how to crochet | millstone stitch
Sometimes I'm browsing though vintage crochet books and a stitch will jump right out at me, literally leap off the page and into my lap - that's what happened with the Millstone Stitch. I feel like I've seen it somewhere before, but the memory flutters just out of reach and anyhow, I never knew it had a name.
Then a viewer recommended a vintage book to me, it's called the Treasury of Crochet Techniques and Patterns published by Sedgewood Press in 1984. It's a US book and quite difficult to get hold of but if you do get your hands on a copy, you won't be disappointed, it is SO 1980s fabulous, I love the front cover font.
The Millstone Stitch is detailed in this book in a section on graduated patterns and you can watch my video tutorial here and see the written pattern notes below in both UK and US terminology.
WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS - UK TERMINOLOGY
You will need two colours (A and B) of either contrasting or complementary yarn in the same weight and a corresponding size hook.
Using colour A, chain in multiples of 10 and add 2.
Set up row. 1dc in 2nd chain from hook, 1dc in each chain to end - I change to colour B at the end of this row, to see how I do this watch the video tutorial above or change colour in your preferred method - also note that I am carrying the yarn over for the purposes of this tutorial, you may not be able to do this neatly on all the rows of this stitch pattern.
Row 1. (RS) using B ch1, skip first dc, *1dc, 1htr, 5tr, 1htr, 1dc, ch1, skip 1, repeat from * to end, do not ch1 after last dc but do work 1dc into last st (turning chain), turn.
Row 2. repeat Row 1, change colour at end.
Row 3. using A, ch1, skip first dc, *1dc into next 9 sts, 1tr into skipped stitch from Row 1, repeat from * to end working last dc into turning chain, turn.
Row 4. ch1, skip first dc, 1dc in each st to end, last dc into turning chain, change colour at end, turn.
Row 5. using B, ch3, skip first dc, 1tr in next 2sts, 1htr, 1dc, ch1, skip 1 (this forms a half repeat), *1dc, 1htr, 5tr, 1htr, 1dc, ch1, skip 1, repeat from * to last half repeat, 1dc, 1htr, 2tr, work 1tr in turning chain, turn.
Row 6. repeat Row 5, change colour at end.
Row 7. using A, ch1, skip first st, 1dc in next 4sts, 1tr into skipped stitch from Row 5, *1dc in next 9sts, 1tr into skipped stitch from Row 5, repeat from * to last half repeat, 1dc in next 4sts, 1dc in top of turning chain, turn.
Row 8. ch1, skip first dc, 1dc in each st to end, last dc into turning chain, change colour at end, turn.
Repeat Rows 1 - 8 for pattern.
WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS - US TERMINOLOGY
You will need two colours (A and B) of either contrasting or complementary yarn in the same weight and a corresponding size hook.
Using colour A, chain in multiples of 10 and add 2.
Set up row. 1sc in 2nd chain from hook, 1sc in each chain to end - I change to colour B at the end of this row, to see how I do this watch the video tutorial above or change colour in your preferred method - also note that I am carrying the yarn over for the purposes of this tutorial, you may not be able to do this neatly on all the rows of this stitch pattern.
Row 1. (RS) using B ch1, skip first sc, *1sc, 1hdc, 5dc, 1hdc, 1sc, ch1, skip 1, repeat from * to end, do not ch1 after last sc but do work 1sc into last st (turning chain), turn.
Row 2. repeat Row 1, change colour at end.
Row 3. using A, ch1, skip first sc, *1sc into next 9 sts, 1dc into skipped stitch from Row 1, repeat from * to end working last dc into turning chain, turn.
Row 4. ch1, skip first sc, 1sc in each st to end, last sc into turning chain, change colour at end, turn.
Row 5. using B, ch3, skip first sc, 1dc in next 2sts, 1hdc, 1sc, ch1, skip 1 (this forms a half repeat), *1sc, 1hdc, 5dc, 1hdc, 1sc, ch1, skip 1, repeat from * to last half repeat, 1sc, 1hdc, 2dc, work 1dc in turning chain, turn.
Row 6. repeat Row 5, change colour at end.
Row 7. using A, ch1, skip first st, 1sc in next 4sts, 1dc into skipped stitch from Row 5, *1sc in next 9sts, 1dc into skipped stitch from Row 5, repeat from * to last half repeat, 1sc in next 4sts, 1sc in top of turning chain, turn.
Row 8. ch1, skip first sc, 1sc in each st to end, last sc into turning chain, change colour at end, turn.
Repeat Rows 1 - 8 for pattern.
Happy Hooking YO!
