how to crochet | checkerboard stitch

This vintage stitch is amazing isn’t it?

When you’re looking at vintage stitch dictionaries, especially the ones in black and white, it can sometimes be hard to see exactly where a stitch is going and I wasn’t too sure when I started on this one, but look how glorious she turned out.

I particularly like this stitch when striped so I will put the details of how to do that below and the written details are here in both UK and US terminology.

For reference I used some random blue DK weight yarn (it might be a really old Louisa Harding yarn) and a 4mm crochet hook - my beauty is from Pedros Plaques on Etsy.

CHECKERBOARD STITCH | UK TERMINOLOGY

Chain in multiples of 10 and then add 3.

Row 1. 1 treble (tr) in 3rd chain (ch) from hook, *ch4, miss 4 stitches (sts), 1 double crochet (dc) in next st, (ch7, 1dc) three times in the same stitch (st), ch4, miss 4sts, 1tr in the next st, repeat from * to the end working the last tr in the last st, turn.

Row 2. ch1 (does not count as a st), 1dc in tr, *ch1, 1dc in first petal, ch3, 1dc in second petal, ch3, 1dc in last petal, ch1, 1dc in tr, repeat from * to end working last dc in the final tr (from your foundation row), turn.

Row 3. (ch7, 1dc in first dc), twice, *ch4, 1tr in middle petal dc, ch4, skip next dc (in the last petal), 1dc in next dc, (ch7, 1dc) three times in the same st, repeat from * to last petal group, ch4, 1tr in middle petal dc, ch1,, skip next dc (in the last petal) 1dc in last dc, ch7, 1dc in the same place, ch3, 1tr in the same place, turn.

Row 4. ch1, 1dc in the ch3 sp, ch3, 1dc in the next petal, ch1, 1dc in tr, *ch1, 1dc in first petal, ch3, 1dc in second petal, ch3, 1dc in last petal, ch1, 1dc in tr, repeat from * to end working last dc in last petal, turn.

Row 5. ch2, 1tr in first dc, *ch4, 1dc in dc above tr, (ch7, 1dc) three times in the same st, ch4, 1tr in dc of second petal, repeat from * ending with last tr in last dc, turn.

Row 6. as row 2.

Rows 3 - 6 form pattern.

CHECKERBOARD STITCH | US TERMINOLOGY

Chain in multiples of 10 and then add 3.

Row 1. 1 double crochet (dc) in 3rd chain (ch) from hook, *ch4, miss 4 stitches (sts), 1 single crochet (sc) in next st, (ch7, 1sc) three times in the same stitch (st), ch4, miss 4sts, 1dc in the next st, repeat from * to the end working the last dc in the last st, turn.

Row 2. ch1 (does not count as a st), 1sc in dc, *ch1, 1sc in first petal, ch3, 1sc in second petal, ch3, 1sc in last petal, ch1, 1sc in dc, repeat from * to end working last sc in the final dc (from your foundation row), turn.

Row 3. (ch7, 1sc in first sc), twice, *ch4, 1dc in middle petal sc, ch4, skip next sc (in the last petal), 1sc in next sc, (ch7, 1sc) three times in the same st, repeat from * to last petal group, ch4, 1dc in middle petal sc, ch1, skip next sc (in the last petal) 1sc in last sc, ch7, 1sc in the same place, ch3, 1dc in the same place, turn.

Row 4. ch1, 1sc in the ch3 sp, ch3, 1sc in the next petal, ch1, 1sc in dc, *ch1, 1sc in first petal, ch3, 1sc in second petal, ch3, 1sc in last petal, ch1, 1sc in dc, repeat from * to end working last sc in last petal, turn.

Row 5. ch2, 1dc in first sc, *ch4, 1sc in sc above dc, (ch7, 1sc) three times in the same st, ch4, 1dc in sc of second petal, repeat from * ending with last dc in last sc, turn.

Row 6. as row 2.

Rows 3 - 6 form pattern.

*sorry if there are any errors in this US conversion, goodness me it was tricky with all the dcs, scs etc….