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The Houndstooth Stitch
Spoiler Alert: the houndstooth pattern is HOT this season. And I don't just mean in the knit/crochet world. High fashion has already adpated this look down to everyday wear, and many boutiques already have this pattern on their hangers. Read on if you're onboard for this ride.
As an ocassional fashion/trend hunter, it's hard to miss the common items that shopping labels across the board are selling this year. Among them, the houndstooth blazer, houndstooth trousers, houndstooth hats, and who knows what else. The great thing is that it's an androgynous look, so the look suits both men and women.
Add a cozy vibe to that, and you have the rise of the Houndstooth Stitch in the knit/crochet world.
But you don't have to be a haute couture huntress to be in on the fun of the houndstooth pattern. It's just plain fun to make. And it doesn't always have to be black and white, either. As you can see here, you can really do whatever you want with the Houndstooth Stitch. Magnify it, put it on a throw pillow, compliment it with bright colors, or rectify it into a rustic scarf (that one's my favorite!).
Whether it's for you, or for someone else, you're sure to get a reaction from the reciever of the end-product. The pattern is a timeless classic, noteworthy, and easy to do.
Harry Styles sure knew what he was doing with houndstooth.
So how does one do the Houndstooth Stitch? Well, it's a combination of two basic crochet stitches: the single crochet (SC) and double crochet (DC). If you know these two stitches and the foundation chain, you're golden. You just need two different colors of yarn. Any size yarn looks great with this stitch.
To start, you will need to make a foundation chain in multiples of 2 + 1. Aka, the total number of chains should be divisible by 2, plus one extra chain at the end.
Then, you skip the first chain when you are starting your first row, and make a SC in the second chain from your hook. In the next chain over, you make a DC. Make a SC in the chain after that, then a DC in the chain after that. So on and so forth until you end your first row.
For the second row, you'll introduce your second color. Now, it's good if you already know how to do a color change, but if not, this is a great opportunity to give it a try. : ) Make one chain, but instead of looping the first color, sneak the second color through the loop instead. Turn your work.
Lock the second color in by doing a SC in the first stitch from your first row. You can double check that you are on the right track by seeing that you've single crocheted into a double crochet from the previous row. Your next stitch should be a DC right above the single crochet from the previous row. SC in the next stitch, and DC in the stitch after that.
You'll notice that you are alternating SC's and DC's above the previous DC's and SC's, and that's the point! You're also alternating colors everytime you change a row. And this is how the houndstooth pattern is made.
Confused, yet? I don't blame you. You can find countless tutorials on Youtube to help you out, or one of my favorite places to find yarny things, Pinterest. (A note on the magnified houndstooth patterns on the throw pillow and blanket, though. Those do not use the same technique as shared above. But instructions to do those are provided!)
Happy crocheting, folks!
(all images are provided with the appropriate source links)
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