How to Crochet a Shell Border: Easy Stitch Tutorial

This easy stitch tutorial will show you step by step how to crochet a shell border that looks absolutely stunning, especially on a baby blanket. This crochet shell stitch might look a bit difficult at a first glance but it’s actually quite easy once you break it down round by round. It’s even suitable for crochet beginners because you just need to use a few basic stitches.

What I love about this pattern is that you can easily customise it and have a simpler or wider shell edging border. All you have to do is either reduce the number of rounds or add more rounds. It’s as simple as that! 🙂

Before you get started, I should point out that in order for this pattern to work, the number of stitches on each side of your crochet blanket must equal a multiple of 6 plus 1.

When counting your stitches, start with the corner space (or corner stitch) at one end, then count all the way across and include the corner space (corner stitch) at the other end too.

How to Crochet a Shell Border – Before You Get Started

Materials and equipment

Recommended yarn weight:

– Fine Sport #2 = 4 ply

– Light worsted #3 = DK/8 ply

– Medium #4 = worsted weight yarn

Recommended type of yarn fibre:

– 100% cotton yarn

– 100% acrylic yarn

– or a blend of cotton + acrylic / cotton + bamboo

Yarn colour:

– I would recommend changing to a new colour for the shell stitches because it will help the border stand out and will add a nice touch to your blanket

Crochet hook size:

– check the yarn label for the recommended crochet hook size

Abbreviations Used

This crochet border pattern is written using US terms

– ST: stitch

– SC: single crochet stitch

– DC: double crochet stitch

– CH: chain

– STR CH: starting chain

– CR SP: corner space

– SL ST: slip stitch

– INV FO: invisible fasten off

– (…..) x 6: repeat the pattern inside the brackets by the given number (in this example, repeat the pattern in the brackets 6 times)

How to Crochet a Shell Border

There are of course many different ways how to add a beautiful shell border to a crochet blanket. But this is the one I used when working on my crochet pig lovey pattern and I fell in love with it! It’s quick and easy to make and very repetitive, which I personally like because I can just switch off and enjoy the ride. 🙂

In this tutorial, I will be adding the double crochet stitch shells border to a square lovey blanket that I made using double crochet stitches. My blanket has 55 stitches (including the corner spaces) on each side.

Written Stitch Pattern

R1:

In this round, you will create double crochet shells all around your blanket (Pic 2). Each shell will consist of 7 double crochet stitches.

If you would like a simpler shell border then you can stop and fasten off after this round. This simple border will look lovely on a blanket made for a baby boy.

Side 1: SC into CR SP, (skip 2 STs, 7x DC in next ST (Pic 1), skip 2 STs, SC in next ST) x 8 or until you reach the end of this side, skip 2 STs, 7x DC in next ST, skip 2 STs

Side 2: SC into CR SP, (skip 2 STs, 7x DC in next ST, skip 2 STs, SC in next ST) x 8 or until you reach the end of this side, skip 2 STs, 7x DC in next ST, skip 2 STs

Side 3: SC into CR SP, (skip 2 STs, 7x DC in next ST, skip 2 STs, SC in next ST) x 8 or until you reach the end of this side, skip 2 STs, 7x DC in next ST, skip 2 STs

Side 4: SC into CR SP, (skip 2 STs, 7x DC in next ST, skip 2 STs, SC in next ST) x 8 or until you reach the end of this side, skip 2 STs, 7x DC in next ST, skip 2 STs, SL ST into the first stitch you made into CR SP at the beginning of this round

R2:

In this round, you will crochet a ‘chain frame’ around the first round of shells (Pic 4). This ‘chain frame’ will consist of series of chains and chain spaces, which will in a way serve as a foundation chain for the next round of shells. But don’t worry, it will all become clear when you watch my video tutorial. 🙂

New corner: CH 4, 1x DC in ST at the base of the chain, CH 3, 1x DC in same ST, CH 1, 1x DC in same ST (Pic 3)

Side 1: (CH 5, skip 7 STs, 1x DC in next ST (this ST is the SC you made in between the shells), CH 1, 1x DC in same ST) x 8 or until you reach the end of this side, CH 5

New corner: 1x DC in the SC you made into CR SP, CH 1, 1x DC in same ST, CH 3, 1x DC in same ST, CH 1, 1x DC in same ST

Side 2: (CH 5, skip 7 STs, 1x DC in next ST (this ST is the SC you made in between the shells), CH 1, 1x DC in same ST) x 8 or until you reach the end of this side, CH 5

New corner: 1x DC in the SC you made into CR SP, CH 1, 1x DC in same ST, CH 3, 1x DC in same ST, CH 1, 1x DC in same ST

Side 3: (CH 5, skip 7 STs, 1x DC in next ST (this ST is the SC you made in between the shells), CH 1, 1x DC in same ST) x 8 or until you reach the end of this side, CH 5

New corner: 1x DC in the SC you made into CR SP, CH 1, 1x DC in same ST, CH 3, 1x DC in same ST, CH 1, 1x DC in same ST

Side 4: (CH 5, skip 7 STs, 1x DC in next ST (this ST is the SC you made in between the shells), CH 1, 1x DC in same ST) x 8 or until you reach the end of this side, CH 5, SL ST into 3rd CH of STR CH

R3:

This round will be another round of the shells (Pic 6), which you will crochet into the ‘chain frame’ we created in the previous round.

Side 4: the first shell you will now create will be in fact the last shell on Side 4 – CH 3 (this will cound as yor first DC), 6x DC into CH1 space

Side 1: SC into CH3 space = CR SP, 7x DC into CH1 space, SC into the top of 4th DC in the next shell from R1, (7x DC into CH1 space (Pic 5), SC into the top of 4th DC in the next shell from R1) x 8 or until you reach the end of this side, 7x DC into CH1 space

Side 2: SC into CH3 space = CR SP, (7x DC into CH1 space, SC into the top of 4th DC in the next shell from R1) x 9 or until you reach the end of this side, 7x DC into CH1 space

Side 3: SC into CH3 space = CR SP, (7x DC into CH1 space, SC into the top of 4th DC in the next shell from R1) x 9 or until you reach the end of this side, 7x DC into CH1 space

Side 4: SC into CH3 space = CR SP, (7x DC into CH1 space, SC into the top of 4th DC in the next shell from R1) x 9 or until you reach the end of this side, SL ST into 3rd CH of STR CH

R4:

In this round, you will crochet yet another ‘chain frame’ ready for the last round of shells you will create in R5 (Pic 8).

Side 4: you will again start towards the end of side 4, CH 4, 1x DC into the last SC in R3 – this is the stitch that sits before your starting chain, CH5

New corner: 1x DC in the SC you made into CR SP, CH 1, 1x DC in same ST, CH 3, 1x DC in same ST, CH 1, 1x DC in same ST (Pic 7)

Side 1: (CH 5, skip 7 STs, 1x DC in next ST (this ST is the SC you made in between the shells), CH 1, 1x DC in same ST) x 9 or until you reach the end of this side, CH 5

New corner: 1x DC in the SC you made into CR SP, CH 1, 1x DC in same ST, CH 3, 1x DC in same ST, CH 1, 1x DC in same ST

Side 2: (CH 5, skip 7 STs, 1x DC in next ST (this ST is the SC you made in between the shells), CH 1, 1x DC in same ST) x 9 or until you reach the end of this side, CH 5

New corner: 1x DC in the SC you made into CR SP, CH 1, 1x DC in same ST, CH 3, 1x DC in same ST, CH 1, 1x DC in same ST

Side 3: (CH 5, skip 7 STs, 1x DC in next ST (this ST is the SC you made in between the shells), CH 1, 1x DC in same ST) x 9 or until you reach the end of this side, CH 5

New corner: 1x DC in the SC you made into CR SP, CH 1, 1x DC in same ST, CH 3, 1x DC in same ST, CH 1, 1x DC in same ST

Side 4: (CH 5, skip 7 STs, 1x DC in next ST (this ST is the SC you made in between the shells), CH 1, 1x DC in same ST) x 9 or until you reach the end of this side, CH 5, SL ST into 3rd CH of STR CH

R5:

This will be your last round of shells (Pic 10). But if you would like to make your border wider you can just continue alternating between a round of shell and a ‘chain frame’ until you reach the size you are happy with.

Side 4: the next two shells you will create will be the last two shells on Side 4 – (CH 3 – this will cound as yor first DC, 6x DC into CH1 space, SC into the top of 4th DC in the next shell from R3, 7x DC into CH1 space (Pic 9)

Side 1: SC into CH3 space = CR SP, 7x DC into CH1 space, SC into the top of 4th DC in the next shell from R3, (7x DC into CH1 space, SC into the top of 4th DC in the next shell from R3) x 9 or until you reach the end of this side, 7x DC into CH1 space

Side 2: SC into CH3 space = CR SP, (7x DC into CH1 space, SC into the top of 4th DC in the next shell from R3) x 10 or until you reach the end of this side, 7x DC into CH1 space

Side 3: SC into CH3 space = CR SP, (7x DC into CH1 space, SC into the top of 4th DC in the next shell from R3) x 10 or until you reach the end of this side, 7x DC into CH1 space

Side 4: SC into CH3 space = CR SP, (7x DC into CH1 space, SC into the top of 4th DC in the next shell from R3) x 10 or until you reach the end of this side, SL ST into 3rd CH of STR CH, INV FO – watch this step by step video tutorial on How to crochet invisible fasten off

How to Crochet a Shell Border – Watch the Video Tutorial

Watch this video tutorial that will show you step by step how to crochet a shell border when working on a crochet blanket. I have included both right handed and left handed versions for you.

And don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel to receive an update every time I publish a new video.

Right handed video

Left handed video

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