Crochet waffle stitch: step-by-step instructions

Waffle stitch turns plain double crochet (UK: treble crochet) into a dense grid of square cells, which makes it a common choice for throws, dishcloths and hat brims. That texture depends entirely on placement: each post stitch has to wrap the right column, and one misplaced stitch shifts every cell above it. Counting is what keeps the grid honest. When every row holds the same number of stitches, a wandering column shows up at the end of the row, not ten rows later. The same counting turns a small practice swatch into a blanket of the width you want, and it carries over to joined rounds, where the back post double crochet (UK: back post treble) takes over from the turned rows.

Every row of crochet waffle stitch has as many stitches as the row before it, so a single count tells you whether a row went right. The grid comes from swapping two stitches, plain double crochet and front post double crochet (UK: front post treble): the plain stitches of one row become the raised stitches of the next.

Yarn, hook and markers for a test swatch

A first waffle swatch needs smooth worsted weight (#4 medium) yarn in a light solid color, an I-9 (5.5 mm) hook, two locking stitch markers, scissors and a tapestry needle. Smooth, light yarn lets you see each post clearly, and every waffle stitch depends on the column below it.

• Acrylic or a wool blend for blankets, cotton for dishcloths; a partial skein covers the swatch. Skip fuzzy, dark and variegated yarns until you can read the grid.
• For the hook, the Craft Yarn Council's yarn weight system chart lists I-9 to K-10 1/2 (5.5 to 6.5 mm) hooks for #4 yarn. Start at the small end: a loose fabric blurs the cells.
• Of the two stitch markers, one marks the right side of the swatch, the other the first stitch of the row you are on.

Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Walmart and Amazon carry all of these.

Front post and back post double crochet, explained

A post stitch is a double crochet worked around the post, the vertical body of a stitch in the row below, instead of into its top two loops. A front post stitch pushes its column toward you; a back post stitch pushes it away. Both reach the same height as a regular double crochet.

Most crochet patterns for beginners stop at basic stitches; post stitches are the usual next step. Patterns write them with the Craft Yarn Council's standard crochet abbreviations, FPdc and BPdc. Instructions here assume you hold the hook in your right hand and work from right to left; left-handed, you work the same steps from left to right.

• For an FPdc, yarn over, insert the hook from the front between the target stitch and the one before it, pass it behind the post and bring it out to the front on the other side. Yarn over and pull up a loop (3 loops on the hook), then yarn over and pull through 2 loops, twice.
• A BPdc is the same, except the hook enters from the back of the work, passes in front of the post and comes out at the back again.

Flat waffle stitch needs only FPdc. Because you turn the work, a front post stitch made on a wrong-side row pushes its column away from the right side, which is exactly what a BPdc would do. The back post stitch comes in when you work waffle stitch in joined rounds.

How to crochet the waffle stitch, step by step

Flat waffle stitch starts with a chain in a multiple of 3 plus 2 and a row of plain double crochet. After that, two rows alternate: one with a single FPdc between pairs of double crochet, one with pairs of FPdc between single double crochets. This 21-stitch swatch keeps the same count on every row.

Here the chain 2 at the start of each row does not count as a stitch, as in Hooked on Homemade Happiness's waffle square and Hearth Hook Home's tutorial.

1. Foundation chain. Chain 23 (7 groups of 3, plus 2).
2. Row 1 (wrong side). Double crochet (dc) in the third chain from the hook and in each chain across (21 dc). The 2 skipped chains do not count as a stitch.
3. Row 2 (right side). Chain 2 and turn. Dc in the first stitch, *FPdc around the next stitch, dc in the next 2 stitches; repeat from * 5 more times, FPdc around the next stitch, dc in the last stitch (7 FPdc and 14 dc, 21 stitches). Place a marker on this side: it is the right side.
4. Row 3 (wrong side). Chain 2 and turn. Dc in the first stitch, *dc in the next stitch, FPdc around the next 2 stitches; repeat from * 5 more times, dc in the last 2 stitches (12 FPdc and 9 dc, 21 stitches). Except for the edge stitches, every dc in this row lands on top of a row 2 FPdc, and every FPdc wraps a row 2 dc.
5. Rows 4 to 11. Repeat rows 2 and 3 four more times. Count 21 stitches before each turn.
6. Row 12. Repeat row 2 once more, so the swatch ends on a right-side row. Fasten off and weave in the tails.

The cells start to show after row 3. Stitching Together's tutorial counts the chain 2 as the first double crochet instead, skipping the first stitch and ending in the top of the chain. Either works if you keep one for the whole piece.

Working waffle stitch in the round

In joined rounds the right side always faces you, so the wrong-side row of the flat version turns into a back post round. The stitch count becomes a plain multiple of 3, because a round has no edge stitches. This version suits cowls and hat bodies.

1. Foundation: chain a multiple of 3 and join with a slip stitch, checking that the chain is not twisted. Chain 2 (not a stitch), dc in each chain around and join with a slip stitch to the first dc.
2. Round A: chain 2, FPdc around the first stitch (at the base of the ch 2), dc in the next 2 stitches, *FPdc around the next stitch, dc in the next 2 stitches; repeat from * around and join to the first stitch.
3. Round B: chain 2, dc in the first stitch (at the base of the ch 2), BPdc around the next 2 stitches, *dc in the next stitch, BPdc around the next 2 stitches; repeat from * around and join.
4. Alternate rounds A and B. Each round keeps the starting count.

The joins form a faint seam; plan it at the back of a hat. Ravelry lists waffle stitch hat patterns worked in rounds with sizing already worked out.

Why waffle edges pull in, and how to fix them

Waffle stitch fabric draws in because every front post stitch tugs its column toward the surface, and each stitch lost at an edge adds to it. When your swatch tapers, recount the last row first: most missing stitches come from the first or last stitch of a row, not from the grid in the middle.

• The first stitch is missing. With a turning chain that does not count, the first dc goes into the very first stitch, right at the base of the chain. Skipping it loses one stitch per row.
• The last stitch is missing. The final dc of the row before can hide under the turning chain. Tug the edge flat and look for its top two loops.
• The row grows by one. Each FPdc replaces the stitch it wraps, so a dc worked into the top hidden behind it adds a stitch. Rip back to it and rework the row.
• Faint, flat cells. The hook is too large for the yarn. When a reader of Hearth Hook Home's tutorial saw little texture with a 9 mm hook and a soft yarn, the author advised a few more rows, then a smaller hook if needed.
• Narrowing and curling. Hearth Hook Home's tutorial warns that the piece narrows after several rows and recommends a gauge swatch first; the Hooked on Homemade Happiness square notes that edges may curl and suggests steam blocking.

Sizing a waffle blanket from your swatch

To size a waffle stitch project, measure your finished swatch, work out stitches per inch, multiply by the width you want, round to a multiple of 3 and add 2 for the chain. Measure across the middle rows, not the often tighter foundation edge.

1. Divide 21 by the swatch width. A swatch 6 inches (15 cm) wide gives 3.5 stitches per inch.
2. Multiply by the finished width. For a 50-inch (127 cm) throw at 3.5 stitches per inch, that is 175 stitches.
3. Round to a multiple of 3: 175 rounds to 174 (58 groups of 3).
4. Add 2 for the chain: chain 176, and row 1 gives you 174 dc.
5. For the length, measure the height of your 12 rows, divide by 12 for the height of one row, then divide the length you want by that number. Round to an even total so the last row is a row 2 repeat.

To check any chain, subtract 2: the result must divide by 3. If you plan a wide border, take its width off the target first.

Frequently asked questions

Does waffle stitch use a lot of yarn?

Yes, more than plain double crochet, because each post stitch wraps a full stitch and the fabric is thick. As one data point, Hooked on Homemade Happiness's waffle square, 42 stitches by 30 rows of worsted weight yarn on an H-8 (5 mm) hook, takes about 4 oz (115 g) plus a little for the border, and finishes near 12 inches (30 cm) square.

Is waffle stitch reversible?

Not quite. The deep square cells show on the right side, the side facing you on row 2. The back has its own, less defined texture, tidy enough for a blanket that gets flipped over, but without the grid. Keep your right-side marker in until the project is done.

Why does my waffle stitch look like ribbing?

Ribbing appears when FPdc stitches stack on FPdc stitches row after row. In waffle stitch, an FPdc always wraps a plain double crochet from the row below, and a double crochet always goes into the top of a post stitch. If columns run straight up without cells, rip back to the first wrong row.

Can you start waffle stitch with foundation double crochet?

Yes. Foundation double crochet (UK: foundation treble) builds the chain and first row in one pass, with a stretchier bottom edge. Hearth Hook Home's tutorial lists it as an alternative: make a multiple of 3 stitches, with no extra 2, and continue with row 2.

How do you add a border to a waffle stitch blanket?

The simplest is a round of single crochet (UK: double crochet). Stitching Together suggests a row of single crochet across the top and bottom and 2 single crochet in the end of each row along the sides; Hooked on Homemade Happiness puts 3 single crochet in each corner. Add more rounds or a fancier edge after that.

Once your swatch holds 21 stitches on every row and the cells line up on the right side, a dishcloth is the quickest real project. In worsted weight cotton at the gauge of the sizing example, chain 29 for 27 stitches, about 8 inches (20 cm) wide. Work rows 2 and 3 until the piece is square, end on a row 2 and finish with one round of single crochet. After that, size a throw with the same formula, or try a cowl in joined rounds to practice the back post round. Basketweave stitch, which uses FPdc and BPdc in blocks, makes a good next stitch.