How to Crochet Vertical Stripes

Here’s an extra fun way to play with color in your crochet project – working with vertical stripes! By working alternates or double crochet stitches and chains with two colors, you can create a striped pattern across your crochet design. The method I use below is different than other vertical stripe tutorials that I’ve seen, but it allowed me to create the stripes without having a bunch of ends to weave, which is a win in my book!

This stitch is used in Block Eight of The Stitchwork Scarf. Learn each of the stitches included in this whimsical scarf design by checking out the stitch-a-long HERE!

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For this stitch, you’ll need a Color A and a Color B. The design shown here uses blocks of 4 double crochet stitches, followed by 4 chains and 4 skipped stitches. You can adjust this for other pattern designs, if desired!

To begin, you’ll need to work across a chain or a prior row. In this tutorial, we are working across the stitches of block seven of The Stitchwork Scarf.

Row 1a: Working in Color A, place four double crochet stitches, chain four stitches and skip four stitches. Repeat this across the row. At the end of the row, pause and do not cut Color A.

Row 1b: Now, returning to the first skipped stitch, join with Color B and ch 2. With this color, you will now work OVER the Color A chain to work the stitches. Place four double crochet stitches working over the chain, then chain four stitches and skip four stitches. Continue this across the row. You will not go all the way to the end of the row with Color B as there are no more chains to work over.

When you turn to work the next row, work in the same manner. Color A stitches will be worked over the Color B chains and into the top of the row a stitches in the row below. Color B will be worked over the Color A chains and into the top of the row b stitches in the row below.