each cluster stitch requires the use of three stitches from the previous row.
The exact number of chains in your foundation will vary depending on the pattern, but if you only want to practice the stitch, a foundation made with 18 to 30 chain stitches should suffice.
Note that the pattern may also call for you to make several rows of stitches off your foundation chain before you reach the row of cluster stitches.
In that case, you would work the cluster stitches into the whichever row came directly before it, not into the foundation chain.
To work a chain stitch:
Wrap the yarn over the tip of the hook.
Pull this yarn-over through the loop on your hook to complete one chain stitch. , If you are creating a cluster stitch at the start of a row or round in an established project, you will need to begin the cluster stitch by working two chain stitches from the loop already on your hook.
These two chain stitches act as a turning chain and will be incorporated into the stitch itself.
A turning chain is a sequence of chain stitches made at the start of a row to prepare the height of that row for the stitches you intend to use in it. -
Step 2: Create a foundation chain.
Wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front, moving it clockwise around the hook. , Slide the tip of the hook through the next stitch as indicated in your pattern instructions.
The correct stitch may vary based on the pattern instructions.
Usually, though, it will be the third chain or stitch from the hook (including your chain-two turning chain).
In other words, work the cluster stitch into the first stitch of the previous row and not into either stitch of your turning chain. , Catch the yarn with the hooked tip from the back of the project, wrapping the yarn around from back to front.
Pull this yarn and the tip of the hook back through to the front of the project.
At this point in the process, there should be three secure loops on your hook. , Wrap the yarn around the hook from back to front again.
Pull this newest yarn-over through the first two secure loops on your hook.
When finished, you should be left with two more secure loops on your hook. , Wrap the yarn over the hook again, working in a clockwise motion from back to front.
Slip the tip of the hook into next consecutive stitch in the pattern. , Wrap the yarn around your hook from back to front.
Pull this yarn-over and the tip of the hook back through to the front of the work.
There should be four secure loops on your hook at the end of this step. , Wrap the yarn around the hook from back to front.
Catch this yarn-over with the hooked tip and pull it through the first two secure loops on your hook.
Afterward, you should have three secure loops on your hook. , Wrap the yarn over the tip of the hook once more, moving from back to front again. , Catch the final yarn-over in the hooked tip and pull it through all three secure loops on your hook.
After doing this step, there will be one new loop on your hook.
When you complete this step, you will have one full cluster stitch. , To accommodate the width of the cluster stitch, you need to work two chain stitches from the loop on your hook before creating the next cluster stitch.
The exact number of chains can vary depending on the exact pattern, but this is the usual amount.
Using a chain-two will usually allow you to place cluster stitches side-by-side in a row.
When completing a row of cluster stitches, you will need to place this chain-stitch bridge in between each cluster stitch.
The only time you would not work any chain stitches in between cluster stitches would be if you intend to create a decrease.
If you want the row length to remain unchanged, though, the extra chain is necessary. , Wrap the yarn over the hook once from back to front.
Insert the tip of the hook into the next consecutive stitch in the row. , Wrap the yarn over the tip of the hook again.
Catch this newest yarn-over and pull it and the hook back through to the front of the work.
You should have three secure loops on your hook at this point. , Wrap the yarn over the tip of the hook from back to front.
Catch this yarn-over in the hooked tip and pull it through the first two secure loops on your hook.
This should leave you with two secure loops left on your hook. , Yarn over the hook from back to front again, then insert the tip of the hook into the next stitch in the row.
Make sure that you do not skip any stitches during this step. , Wrap the yarn around the tip of the hook once, winding it clockwise from back to front.
Pull this yarn-over through to the front of your work along with your hook.
There should be four secure loops on your hook at this point. , Wrap the yarn over the tip of the hook again.
Pull it through the top two secure loops on your hook.
At the end of this step, you should have three secure loops on your hook. , Yarn over the tip of the hook again and insert the hook into the next stitch of the previous row. , Wrap the yarn over the tip of the hook from the back of the project.
Catch this yarn-over with your hook and pull both the hook and yarn back through to the front of your project.
This should give you a total of five secure loops. , Wrap the yarn over the tip of the hook again and pull it through the top two secure loops on your hook.
Completing this step should leave you with four loops on your hook. , Wrap the yarn over the tip of the hook from back to front one last time.
Pull this final yarn-over through all four loops on your hook.
When finished, you should have one new loop on your hook to continue your work with.
The completion of this step marks the completion of one cluster stitch.
As noted at the beginning of this section, make sure that you work another two chain stitches after this cluster stitch if you intend to create another cluster stitch beside it. , Create a standard cluster stitch, but instead of working the cluster stitch across three separate stitches, insert the hook into the same stitch each time you need to make an insertion.
Yarn over the hook once.
Insert the hook through the next stitch or space in your pattern.
Yarn over the hook again, then pull that yarn-over back through to the front of your work.
There should be three loops on your hook.
Yarn over the hook and pull that yarn-over through two loops.
There should be two loops on your hook.
Yarn over the hook and insert it into the same stitch as before, not the next stitch.
Yarn over from the back and pull it back through to the front, creating four loops.
Wrap the yarn over the hook again and pull it through two loops on your hook, leaving three behind.
Wrap the yarn over the hook once more and pull the yarn over through all three loops left on your hook.
This only completes the first half of your cluster-v stitch. , Work two chain stitches from the loop on your hook. , Repeat the process used to create the previous cluster stitch.
Instead of moving onto the next stitch, however, you should work this cluster stitch into the same space as your first.
In other words, the entire cluster-v stitch is worked into one space or stitch.
After you finish this second cluster stitch, you have completed one full cluster-v stitch. , If you plan to create more than one cluster-v stitch, you will need to work two chain stitches in between each cluster-v stitch.
Note that separate cluster-v stitches must be worked into different stitches or gaps.
In other words, every sub-stitch in one cluster-v stitch is worked into one space, but every individual cluster-v stitch is worked into a separate space. -
Step 3: Chain two.
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Step 4: Yarn over the hook.
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Step 5: Insert the hook into the next stitch.
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Step 6: Yarn over and draw through.
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Step 7: Yarn over and draw through twice.
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Step 8: Yarn over the hook and insert it into the next stitch.
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Step 9: Yarn over and draw through.
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Step 10: Yarn over and draw through twice.
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Step 11: Yarn over the hook.
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Step 12: Pull the yarn through all three loops.
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Step 13: Chain two.
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Step 14: Yarn over and insert the hook.
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Step 15: Yarn over and draw through.
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Step 16: Yarn over and pull through twice.
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Step 17: Work the next part into the next stitch.
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Step 18: Yarn over and pull through.
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Step 19: Wrap the yarn around and pull through twice.
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Step 20: Work into the next stitch.
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Step 21: Draw another loop.
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Step 22: Yarn over and pull through twice.
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Step 23: Pull through the remaining loops.
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Step 24: Work one cluster stitch into a single stitch.
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Step 25: Chain two.
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Step 26: Work a second cluster stitch into the same stitch.
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Step 27: Chain two and repeat as needed.
Detailed Guide
Attach the yarn to your crochet hook using a slipknot.
To tie a slip knot:
Create a loop toward the end of your yarn by winding the tail side under the skein side.
Push yarn from the skein side through this loose loop, creating a second loop in the process.
Tighten the first loop around the second.
Slide the hook into the second loop.
Adjust the width of the second loop so that it is snug around the hook. , For most projects using the cluster stitch, you will need to create a foundation chain in multiples of three.
This is due to the fact that each cluster stitch requires the use of three stitches from the previous row.
The exact number of chains in your foundation will vary depending on the pattern, but if you only want to practice the stitch, a foundation made with 18 to 30 chain stitches should suffice.
Note that the pattern may also call for you to make several rows of stitches off your foundation chain before you reach the row of cluster stitches.
In that case, you would work the cluster stitches into the whichever row came directly before it, not into the foundation chain.
To work a chain stitch:
Wrap the yarn over the tip of the hook.
Pull this yarn-over through the loop on your hook to complete one chain stitch. , If you are creating a cluster stitch at the start of a row or round in an established project, you will need to begin the cluster stitch by working two chain stitches from the loop already on your hook.
These two chain stitches act as a turning chain and will be incorporated into the stitch itself.
A turning chain is a sequence of chain stitches made at the start of a row to prepare the height of that row for the stitches you intend to use in it.
Wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front, moving it clockwise around the hook. , Slide the tip of the hook through the next stitch as indicated in your pattern instructions.
The correct stitch may vary based on the pattern instructions.
Usually, though, it will be the third chain or stitch from the hook (including your chain-two turning chain).
In other words, work the cluster stitch into the first stitch of the previous row and not into either stitch of your turning chain. , Catch the yarn with the hooked tip from the back of the project, wrapping the yarn around from back to front.
Pull this yarn and the tip of the hook back through to the front of the project.
At this point in the process, there should be three secure loops on your hook. , Wrap the yarn around the hook from back to front again.
Pull this newest yarn-over through the first two secure loops on your hook.
When finished, you should be left with two more secure loops on your hook. , Wrap the yarn over the hook again, working in a clockwise motion from back to front.
Slip the tip of the hook into next consecutive stitch in the pattern. , Wrap the yarn around your hook from back to front.
Pull this yarn-over and the tip of the hook back through to the front of the work.
There should be four secure loops on your hook at the end of this step. , Wrap the yarn around the hook from back to front.
Catch this yarn-over with the hooked tip and pull it through the first two secure loops on your hook.
Afterward, you should have three secure loops on your hook. , Wrap the yarn over the tip of the hook once more, moving from back to front again. , Catch the final yarn-over in the hooked tip and pull it through all three secure loops on your hook.
After doing this step, there will be one new loop on your hook.
When you complete this step, you will have one full cluster stitch. , To accommodate the width of the cluster stitch, you need to work two chain stitches from the loop on your hook before creating the next cluster stitch.
The exact number of chains can vary depending on the exact pattern, but this is the usual amount.
Using a chain-two will usually allow you to place cluster stitches side-by-side in a row.
When completing a row of cluster stitches, you will need to place this chain-stitch bridge in between each cluster stitch.
The only time you would not work any chain stitches in between cluster stitches would be if you intend to create a decrease.
If you want the row length to remain unchanged, though, the extra chain is necessary. , Wrap the yarn over the hook once from back to front.
Insert the tip of the hook into the next consecutive stitch in the row. , Wrap the yarn over the tip of the hook again.
Catch this newest yarn-over and pull it and the hook back through to the front of the work.
You should have three secure loops on your hook at this point. , Wrap the yarn over the tip of the hook from back to front.
Catch this yarn-over in the hooked tip and pull it through the first two secure loops on your hook.
This should leave you with two secure loops left on your hook. , Yarn over the hook from back to front again, then insert the tip of the hook into the next stitch in the row.
Make sure that you do not skip any stitches during this step. , Wrap the yarn around the tip of the hook once, winding it clockwise from back to front.
Pull this yarn-over through to the front of your work along with your hook.
There should be four secure loops on your hook at this point. , Wrap the yarn over the tip of the hook again.
Pull it through the top two secure loops on your hook.
At the end of this step, you should have three secure loops on your hook. , Yarn over the tip of the hook again and insert the hook into the next stitch of the previous row. , Wrap the yarn over the tip of the hook from the back of the project.
Catch this yarn-over with your hook and pull both the hook and yarn back through to the front of your project.
This should give you a total of five secure loops. , Wrap the yarn over the tip of the hook again and pull it through the top two secure loops on your hook.
Completing this step should leave you with four loops on your hook. , Wrap the yarn over the tip of the hook from back to front one last time.
Pull this final yarn-over through all four loops on your hook.
When finished, you should have one new loop on your hook to continue your work with.
The completion of this step marks the completion of one cluster stitch.
As noted at the beginning of this section, make sure that you work another two chain stitches after this cluster stitch if you intend to create another cluster stitch beside it. , Create a standard cluster stitch, but instead of working the cluster stitch across three separate stitches, insert the hook into the same stitch each time you need to make an insertion.
Yarn over the hook once.
Insert the hook through the next stitch or space in your pattern.
Yarn over the hook again, then pull that yarn-over back through to the front of your work.
There should be three loops on your hook.
Yarn over the hook and pull that yarn-over through two loops.
There should be two loops on your hook.
Yarn over the hook and insert it into the same stitch as before, not the next stitch.
Yarn over from the back and pull it back through to the front, creating four loops.
Wrap the yarn over the hook again and pull it through two loops on your hook, leaving three behind.
Wrap the yarn over the hook once more and pull the yarn over through all three loops left on your hook.
This only completes the first half of your cluster-v stitch. , Work two chain stitches from the loop on your hook. , Repeat the process used to create the previous cluster stitch.
Instead of moving onto the next stitch, however, you should work this cluster stitch into the same space as your first.
In other words, the entire cluster-v stitch is worked into one space or stitch.
After you finish this second cluster stitch, you have completed one full cluster-v stitch. , If you plan to create more than one cluster-v stitch, you will need to work two chain stitches in between each cluster-v stitch.
Note that separate cluster-v stitches must be worked into different stitches or gaps.
In other words, every sub-stitch in one cluster-v stitch is worked into one space, but every individual cluster-v stitch is worked into a separate space.
About the Author
Amanda Jones
Specializes in breaking down complex crafts topics into simple steps.
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