the fastest crochet stitches
I Test 23 Different Crochet Stitches
Testing Information
- Each swatch is 15 minutes of crochet, not counting the foundation chain.
- Each swatch has used a foundation chain of 15-20 ch depending on the pattern.
- A 4mm hook has been used for all swatches.
- The yarn I have used is an 8ply cotton blend with 95m of yarn in a 50g ball. Each swatch is the exact same yarn although a few are a different colour.
Things to Note
- I tried to use a good selection of stitches, with some not as common as others.
- some stitches I have never done before, but I did familiarise myself with the pattern before I timed the swatch.
- None of the stitches have overly complicated stitch patterns.
- The weight of each swatch has been taken on an ordinary kitchen scale supposedly accurate to 1g.
- The timings in this guide will obviously be different depending on your own individual speed and experience, but will be very helpful as a tool for comparison when choosing stitches.
Table of Information
The below information on each swatch is based on 15 minutes of crochet, beginning with the stitch that covers the most area to the stitch which covers the least area. Hence the Treble Stitch is the fastest, all the way down to the Even Moss Stitch being the slowest.
- You will find a picture of each stitch below, with the more uncommon stitches having a link to the pattern.
- for reference, a small baby blanket 100cm x 100cm is 10,000cm²
- 1 gram of the yarn used in this experiment is equivalent to 1.9 metres or 2.08 yards.
| CROCHET STITCH | AREA cm² | WEIGHT IN GRAMS |
|---|---|---|
| Treble | 138cm² | 8g |
| Rope Stitch | 122.4cm² | 9g |
| Cluster V Stitch | 114.75cm² | 10g |
| Double Crochet | 105.27cm² | 8g |
| Granny Stripe Stitch | 105cm² | 9g |
| Moss Stitch | 100.8cm² | 9g |
| Easy Shell Stitch | 99.75cm² | 8g |
| Half Double Crochet | 98.47cm² | 8g |
| Paris Stitch | 92.7cm² | 8g |
| Prairie Stitch | 89.28cm² | 8g |
| Simple Shell Stitch | 88cm² | 8g |
| Triad Stitch | 85.6cm² | 7g |
| Extended Single Crochet | 83.8cm² | 7g |
| Puff Stitch | 82.1cm² | 9g |
| Sieve Stitch | 81.75cm² | 7g |
| Silt Stitch | 81.7cm² | 7g |
| Suzette Stitch | 79.21cm² | 8g |
| Blanket Stitch | 79.2cm² | 7g |
| Cluster Stitch | 77.19cm² | 8g |
| Single Crochet Mesh Stitch | 74.4cm² | 6g |
| Single Crochet | 71.34cm² | 6g |
| Aligned Cobble Stitch | 70cm² | 7g |
| Even Moss Stitch | 48.7cm² | 5g |
Click on the below pictures for instructions for the more complex stitch patterns.
(in order from the fastest to slowest)
- After some practice you will notice that the close stitch patterns result in a fabric with more structure.
- Larger patterns or more open stitches will produce a fabric that has more movement or better drape in it.
This information can help you determine what type of stitch to use depending on the desired result for your project.
A Comparison of Sizes (15mins of crochet per swatch)
Beginning from the top left, the below swatches are in order from smallest to largest (ie. slowest to fastest.)
The below swatches are the newest updated stitches.
What a great idea to do this Wendy. I enjoyed looking at all tne different styles and it is definitely handy to know what works up quickly if I need to make something in a hurry 😁
Thanks Caz!! I’m glad you found it useful 😁
What a brilliant post!
I would love to see the same experiment but done to how long it takes to make a certain size, and how much yarn each uses. This way we can see what is the most economical for yarn useage as well as time.
Alas, I’m not a good enough crocheter to do this myself!
Hi Elly,
Thank you for your positive feedback 😊. There is 95m of yarn to the 50g ball of the yarn I have used in this test, which works out to 1.9m of yarn per 1 gram of yarn. If you take a look at the table in my post, you will find the rest of the information there you would need to work out a particular size and approximately how much yarn it would use. Everything will only be approximate though, depending on the weight of yarn you choose and the size hook and then will also depend on your speed.
Thanks again!! Wendy
Hi Wendy from Wendy. This is very helpful. Thank you
Thanks Wendy!! 😁
Wendy, this was great, so helpful & informative. Very much appreciate your expertise. No questions. Thank you, Linda C.
Thanks so much Linda!!😊
I love this! The table of stats and a close picture of each stitch, and a side by side size comparison. Everyrhing i need to decide what i like, whats fastest, how gappy it is, how much yarn it will use. Thank you!
Thanks Lea!!
Gotta love positive feedback😆 So glad it’s helpful.
Happpy crocheting.
Wendy xx
Just came across this website and I love the way you have everything in one place. So much useful information. I love the way you not only posted instructions for the pattern you also included a photo. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and expertise with fellow hookers.
Hi Kay!! Thank you so much for your encouragement…I really appreciate it 😊