LEARNING TO CROCHET - THE DIAGONAL BOX STITCH

The Diagonal Box Stitch
©2003 Sandra Petit, http://www.crochetcabana.com
Please click on thumbnails to view larger image.

This tutorial will focus on the pattern stitch I call the Diagonal Box Stitch. I have heard it called the crazy stitch and the brick stitch. I decided to write it up when I was preparing to make an afghan for a sweet little girl in Alaska named Darby. This is a common stitch, around since the late 1800's according to about.com, and stitches are not copyrighted as such though patterns and instructional materials are. You can find instructions in many places as to how to make a square. My instructions, however, written in my own strange way, are copyrighted by moi.

My intent here is to show you how to successfully make a rectangular piece, not a square. I will demonstrate a small rectangle and although you certainly can make many small rectangles and join them to make an afghan, the intent is to teach you the stitch and the procedure to make a full size afghan. I also demonstrate how to change colors using this stitch, though you certainly can make a one-color afghan if you so desire.

This is a gorgeous, close-knit stitch I think you will really enjoy, especially  if you live in a cold area. By working it on the diagonal you can measure the sides and determine when you've gotten it to the width you want, without having to bother with figuring out a multiple etc.

The best place to start is at the beginning. All crochet begins with a slip knot (see slip knot page for variations) and foundation chain. So if you don't know how to do those, please go through the Learning to Crochet pages to find out how. Let's assume you've done that and move on.

Materials: I used worsted weight yarn and an H hook. I find the H or I the most versatile as they make a nice size afghan and are not too hard on the fingers. The amount of yarn used for this square is negligible. Just a leftover ball you have lying around would do. To make a full size afghan (by full I mean one a child probably enjoy) I bought 24 ozs of three colors.

Abbreviation reminder
ch = chain
dc = double crochet
hk = hook
sl st = slip stitch
sk = skip

A note about colors. A little preplanning is advisable if you are working a pattern of stripes and you want your pattern to end evenly. Remember that you don't have to change colors. It is perfectly fine to work with one color if you want to.

Regarding changing colors every two rows - You cannot make a square (equal number of rows wide and long) changing colors every 2 rows and have it come out even. You will end up with one square of one color at the end and this will be the opposite color from the one you began with. I tried it twice--once decreasing on an even row and once decreasing on an odd row. I was quite confused by this until I approached my mathematical husband who explained it all to me. Without even laughing. LOL Don't ask me to do it. Please. LOL Take my word for it.

However, you CAN work a rectangle and have it come out even, but you may end on the opposite color, or not, depending on how many rows you work.

If you are using the same color throughout, no problem. :-)

Procedure:
Row 1: Chain 6. Then double crochet in the 4th chain from hook, then dc in chains 5 and 6 (in future I will just say dc in 4, 5, and 6th chains and you will remember that it is the 4th chain from hook, right?). Easy enough, huh? That's your first row. I see that wide-eyed look. It's true. This IS your first row. :-) (Don't forget to click on the thumbnails to see a larger pic.)

Row 2: Now you're going to do your first INCREASE row (Well, you could say Row 1 was also an increase row since you had nothing to begin with. hee hee). Chain 6, dc in chains 4, 5 and 6, flip row 1 up (Pull it towards the front in a flipping motion),

Insert hook under the chain-3 of the row 1 "box" (shell or whatever you want to call that grouping), slip stitch to join,

Chain 3, 3 dc under same chain-3 grouping. At this point you have TWO rows of your pattern completed. Congratulations!

(Note: Alternate method: Insert hook under the ch-3 of the row 1 "box", single crochet to join, ch 2, work 3 dc under ch-3 grouping - do whichever you find gives you the desired look. Just do it the same way throughout.)

Now I'm going to throw you a curve. :-)  We're going to change colors. Why? So you will know how if you want to. In my "What about those pesky ends?" tutorial, I show you how to limit the number of ends you have to sew in when you're changing colors every two rows. We're not going to change colors but this one time in this project, just to show you how to do it. In your finished product, you can make many stripes of different colors, use two colors and alternate stripes, make one stripe as in this sample, or make no stripes at all and continue in the same color. The choice is totally yours. Your color pattern makes your project unique, so be imaginative and follow your own drummer. :-) Here's a couple of finished projects using this stitch and changes in color.

preemie afghan

Darby's Diagonal Box Stitch Afghan with labels

DDBSA on a twin size bed

Moving on to the color change...

Drop Color A (the one you're using) and join Color B (new color)

Row 3: Chain 6 using new color. Remember that you did NOT cut your old color. It's just sitting there. I loosely tied the two colors together. You can cut if you want to. If you do cut, be sure you leave at least 4-6" for sewing in later. If you are changing colors less often than every two rows (like every four rows, for example), then you should not carry, but cut. See my tutorial on those pesky ends for more info.

As before you are going to make a dc in the 4th, 5th, and 6th chain, flip rows 1 and 2 upwards

Insert hook under ch-3 of next box (it's actually on the previous row but it's sitting right there next to you now), join with slip stitch, chain 3, 3 dc in same space

Insert hook under ch-3 of box on row 2, join with slip stitch, ch 3, 3 dc in same space. Ta da! Row 3 completed in your new color! Reward yourself with 1/2 cup chocolate ice cream (your choice of brand) with sprinkles on top. :-)

Now we're cooking, ladies and gentlemen. Remember that each time you add a row by doing the ch-6 thing, you are working an INCREASE row, adding rows to your project.

We are now going to begin Row 4, which will go just like Row 3 did.

Row 4: Chain 6, dc in chain 4, 5, 6, flip that sucker up, *join with a sl st, ch 3, 3 dc in same space* repeat from * to * twice. Ta da! You've now completed row 4. No, you don't get more ice cream. Do you want to be big as a house when you've finished? **sigh** :-) Aww, okay, just a few pretzels. They're non-fat. **wink** and will give you energy for the next section.

Remember waaayyy back when we dropped Color A and picked up Color B? Well, Color A is still waiting for us. It's time to pick it up again. I gave you a little bit of misdirection. In order to add the new color you will need to back up on that last dc you just did to complete Row 4. You will make the last dc right up until the last step and then complete it with Color A. 

Row 5: Chain 6, dc in chains 4, 5, 6 (from hook), flip the piece up (sorry the picture is a little bit blurry), *join with a sl st, ch 3, 3 dc in same space* repeat from * to * three times. Row 5 completed.

This page is getting a bit long, so I'm going to break the tutorial into two (or more) pages.

On to page 2...

05/04/2007


 

The buttons above were my first at the Cabana. I keep them for sentimental reasons. :-)

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