Crochet Picot Stitches

Crochet picot stitches are really useful for adding a little interest to edgings, great in crochet lace patterns and are perfect for enhancing the points of stars, petals and leaves.

If you are struggling with how to make picot stitches – read on!

Picot Stitches can be a bit confusing at first and it can be tricky to get them to look nice.  In this crochet tutorial I’ll show you three different methods for working crochet picot stitches.

1 – Work a slip stitch in the 3rd chain from hook

2 – Work a slip stitch in the top of sc (dc UK terms)

3 – Work a sc in top of sc (dc in dc UK terms)

Method 1 – Slip Stitch

The most common method for picot stitches is to chain a number of stitches, then work a slip stitch in the first chain made.  The usual number of chain stitches is 3 but can be any number.  Usually, you’ll work a slip stitch in the first chain you made but some patterns will require you to slip stitch somewhere else.  You’ll see picot stitches described in patterns as “ch 3, slst in 3rd ch” or “ch 3, slst in 1st ch made”.   

This method is handy because it can be slotted in almost anywhere in a pattern. 

Whatever the number of chains, or wherever the pattern tells you to slip stitch, here’s how to do it…

Step 1 – chain stitches

For the tutorial I’m using the classic ch 3 picot, so, we begin by chaining 3 stitches

Step 2 – slip stitch in 3rd chain from hook / 1st chain made

Now we will work a slip stitch in the 3rd chain from hook or 1st chain made. The image below shows where you will insert the hook. Working through the ‘bump’ at the back of the first chain stitch you made gives the neatest finished look.

Now we know where to put the hook, go ahead and insert your hook through that ‘bump’.

Step 3 – finish the slip stitch

Now, wrap the yarn around your hook and pull through all the loops on the hook.  That’s the picot stitch complete!!!

Method 2 – slst in sc / slst in dc

The second method is to slip stitch in the top of the sc (dc UK) from where the chain stitches start.  This method always starts off with a single crochet (double crochet UK). 

Step 1 – chain stitches

We’ll work a chain 3 picot again so start with a sc (dc UK) and chain 3 stitches…

Step 2 – start the slip stitch

Now insert your hook through the top and side ‘leg’ of the sc (dc UK) below the chain stitches.  The image below shows where to insert your hook.

Now go ahead an insert your hook . . .

Step 3 – finish the slst

Now wrap the yarn around your hook and pull through all the loops on your hook to finish the slip stitch.  Picot complete!!!

Method 3 – sc in sc

This method again starts from a single crochet stitch (double crochet UK terms). 

Step 1 – chain stitches

We’ll do another chain 3 picot so start by working a sc (dc UK) and chain 3.

step 2 – where to insert the hook

Insert your hook in the same way as for method 2, through the top of the sc and under the left-hand ‘leg’.  You’ll have three loops on your hook.

step 3 – start the single crochet US / double crochet UK

Wrap the yarn around your hook and pull a loop through two of the loops on your hook.  You’ll have two loops on your hook.

step 4 – finish the stitch

Now, wrap the yarn around your hook and pull through both loops on hook to complete the sc (dc UK).  Picot complete!!!

Patterns that use Picot Stitches

I hope this How to Crochet Picot Stitches tutorial helps you with your crochet makes!  Let me know in the comments if it’s helped you and, if you know of another way to work crochet picot stitches do let me know. 

Happy Hooking!