May
okay so scalloped edges
Right so you want to know about scalloped edges because honestly they’re one of those things that look way harder than they actually are. I made my first real scalloped border back in spring 2022 on this baby blanket for my sister and I remember being SO annoyed because I kept losing count of my stitches and had to rip it out like three times before I figured out what I was doing wrong.
The basic concept is that you’re creating these little wave or shell shapes along the edge of whatever you’ve made. Could be a blanket, a dishcloth, a scarf, whatever. The scallop is basically just a bunch of stitches worked into the same stitch or space, which makes it fan out and create that curved shape.
the simplest version to start with
So the most basic scallop pattern is usually something like: skip 2 stitches, then work 5 double crochets into the next stitch, skip 2 stitches, slip stitch into the next stitch. That’s one scallop. Then you repeat that all the way around.
The skipping stitches part is what creates the dip between scallops. The multiple stitches in one spot creates the bump or fan part. You can adjust how many stitches you skip and how many you put in the fan to make bigger or smaller scallops.
When I did that baby blanket I used Red Heart Super Saver in this pale yellow color because my sister wanted something washable and honestly that yarn gets a bad rap but it holds up forever. The scallops looked really crisp with that yarn because it’s got some stiffness to it.
the math part nobody tells you about
Here’s the thing that annoyed me SO MUCH about scalloped edges and nobody really explains this clearly in patterns. Your edge needs to be divisible by whatever your pattern repeat is. So if your scallop pattern repeats every 6 stitches (like skip 2, work into 1, skip 2, slip stitch into 1 = 6 stitches total), then the number of stitches along your edge needs to divide evenly by 6.
If it doesn’t, you’re gonna get to the end and have like 3 stitches left over and your scallops won’t meet up properly. This is what I kept messing up on that blanket. I’d get almost all the way around and then realize I had 4 stitches left and the pattern needed 6.
The fix is to either add or subtract a few stitches in your foundation row before you start the scallop. You can space them out so it’s not obvious. Like if you need to add 2 stitches across a 100-stitch edge, just work 2 increases evenly spaced and nobody will notice.
different scallop variations
There’s a million ways to do scallops but here’s the ones I actually use:
Small scallop: Skip 1 st, 3 dc in next st, skip 1 st, sc in next st. This makes tiny delicate scallops that work good for like handkerchiefs or lightweight stuff.
Medium scallop: Skip 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, skip 2 sts, sc in next st. This is the standard one most people use.
Big dramatic scallop: Skip 3 sts, 7 dc in next st, skip 3 sts, sc in next st. These are chunky and bold, good for blanket edges.
Picot scallop: This is where you add little picots on top of your scallop and it makes it extra fancy. So you’d do like: skip 2 sts, work 2 dc in next st, ch 3 and slip stitch back into the base of that chain (that’s your picot), 3 more dc in the same stitch, skip 2 sts, sc in next st.
I made a picot scallop edge on a table runner last summer 2024 while watching Love Island and my cat kept attacking the yarn ball so half the time I was just trying to keep her from destroying my work station. Used Lily Sugar’n Cream for that one, the hot pink color, and the picots looked really crisp.
starting the border
Okay so you’ve got your finished piece and you want to add a scalloped edge. First thing is you gotta get a foundation round going if your edge is wonky or if you’re working along the side of rows instead of into existing stitches.
I usually do one round of single crochet all the way around first. This evens everything out and gives you a clean edge to work your scallops into. When you’re working along the side of a project (like the sides of a blanket where you see the row ends), the general rule is 2 or 3 sc for every 2 rows, but honestly I just eyeball it and try to keep it flat.
If your foundation round is ruffling up, you’ve got too many stitches. If it’s puckering in, you need more stitches. Just adjust as you go.
For corners, I usually work 3 sc into the corner stitch so it stays square and doesn’t pull weird.
actually working the scallops
So once you’ve got your foundation round, you’re ready for the actual scallop round. I’m gonna walk through a basic 5-dc scallop because that’s the most common.
Join your yarn anywhere along the edge with a slip stitch. Chain 1 (this doesn’t count as a stitch). Skip the next 2 stitches. In the 3rd stitch from your hook, work 5 double crochets all into that same stitch. They’re all gonna be coming out of the same spot like a little fan.
Then skip the next 2 stitches and work a slip stitch (or single crochet, some patterns use sc instead) into the following stitch. That’s one complete scallop.
Repeat that pattern all the way around: skip 2, 5 dc in next st, skip 2, slip st in next st, skip 2, 5 dc in next st, skip 2, slip st in next st…
When you get back to where you started, you’ll slip stitch into your first stitch to join. Fasten off and weave in ends.
tension stuff
Your tension matters more with scallops than you’d think. If you crochet really tight, your scallops might not fan out enough and they’ll look kinda sad and flat. If you crochet really loose, they’ll be all floppy and wonky.
I tend to crochet on the tighter side so I sometimes go up a hook size for the scallop round. Like if I used a 5mm hook for the main project, I might use a 5.5mm for the scallops just to let them breathe a bit more.
Also the type of yarn makes a difference. Cotton yarn like Bernat Handicrafter Cotton or that Lily Sugar’n Cream I mentioned earlier will give you really defined crisp scallops. Acrylic yarn works fine too but the scallops might be softer looking. Wool can be nice but it’s gonna block differently so your scallops might relax and get bigger after washing.
corner problems
Corners are honestly the worst part of scalloped edges and this is the thing that annoyed me most when I was learning. You’ve got this nice rhythm going around the edge and then BAM you hit a corner and everything gets weird.
There’s a few ways to handle corners depending on how you want them to look:
Option 1: Just work a regular scallop right into the corner stitch. This is the easiest but sometimes the corner scallop sits weird or points the wrong direction.
Option 2: Work a modified corner scallop that’s bigger. So instead of 5 dc in the corner stitch, you might do 7 or 9 dc. This makes a more dramatic corner scallop that kinda anchors that spot.
Option 3: Plan your pattern so the corner stitch falls on one of the dip parts between scallops (where you’d normally do a slip stitch). Then you work 3 slip stitches in the corner—one before, one in, one after—to turn the corner smoothly.
I usually do option 2 because I like how it looks but honestly try all three and see what works for your project.
double or triple scallop borders
If you want to get fancy you can do multiple rows of scallops. This looks really Victorian and vintage.
After you complete your first row of scallops, you work another foundation row of single crochet. The trick is to work your sc stitches into the dip between scallops from the previous row. So you’d put a sc into each slip stitch from round 1, then skip over the dc fans.
Actually wait, that’s not quite right—you’d work your sc into the dc fans too but you’d only put like 1 or 2 sc across each 5-dc fan to keep the stitch count reasonable. Then when you have a nice even number of stitches again, you work another round of scallops on top of that.
The second row of scallops will nestle between the first row of scallops if you position them right, creating this layered effect. I saw a pattern once that had three layers of scallops in graduating colors and it was gorgeous but also seemed like way too much work for me.
fixing mistakes
If you mess up your stitch count partway through—and you will, everyone does—you’ve gotta decide if you’re gonna rip it out or fudge it.
If you’re only off by one stitch, you can usually just skip an extra stitch or add an extra sc somewhere and keep going. Nobody’s gonna notice one slightly different scallop in the middle of a blanket edge.
If you’re off by more than that, you might need to rip back to where the mistake happened. I know it sucks but trust me it’s better to fix it than to get to the end and have your scallops not line up.
The thing I do now is I count my stitches after the foundation round before I start the scallops. I literally go around with a stitch marker and count every single stitch, then do the math to make sure it’s divisible by my pattern repeat. Saves so much frustration.
yarn choices and practical stuff
I mentioned Red Heart Super Saver and Lily Sugar’n Cream already but other yarns I’ve used for scallops: Caron Simply Soft makes really soft drapey scallops that are nice for wearables like shawls. Lion Brand Pound of Love is good for big projects where you need a lot of yardage. I tried doing scallops with some fancy alpaca blend yarn once and it was beautiful but also kinda annoying because the yarn kept splitting.
For hook size, just use whatever hook size is appropriate for your yarn weight. The standard hook size recommendations on the yarn label work fine for scallops.
If you’re doing a scalloped edge on something that needs to be stiff like a doily or table runner, you can starch it after blocking. Just regular spray starch or you can make a sugar starch solution. This makes the scallops hold their shape really nicely.
pattern reading shortcuts
When you’re looking at scallop patterns in books or online, they usually write them out like: *sk 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, sk 2 sts, sl st in next st; rep from * around.
That asterisk notation just means repeat everything after the asterisk until you get back to the beginning. Some patterns use brackets instead or they’ll say “repeat between ** **” or whatever.
Sometimes patterns will tell you the exact stitch count you need before starting the scallop round which is super helpful. But a lot of older patterns or free patterns online don’t bother with that and you just gotta figure it out yourself.
blocking scalloped edges
Blocking makes such a difference with scallops, especially if you’re using natural fibers. You want to pin out each individual scallop point so they’re all even and symmetrical.
I use those T-pins and a foam blocking mat. Pin the dips between scallops first, then pin the center top of each scallop fan, then pin the sides of each fan if you’re being really precise. Spray with water or use the steam setting on your iron (hovering, not touching the yarn) and let it dry completely before unpinning.
For acrylic yarn blocking doesn’t do as much but you can still shape it a bit with steam.
Okay I think that covers most of the important stuff about scalloped edges. The main things to remember are: check your stitch count before you start, keep your tension even, and don’t stress too much about making everything perfect because handmade stuff is supposed to look handmade. Once you’ve done a few scalloped edges you’ll get the rhythm of it and it becomes pretty mindless and relaxing. Well, except for the corners, corners are always gonna be slightly annoying but you get used to it.
