What is Surface Crochet?
Surface crochet is a wonderful technique to have in your toolkit. It allows you to add color, textural details, embellishments and designs to your projects. The great thing about it is that it allows you to work on already finished projects.
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3/13/20262 min read
So what is surface crochet?
Well it's an easy and simple way to add decoration/patterns to an already finished piece of work. This can be anything from amigurumi, blankets, shirts, loveys, or whatever you crocheted. In fact, why stop at crochet? This technique works on knitted items as well.
There are two main crochet stitches used; the slip stitch and the single crochet. The slip stitch is closer to the surface and lays flatter on the piece compared to the single crochet. It adds a line of color without adding to the height. However, if you want a little more texture to the design, then the single crochet might be what you're looking for. It adds height and emphasis
Why use it?
There's no need to worry about working your pattern into the design. You can add it when you're done or you can add it 2 years later when you feel like you need a little change. It's flexible. Not to mention that as easily as it can be done, it can be un-done. Cut the yarn at any point in your design and pull out the yarn/thread. Since it was worked with already existing holes in the project it shouldn't leave much of a trace if any.
The slip is worked by hooking the yarn from "underneath" the piece.
On the surface side you can see the stitches forming.
You pull through like a regular slip stitch.
The single crochet gives you a little more of a lift off of the surface of your work. And instead of working with the yarn under your work and pulling it through to the top, the working yarn will stay on the surface.
The slip stitch is kept on your hook while you pull the leading yarn through the top layer of your piece.
Once you have both loops on your hook, you pull the yarn through both loops to create the single crochet.
The yarn I was using combined with the moss stitch as the base, did not show the effect of the single crochet very well. However, to get a better picture of what more you can do with this stitch I suggest checking out this article from Supergurumi. They have a great display of everything from single crochet to double crochet. Not that you have to stop there ;)
