How to Crochet the Braided Puff Stitch: A Written and Video Pattern

Do you love puff stitches? Do you love all the texture in your crochet items? Then you are going to love the braided puff stitch pattern. This stitch can be worked up quickly, and as long as you know how to puff stitch, double crochet, and chain, then you are ready to crochet the braided puff stitch! While it can take a little practice to perfect, trust me when I say that the end result is worth it!

Do you have a favorite crochet stitch or texture? I can honestly say that I have had several throughout my crochet career. When I have a favorite crochet stitch, I tend to use it in several projects or patterns just because I enjoy it. My new favorite for this season is the braided puff stitch (also, could be called the zig zag puff stitch), so of course, I had to share the tutorial with you!

To create the braided puff stitch, it is necessary that you know how to crochet the double crochet stitch, how to chain, and how to puff stitch. If you have never done a puff stitch, or either of the other stitches, then this stitch pattern will be more difficult for you to learn since it combines all three together in what I call a puff stitch combo.

The stitch combination is worked up in multiples of three, so you will want to make sure your base chain or base rows are a multiple of three. In my video and pictures, I will be demonstrating the puff stitch braid in the gauge of my headband pattern, the Braided Puff Headband, which uses this stitch as its main feature. You can work this stitch up independently, or you can use it like I did to add lots of texture and create a focal point in your project.

If you are new to crochet, then I suggest you check out my tutorials on how to chain, how to double crochet, and how to puff stitch before you get started here. However, be sure to save this tutorial for later to use when you feel ready for it!

What is a puff stitch?

A puff stitch is a variation of a half double crochet that creates a “puff” by repeating the yarn-over, insert into stitch, yarn over again, and pull through steps. To create the puff stitch, you will start by yarning over and inserting your hook into the indicated stitch, and then yarning over and pulling back through. You will need to repeat this the indicated number of times before yarn over and pulling through all the loops on the hook. I usually find that repeating a total of 4 times, or for a total of 9 loops on the hook, is the perfect size for a puff stitch.

What is a braided puff stitch?

The crochet braided puff stitch is a stitch combination that uses the puff stitches to create a braided texture in the crochet design. You will need to skip two stitches, double crochet in the next stitch, and then puff stitch in the first skipped stitch around the double crochet stitch. This will cause the puff stitch to slant, and when you work the next row, it will create a braided texture.

What do you need to know:

To complete the steps of this crochet braided puff stitch, you will need to know how to crochet the following:

-Chain

-Double Crochet

-Puff Stitch

If you are unsure of how to complete any of these or haven’t done so in a while, check out the tutorials by clicking on the links! Then you can come back and tackle this new stitch combination that uses all three of the above stitches!

Supplies:

For this puff stitch pattern, you will need these two items:

-Yarn

-Crochet Hook

You can use whatever combination of yarn and hook you want, but make sure you are comfortable with the combination that you are using when you first start to practice this stitch. It can be a little tricky to get the hang of at first, so I would use something you are comfortable with. I used an H/8 5mm hook and worsted weight yarn if you need a place to start.

Notes & Tips for the Braided Puff Stitch:

-I suggest a looser tension for this stitch. I normally crochet pretty tightly, but there are a lot of ways to really make the rows curl or to mess up the stitches if you are crocheting too tightly. You can even go up a hook size if you need.

-If you are completing the stitch correctly, you should have a skipped stitch in between the double crochet and the puff stitch for each combination.

-If you are working from a base chain, then chain a multiple of 3, plus two for the turning chain. Then start following the directions below from the third chain from the hook.

-The first row will work up slightly different from the second row and so on.

How to Crochet the Braided Puff Stitch

First Row of Braided Puff Stitch:

-Start off by skipping the first 2 stitches, and double crochet in next stitch.

-Then puff stitch in first stitch that you skipped, and chain 1.

Repeat these two steps across the row for the first row. At the end, slip stitch in the last stitch of the row (should be the same stitch that the last double crochet stitch was in). Chain 2, & turn.

Second Row of Braided Puff Stitch (and Beyond):

-Double crochet into the first chain space between puff stitches.

-Puff stitch in the chain space between the slip stitch and last puff stitch from the previous row, & chain 1. (Picture shows where the place the puff stitch.)

-Double crochet in the next chain space between puff stitches.

-Puff stitch in the previous chain space between puff stitches, and chain 1.

Repeat the last two steps across. End with slip stitch in the last chain space of the row (between the chain 2 and the first double crochet). Chain 1, & turn.

That is your first puff stitch braid! You can repeat the steps for the second row as many times as you desire being sure to end on a multiple of two for the rows.