May
okay so waffle stitch basics
Right so the waffle stitch is basically just double crochets and front post double crochets arranged in a specific way to make those raised squares. I made a blanket with this pattern back in spring 2022 when I was stuck at home with covid and honestly it kept me sane because you get into this rhythm that’s kinda meditative but not in an annoying way.
The foundation is important and I messed this up the first time. You need a chain that’s a multiple of 3 plus 2 for turning. So like if you want something smallish try 32 chains or 50 chains or whatever. The math isn’t hard but I always forget and have to recount.
row one is your setup row
Start with a double crochet in the fourth chain from your hook. That skipped three chains counts as your first dc which is annoying but whatever. Then dc in each chain across. This is your base row and it’s gonna look like every other boring dc row you’ve ever made.
Turn your work.
row two is where it gets textured
Chain 3 (counts as first dc again). Skip the first stitch because you just made it with that chain-3. Now here’s the pattern: dc in next stitch, front post double crochet around the next stitch, front post double crochet around the next stitch. That’s your repeat. One regular dc, two fpdc.
If you don’t know front post double crochet it’s where you insert your hook from the front around the post of the stitch instead of under the loops. You go in from right to left around the post, yarn over, pull through, then finish like a normal dc. It pushes the stitch forward and makes it raised.
Keep doing that pattern (1 dc, 2 fpdc) across the whole row. Your last stitch should be a dc into the top of the turning chain from the previous row.
row three switches it up
Chain 3, turn. Now you do: front post dc around next 2 stitches, regular dc in the next stitch. So it’s flipped from row 2. You’re doing 2 fpdc then 1 dc all the way across.
This is what creates the waffle squares because you’re offsetting where the raised stitches go.
row four goes back to row two pattern
Just repeat row 2. One dc, two fpdc across.
Then row 5 is like row 3. Two fpdc, one dc.
You just keep alternating between those two row patterns and the texture builds up. After like 6 rows you’ll really see the squares forming and it looks pretty cool actually.
yarn choices matter more than you think
I used Caron Simply Soft for that covid blanket and it worked fine but honestly the texture doesn’t show up as much with super soft yarn. The blanket was this dusty blue color that I thought would be calming or something but mostly I just associate it with being sick now lol.
Later I made a washcloth with Lily Sugar’n Cream cotton and THAT looked way better. The cotton has more structure so the waffle texture really pops. I think I used the color Hot Green which sounds hideous but it was actually nice. Cotton is also better for things like dishcloths or washcloths because it’s more durable and you can actually scrub with it.
If you want a really chunky waffle look, Wool-Ease Thick & Quick would probably work great. I haven’t tried it myself but I’ve seen pictures and the bigger yarn makes the squares more dramatic. You’d need to use a bigger hook though, probably like a K or L.
the thing that annoyed me
Okay so the most irritating part of waffle stitch is that it eats yarn like crazy. Way more than regular double crochet because you’re wrapping around posts instead of just going through loops. That covid blanket took like 8 skeins when I thought it would take 5. I had to make an emergency yarn run in the middle and of course they didn’t have the exact dye lot so there’s a slight color difference in the middle that bugs me every time I look at it.
Also your hands will get tired. The front post stitches require more hand movement and tension than regular stitches. I had to take breaks every few rows which is fine but if you’re trying to finish something quickly this isn’t the pattern for it.
common mistakes I made so you don’t have to
Missing the pattern switch between rows. I cannot tell you how many times I’d be halfway through a row and realize I was doing the wrong pattern. You’re supposed to do 1dc-2fpdc then switch to 2fpdc-1dc but your brain just wants to keep doing whatever you were doing. I started saying it out loud like a weirdo while I worked. “One dc two fp, one dc two fp” over and over. My cat definitely thought I’d lost it.
Not keeping track of which row you’re on. They look similar enough that you can’t always tell by looking, especially in the first few rows. I finally started using a row counter app on my phone because I kept losing track and having uneven squares.
Tension problems. If you crochet too tight the fabric gets stiff and doesn’t have that nice squishy waffle texture. Too loose and the squares don’t define well. You gotta find that middle ground where it’s firm but still has drape.
Skipping stitches accidentally. When you’re doing front post stitches it’s easy to miss the regular dc stitches between them because they kind of hide behind the raised posts. Count your stitches at the end of each row for the first few rows until you get the feel for it.
hook size stuff
Most patterns will tell you what hook to use based on your yarn weight but honestly I always go up a size from what the yarn label recommends. For worsted weight I use an H or I hook instead of G. Makes the fabric less dense and shows off the texture better.
If you use the recommended hook size for waffle stitch it comes out really stiff. Like cardboard stiff. Not great for a blanket you actually want to use. So size up.
what you can make with it
Blankets are the obvious choice and they turn out nice. Baby blankets work well because the texture is interesting but not too holey for little fingers to get caught in. I made one for my cousin’s baby shower using Red Heart Super Saver in that Light Periwinkle color and it actually looked way better than Super Saver usually looks because the texture adds visual interest.
Dishcloths and washcloths are perfect for this stitch. The texture is great for scrubbing and cotton holds up well. They work up fast too, maybe an hour or two for one cloth.
Pillow covers look really good in waffle stitch. The texture adds dimension and makes them look more expensive than they are. I made a couple for my couch using some Bernat Blanket yarn I had leftover from… something, I don’t remember what. They’re holding up fine.
Potholders would probably work but I haven’t tried it. The thickness would give good heat protection though.
Scarves are possible but the fabric is pretty thick and not super drapey so it might be bulky. Could work for a cowl though.
adjusting the size of your squares
The standard pattern makes squares that are about an inch across give or take depending on your tension and yarn. If you want bigger squares you can do 1dc-3fpdc and 3fpdc-1dc instead. Or even 1dc-4fpdc. Just keep the math consistent so your pattern stays even.
Smaller squares don’t really work as well because you need at least 2 front post stitches to get that raised effect. With just one fpdc it doesn’t read as a square, it’s more like weird ribbing.
fixing mistakes without ripping out everything
If you mess up the pattern but don’t notice until a few rows later, sometimes you can just… leave it. Honestly unless you’re making something for a competition or to sell, most people won’t notice one weird row where you did the pattern backwards. The overall texture still looks good.
If you really need to fix it, you can carefully unravel just back to the mistake without taking out the whole thing. Use a stitch marker or safety pin to hold the stitches so they don’t unravel further than you want.
For dropped stitches or missed stitches, you can sometimes work back down with your hook and fix just that one stitch without undoing the row. It’s fiddly but possible.
washing stuff made with waffle stitch
The texture holds up pretty well to washing. I throw that covid blanket in the washing machine on delicate and it’s fine. The squares might flatten out a tiny bit but they poof back up when it dries.
Cotton items like dishcloths actually get better with washing. The texture tightens up a bit and becomes more defined.
Don’t use fabric softener though because it coats the fibers and makes the texture less pronounced. Just regular detergent.
variations nobody asked about but I’m telling you anyway
You can do waffle stitch in the round for things like baskets or hats but it’s more complicated because you have to adjust the pattern for working in spirals. I tried it once for a basket and gave up because keeping track of where the pattern shifted was making my brain hurt. Maybe if you’re better at math than me.
Color changes look really cool with waffle stitch. You can do stripes by changing color every 2 or 4 rows. The texture makes even simple stripes look more interesting. Or you could do a granny square style color pattern where you change colors in a specific sequence.
There’s also a thing called moss stitch or linen stitch that’s similar but uses single crochet instead of double crochet. It makes a tighter fabric with smaller texture. Not technically waffle stitch but same idea of alternating regular and post stitches.
why the pattern works the way it does
The alternating rows create the checkerboard effect because you’re basically pushing some stitches forward (with fpdc) and leaving others back (regular dc). When you switch which stitches are pushed forward on the next row, it creates those square indentations.
If you did the same pattern on every row you’d just get vertical ribbing. The switching is what makes it waffle-y instead of just ribbed.
Some patterns use back post double crochet instead of regular dc for the recessed squares and that works too. Makes an even more pronounced texture because you’re actively pushing those stitches back instead of just leaving them neutral. But it’s more work and I don’t think the difference is worth it for most projects.
timing and patience
Waffle stitch is slower than basic stitches. Maybe like 30% slower than just doing rows of dc because of all the post stitching. Don’t start this pattern the day before you need to finish a gift. I learned that one the hard way with a birthday present that I ended up finishing at like 2am while watching some true crime thing on Netflix, couldn’t even tell you which one because I wasn’t really paying attention.
The good thing is once you get the rhythm down you can kind of zone out. It’s repetitive enough that you don’t have to think too hard but interesting enough that you don’t get bored. Good pattern for watching TV or listening to podcasts.
First few rows are the slowest because you’re still figuring out the pattern and checking yourself constantly. After that it goes faster.
substituting yarns
You can use basically any yarn weight for this pattern but you’ll need to adjust your hook size accordingly. Fingering weight would make tiny delicate squares, bulky weight makes chunky dramatic ones. I’ve only used worsted and cotton so I can’t give specific advice on other weights but the principle is the same.
Fuzzy or textured yarns like boucle or eyelash probably wouldn’t work well because the texture would hide the waffle pattern. Stick with smooth yarns where you can actually see the stitch definition.
Variegated yarns can look cool or really busy depending on the color changes. Short color repeats might obscure the pattern, long color repeats would probably work fine.
I keep meaning to try this with some wool blend I have sitting in my stash but haven’t gotten around to it yet. The wool might give it a nice structure but also might felt if you wash it wrong so there’s that risk.
Anyway that’s basically everything I know about waffle stitch. It’s not complicated once you get going, just remember to alternate your rows and keep your tension consistent and you’ll be fine. The pattern is forgiving enough that small mistakes don’t really show and the texture looks impressive even though it’s just two types of stitches arranged in a specific way.
