Crocheting is a wonderful hobby that allows you to create practical, everyday items for yourself or as gifts. If you’re looking for a quick and easy crochet pattern, you might be wondering about which stitches are the fastest to work up.
So, what is the fastest crochet stitch? There are several quick crochet stitches that will give you fast results, including the half double stitch, double, triple, seed, v stitch, moss stitch, and more. Depending on the project and the look you’re going for, there will be a fast stitch for you.
There are some crochet stitches that create a piece quickly and easily and also give off a beautiful look. Let’s take a look at some quick and simple crochet stitches for your next project right here.
Fastest Crochet Stitches For Beginners
Beginner crocheters may think that crocheting a completed project takes a long time, but that’s not always the case. In reality, a lot of the basic crochet stitches are simple to learn and work up really quickly. Let’s take a look at some of them below.
1. Half Double Crochet
The half-double crochet (abbreviated “hdc”) is a basic crochet stitch that is very versatile and can be used for almost any project.
HDC is a basic crochet stitch that is a merge of the single crochet and the double crochet. It has a shorter height than double crochet but is a tiny bit taller than single crochet. As a result, it’s not super difficult to learn and can be used in a lot of projects, such as table cloths, clothing, accessories, or even a blanket.
2. Double Crochet
The double crochet stitch (abbreviated “dc”) is another basic stitch that works up really quickly. The double crochet is twice taller than the single crochet (abbreviated “sc”) and a bit taller than the hdc, which means it’s also very quick to work up.
As this is a basic stitch, it should not take you too long to learn. The beauty of the double crochet is that it is used as a building block to help you create many other combination stitches, like the shell stitch or the granny triple stitch, which means it is a “must-know” when you first learn to crochet.
Because of this, the double crochet stitch is present in almost every pattern that you can find out there, and it can be used to create clothing, accessories, or home items.
3. Triple Crochet
Triple crochet (abbreviated “tc”) is a variation of the hdc and dc, but instead of looping once, you loop twice and pull through three times to create the stitch, resulting in a taller stitch.
The tc stitch is not as popular as the sc or dc, because the motion can be quite tiring when working for a long time, and the resulting stitch is skinnier than the dc. If you already know how to dc, then the tc stitch is not much harder to learn.
However, the tc stitch can still be employed in a variety of patterns, especially when crocheting granny squares or ripple stitches when you need to have a longer stitch length.
4. Seed Stitch
The seed stitch is another playful variation of the dc and sc stitches, where you alternate the dc and sc on the same row to create visual interest for the stitches. On the next row, the height is “evened out” by dc-ing into the sc from the row below and sc-ing into the dc from the row below.
This technique allows your garment to have an interesting texture and a closed weave look that is suitable for clothing items, such as a crochet top.
Since you only need to know the sc and dc to work this stitch, it is also super easy to learn, and once you are familiar with the motion of the stitch, the pattern can work up very quickly.
5. V Stitch
The V-stitch is a beautiful openwork stitch (where you see small holes in between the stitches) that can be crocheted super quickly, mainly because the stitches create a large area just by chaining (ch) and skipping stitches on the row below.
The “V” shape is created by repeating the simple formula “dc, chain (ch), dc into the same stitch” across the row. Each V stitch corresponds with 3 stitches on the foundation chain. On the next row, the “dc, ch, dc” is crocheted into the ch stitch on the row below.
Although it looks complicated, you only need to know the dc stitch, so it’s not hard to learn at all. This is a beautiful stitch that would be perfect for a large project, like an afghan or scarf.
6. Moss stitch
The moss stitch is another simple combination stitch that uses single crochet and chain stitches to create a beautiful raised pattern.
The moss stitch is created by repeating “sc, ch and skip the stitch from the row below” across the row. On the second row, the sc is worked into the ch from the row below, and the ch corresponds to the sc from the row below.
Thanks to the chain stitch, the moss stitch also works up super quickly, but since the sc space is very short, you don’t see a very big gap between the stitches.
This is a beautiful stitch that can help you crochet a cute top or a washcloth in just a few hours.
7. Granny Stripe Stitch
The granny stripe stitch is a basic building block of granny squares, which we will mention in a little bit. The granny stripe has a really distinct look, but it’s super easy to learn!
The granny stripe is worked by dc-ing 3 stitches in the same stitch on the row below, then skipping two stitches on the row below, and repeating. On the next row, the 3 dc are worked into the small space between the 2 dc triads on the row below.
You only need to know how to dc to create a granny stripe, and you can add some visual interest by using different colors on each row. This stitch is simple and super fast to crochet, which is why it’s very popular for all types of projects, from crochet tops to afghans and blankets.
Fastest Crochet Stitches For A Blanket
A blanket is a super intimidating garment to crochet, mainly because of how big this project can become. If you don’t use the right stitches (and yarn), a blanket can take months to crochet.
If you are not a fan of the slow pace, then take a look at some stitches below to speed up your project.
1. Ripple Stitch
The ripple stitch (also called the chevron stitch) is worked by using increases (dc-ing multiple stitches into the same space) and decreases (dc-ing multiple stitches together) to create a ripple effect.
There are several ways to introduce increases and decreases to a pattern, so different methods may produce different looks for a blanket, but the ripple effect is still the same.
The ripple stitch is popular for blankets and afghans not only because it’s super quick to crochet but also because the result is often stunning, especially if you incorporate a different color in each row.
Although it looks complicated, very simple techniques are used, and there are plenty of tutorials online for you to pick up this technique in no time.
2. Shell Stitch
The shell stitch is a simple crochet stitch that adds a lot of visual interest to your project. Each shell stitch is created by crocheting 4 or 5 dc into the same stitch in the row below and secured at the end with sc to create the shell shape.
As you can imagine, the shell stitch is a beautiful stitch to seal edges of a finished project or work in rows to create a beautiful pattern, where the new shell stitch is worked on top of the sc on the row below, and the next sc is created on top of the middle of the shell in the row below, which evens out the height while still creating depth for your project.
To create a shell stitch, you only need to know the dc and sc, so it’s not difficult to learn. When you get the hang of the repeated pattern, it can work up quickly to create a beautiful throw or blanket for your home.
3. Granny Square
Granny square is a blanket term (no pun intended) for all crochet squares that are worked in the round.
There are so many different granny square designs for you to choose from; you can create simple granny squares with just double crocheting the whole way, or you can follow a flower motif using different types of stitches to create a different look.
With a simple granny square, you can crochet a square in the round using only dc stitches. When you turn the corner, you can chain 2, then dc in the same stitch to create increases for the corner of the square.
With a flower motif, you can crochet in the round to create a circular center, then use cluster stitches on the next row to create the flower pedals. Then, in the next row, you can use the tc, dc, sc to create the different stitch heights to create a square around the circle.
There are a ton of designs and granny square tutorials online for you to find. You can mix and match the different designs, or you can use the same design with different colors to create different looks for your granny squares.
Granny squares are really playful because you can use so many different colors in the same blanket. Granny square blankets are created by crocheting individual squares and then joining the squares together to create a large piece.
That way, you can break your project down into stages and make it feel faster.
Many crocheters also love the granny square method for blankets because it means you don’t have to hold the big, heavy project the whole way since the blanket is created by joining the squares together at the last stage of the process.
4. Corner-To-Corner Crochet
Corner-to-corner crochet is probably the most complicated stitch pattern in this article, but it’s still relatively simple to work with when you know the way to go.
Corner-to-corner crochet (abbreviated CtoC) is worked in “ladders” of 3 double crochets at a time, so instead of working in a flat row, you work diagonally to crochet a blanket.
This is a lovely technique that is perfect for a blanket since it produces the same result on both sides, so there is no wrong or right side. It’s also great to use colors in this technique to create different patterns.
Since this is a “join as you go” technique, the blocks are worked on the blanket as you crochet, so no sewing is needed as you work on your blanket, even if you want to incorporate different colors.
Tips For Crocheting Faster
While stitch designs can be a huge factor in creating a quick result, it’s not the only thing that can help you. Below are some tips to help you crochet faster.
1. Hook Size
If you want to create a bigger piece in a shorter time, then consider using a bigger hook. A bigger hook means bigger stitches, which can result in a bigger piece of crochet in a shorter time.
This is great when you are making a chunky blanket since you can work up a big blanket in just a weekend.
However, if you are making something to wear, like an afghan, keep in mind that a bigger hook will result in not only a bigger area but also a thicker fabric, which may be uncomfortable to wear and difficult to sew.
2. Thicker Yarn Weight
If you are using a bigger hook, then a thicker yarn weight is a must.
Bulky or super bulky yarn always takes much faster to crochet, and they are perfect for a blanket. For these types of chunky yarn, we recommend using a bigger hook than the size recommended on the sleeve, which makes crocheting more comfortable and even faster.
3. Open Work Patterns
Openwork patterns like the V stitch or the granny stripe stitch are always much faster to crochet.
First, because a lot of the stitches are substituted with chain stitches, and second, crocheting several stitches in the same stitch underneath is simpler and faster (especially if the stitch below is a chain).
However, openwork patterns will also result in a lot of gaps in the piece, which means they’re only great for afghans or throws, not garments that need full coverage.
4. Crochet Simple Patterns
Simple patterns with a lot of repetitions are always easier to remember. If you need to take a lot of time consulting the pattern, you will inevitably take longer to crochet and possibly make more mistakes as well.
This is why a lot of the stitches mentioned above have very simple stitch combinations and a lot of repetitions, which can still result in beautiful textures with ease.
Repeating the same steps several times also means you will retain muscle memory, which helps you work faster without having to look at your work. This is a great perk if you love crocheting while watching TV or when traveling!
5. Color Changes
While colorful pieces always look mesmerizing, keep in mind that using a lot of colors in your piece also means you will take longer to crochet. You will need to stop at each row to connect new yarn and take a lot of time at the end of your project to weave in the loose ends as well.
If you want to work faster, we recommend minimizing the color changes in your work. Instead, you can opt for a colorful yarn so that you don’t have to join the yarn while crocheting.
Up Next: Best Crochet Stitches For Chunky Yarn
