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BULLION BLOCK STITCH
(BBS)
Click on thumbnails to see a larger view
of picture.
Bullion Block Stitch
(BBS)
©2010 Sandra Petit,
http://www.crochetcabana.com
Note that I do not own this stitch - I did not design it or discover it or invent it. This is just my explanation of how to do it. I did name it the Bullion Block Stitch, to distinguish from other stitches with the name Block Stitch, as noted below.
Instructions (American terminology):
In my experience the term "block stitch" has been used to refer to the stitch otherwise known as the diagonal box stitch, straight box stitch, crazy stitch or brick stitch. I have a tutorial on the diagonal box stitch and the straight box stitch. These are NOT the same as the stitch shown below. However, in the references I found to demonstrate this stitch, it was called Block Stitch. I didn't want this to be confused with what is known as Block Stitch today, so I thought I would call it something different. I considered Bullion Stitch Variation, but that just didn't work for me. Beth Ham suggested Bullion Block Stitch and that seemed right on so that's what I'm calling it. That way if one searches for Block Stitch, perhaps it will still come up and if you search for bullion you might learn a variation that you might find easier to work. Hope you enjoy it!
The Bullion Block Stitch is similar to two other stitches. It is similar to making a puff stitch in that you hold all your loops on the hook until you're ready to pull through. It also has some similarity, as noted, to the Bullion Stitch in that there are multiple "wraps" that you have to pull the hook through. Unlike those stitches, you work the stitch around the post of a previously created stitch, it is worked using two stitches, and it is also not very puffy, but more flat. (If you're interested in the Bullion Stitch itself, I found a very helpful tutorial.)
Prudence Mapstone offers a tutorial and patterns available using this stitch (called the Crochet Block Stitch), sold at her web site and also at her Etsy shop. Her patterns are excellent and I recommend them if you enjoy working with this stitch. I bought it myself. Note that they are written using European terminology with American terminology in parenthesis. I also found this stitch in The Complete Photo Guide to Crochet by Margaret Hubert (p. 72). I also own a copy of The Batsford Book of Crochet by Ann Stearns (my copy c1981) which contains this stitch on p. 43, along with some other interesting stitches I would like to try soon.
Procedure:
Make a dc, * yo and insert hook to the right of the post of the dc just made. Go
under the post, front to back, yo and pull through. Repeat from * until you
have as many wraps as you need. I make mine generally to 9 loops on hook which
is 4 repeats. Then yo, insert hook in next stitch. yo and pull through all
loops. At this point, you can choose to Ch 1 to close, make your next dc without
chaining one, or if you are making a row of Bullion Block Stitches you could do as
Margaret Hubert does in her square and insert hook in next st, yo and pull
through, then work 2 chains, yo, and draw through loops. Then you would continue
to work BBS around the chains just made. I think the reasoning behind
the chains rather than making another dc is that it doesn't give you that extra
loop on the side, so I am totally with her on that.
Note: I worked this with red yarn. In the photos you could not see clear
stitch definition, so I adjusted the color to blue which seemed better to me. I
included a few of the red photos as well.
 1) Work a dc and yo |
 2) insert hook to the right of the post of the dc just made, Go under the post, front
to back, |
This is another view of
Step 2 |
 3) yo and pull through (3 loops on hook) |
4) Repeat until you have
the required number of loops on hook - IOW yo, insert hook around post, yo,
and pull through (5 loops on hook), repeat (7 loops), repeat (9 loops) |
 5) In the example, I did four repeats for a total of 9 loops on hook, yo |
6) insert hook in next
stitch |
 7) yo |
 8) pull through |
 9) yo |
 10) pull through all loops |
 At this point, you have choices You can yo and work a chain to close the stitch. This leaves a loop along the side of the stitch (pictured above). You can just work your next dc without closing.
The other choice requires more instruction so I'm including more photos.
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Instruction:
This method would most likely be used if you wanted to make a row of Bullion Block Stitches next to one another. Insert hook
into the next stitch, yo and pull through. Then ch 2, yo, and pull through
both loops now on hook. You would then work your next BBS around
the chain loop (into the space created by the ch-2), rather than a dc. |
Insert hook
into the next stitch |
yo and pull through |
ch 2, |
yo, and pull through both
loops now on hook. |
 work your next "block" around the chain loop (into the space created by the ch-2) This method does not leave that extra loop along the side. Of course, even if you
are not making multiple Bullion Block Stitches in the row, you could conceivably
work the chains and finishing, leaving that chain as a stitch in place of a
dc |
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 Sample of square made with this stitch. Pattern forthcoming. |
05/25/10
