Are you ready to level up your crochet skills with the crochet top stitch, also known as surface crocheting? From polished borders to intricate details, the crochet top stitch can elevate your work and give your project a more professional finish.
One of my favorite ways to use the crochet top stitch is to incorporate lettering into my work. Imagine beautifully embroidered blankets and personalized gifts! The video tutorial below will walk you through the top stitch step-by-step. It’s easy, fun, and the sky is the limit when it comes to the details you could add to your project.
This post is all about the crochet top stitch.
How To: Crochet Top Stitch
What Is Surface Crocheting?
The crochet top stitch, (also known as surface crocheting or surface slip stitching) is a method used to add decorative detail to your crochet work.
Put simply, we will be adding a series of slip stitches into the surface of our completed work. This could be lettering, embroidered detail, stripes, or borders.
Ideas For Using the Crochet Top Stitch:
I love to add details to completed amigurumi projects using the crochet top stitch. It’s such a fun way to add some customization to a pattern. Adding small details like the pink heart on this elephant’s ear gives a unique touch to every gift.
Also, with amigurumi, sometimes I will add stripes to a plushy after it is complete. Most of the time, I just change colors as I’m working on each piece. However, surface crocheted stripes have a slightly different look that might be more preferred depending on the project. Color changes in crochet look just fine, but if you’re looking for crisp, neat lines, try surface crocheting your stripes next time and see how you like them!
Side note: how cute is this Mini Loaf Cat pattern by Annie Carraway Art? Find the pattern here!
You could also add stripes or other shapes into blankets, dish cloths, sweaters, hats, etc. It’s not just for amigurumi! Basically, all we are doing is drawing on top of our work with yarn and a crochet hook. Imagine all the possibilities!
But my very favorite use of surface crochet is for adding lettering to my projects. Who doesn’t love a personalized gift? Being able to gift someone a blanket or hat with their name stitched into it just adds another level of thoughtfulness. Plus, as someone with a name never found on gift shop trinkets, I can fully appreciate having my name on a piece of crochet art. Hats off to you if you can relate!
Check out the video below for the easy tutorial to learn how to surface crochet. Happy wishes, and cozy stitches!
This post was all about how to master the crochet top stitch. I hope it helped you find some inspiration for your next crochet project!
Stay cozy,
