December 12, 2024

How to Extended Moss Stitch in Crochet

I love a good textured crochet stitch, and the crochet Extended Moss Stitch fits the bill. If you love the regular crochet moss stitch, you are going to love this stitch! This crochet stitch is sometimes called the Double Crochet Moss Stitch, since we use double crochet stitch to created this stitch. This stitch is a 2 row repeat stitch for the most part once you get to Row 3. Ready to learn? Let’s grab a hook and some yarn and get crocheting!

First, check out our video tutorial on our You Tube Channel! Subscribe to get the latest crochet fun from Hope Corner Farm Crochet!

Jump to Video Tutorial

Jump to Written Instructions Only

Materials Needed:

This tutorial uses US Crochet Terms

Crochet hook of choice (I am using a size J 6.0mm crochet hook for this tutorial)

Yarn of choice (I am using a medium weight, size 4 yarn in this tutorial)

Crochet Terms and Abbreviations Used:

Crochet Chain Stitch (Ch)

Foundation Single Crochet Stitch (FSC)

Half Double Crochet Stitch (HDC)

Double Crochet Stitch (DC)

Single Crochet Stitch (SC)

Row 1 – Extended Moss Stitch in Crochet:

This crochet stitch can be started in 2 different ways. Either option will make up Row 1. Here are the options:

Either start by chaining an EVEN number. Then you will place a single crochet stitch in the second chain from the crochet hook. Continue placing a single crochet stitch in EACH remaining chain. This will leave you with an ODD number stitch count (which is what we want).

Place a single crochet stitch in the 2nd chain from the crochet hook

Row of single crochet stitches in the chain

OR you can begin by Foundation Single Crocheting an ODD number.

Row 2:

First, the key to this row is knowing where the stitches go. Row 2 is written as follows: Begin by chaining 1 and turning. Place a DC in the same stitch. DC in the next. Ch 1, then skip the next stitch. (DC in the next stitch, Ch 1, skip the next stitch) until there are 3 stitches remaining in the row. Place one DC in the last 2 stitches. I will walk through the steps in detail below.

Now we will start the step by step photo tutorial for Row 2. To start Row 2 begin by chaining 1 and turning your work. Please note that the chain 1 DOES NOT count as a stitch for this row!

Row 1 of the crochet extended moss stitch

Next, place a double crochet stitch in the same stitch.

Now, place a DC in the next stitch and then chain 1. Skip the next stitch.

Next, repeat the following across the row: DC, Ch 1, skip next. Repeat until there are 3 stitches remaining for the row (including the last skipped stitch).

Row 2 of the extended moss stitch in crochet

Now, place one double crochet stitch in each of the last 2 stitches. This completes Row 2.

Completed row 2 of the extended moss stitch in crochet

Extended Moss Stitch – Row 3:

To start, this is how Row 3 is written: Begin by chaining 1 and turning. Place a HDC in the same. chain 1. Skip next. Loosely DC into the skipped stitch from the previous row (make sure to enclose the chain 1 stitch from the previous row into the DC). Chain 1. Skip the next stitch. (Loosely DC into the skipped stitch from the previous row. Chain 1. Skip next). Repeat until there is 1 stitch left after the last skipped stitch (it will look like there are 2 stitches left, but we skip 1). HDC in the last stitch of the row.

Row 3 Photo Tutorial:

Begin Row 3 by chaining 1 and turning your work.

Starting row 3 of the extended moss stitch in crochet

Now, place a half double crochet stitch in the same stitch, then chain 1. Skip the next stitch.

First stitch placement for the extended crochet moss stitch

Next, to work the loose DC and fully enclose the chain 1 from the last row, begin by yarning over. We will insert the hook into the skipped stitch from the previous row.

Now, insert the hook into the skipped stitch from the previous row. Make sure that the hook comes out on the backside of the work.

How to insert the crochet hook to enclose the chain 1 space

Next yarn over and pull through the stitch, keeping the yarn a little looser and longer than normal. Pull all of the way through back to the frontside of the work. There will be 3 loops of yarn on the crochet hook at this point.

Yarn over and pull the yarn back through the work

Now, yarn over and pull through 2 of the loops of yarn on the crochet hook. There will be 2 loops left at this point.

Yarn over and pull through 2 loops of yarn on the crochet hook

Finally, to complete the loose DC in the skipped stitch, yarn over and pull through both loops of yarn on the hook. This completes the DC. After that, chain 1.

Correctly enclosing the chain 1 space inside of the double crochet stitch

Now, (DC, Ch 1, skip next stitch) across the row until there are 2 stitches remaining after the last skipped stitch (it will look like there are 2 stitches at the end.

Where to place the last 2 stitches of this row of crochet extended moss stitches

Crochet stitch placement for the last 2 stitches of crochet

Completed row 3 of the extended crochet moss stitch

Row 4 – Written Instructions:

Now, Row 4 is the last “new” row for this stitch. After Row 4 we begin repeating and alternating rows 3 & 4.

Begin Row 4 by chaining 1 and turning your work. Work a HDC into the same stitch. Immediately loosely DC into the skipped stitch from the previous row. (Chain 1 and then skip the next stitch. DC in skipped stitch from previous row) across. HDC in last.

Stitch placement for this row of crochet stitches

Photo Tutorial – Row 4:

Now, start by chaining 1 and turning.

Next, HDC in the first stitch.

Place a half double crochet stitch in the first stitch

Now, immediately DC (loosely) into the skipped stitch from the previous row.

Where to place the first double crochet stitch of the row

Next you will (Chain 1 and skip the next stitch and then DC loosely into the skipped stitch from the last row) across the row until there is 1 stitch left. HDC in the last stitch.

Where to place the final half double crochet stitch

Completed row 4 of the extended crochet moss stitch

Finishing After Row 3:

Now, when you are ready to finish the top of your project using the Extended Moss Crochet Stitch, this row is worked a little differently.

Firstly keep in mind that instead of chaining 1 and skipping a stitch, you instead single crochet.

Start by chaining 1 and turning. Place a SC in the first stitch. Loosely DC into the skipped stitch from the last row (make sure to enclose the chain 1 from the last row). (Single Crochet in next, loosely DC into the skipped stitch from the last row) across until there is 1 stitch left. SC in last.

Crochet Stitch placement for the finishing row after row 3

Finishing row after row 3 in the extended crochet moss stitch

Extended Moss Stitch in Crochet – Finishing After Row 4:

Now, to finish after Row 4, it is the same idea. Instead of chaining 1 and skipping a stitch, you place a single crochet stitch.

Firstly chain 1 and turn. Place a single crochet stitch in each of the first 2 stitches. (DC loosely into the skipped stitch from the last row. Single crochet in next) across until there are 2 stitches left. Place a single crochet in each of the last 2 stitches.

Where to work the finishing crochet stitches

Finishing Row after row 4 of the crochet extended moss stitch

Row of Single Crochet Stitches:

Lastly, I like to put a row of single crochet stitches across the top of the work AFTER completing the finishing row. This is a total personal preference, but I like how it looks. To do this, start by chaining 1 and turning. Place one SC in each stitch across.

Tip for Success:

Finally, one of the keys to success for this crochet stitch is making sure that we are fully enclosing the chain 1 stitch from the previous rows inside of the double crochet stitch. If that chain 1 is not enclosed, we will end up with a weird 2-row looking top, instead of a nice thick stitch that looks the same on both sides. See the photos below.

The wrong way to insert the crochet hook for the extended crochet moss stitch

The incorrect way to work the double crochet stitch

The chain 1 space fully enclosed in the double crochet stitch

Video Tutorial for How to Extended Moss Stitch in Crochet:

Written Instructions Only:

First start by EITHER Foundation Single Crochet Stitching an ODD number OR chaining and EVEN number and then placing a single crochet in the second chain from the hook. SC in each remaining chain. Either version counts as ROW 1.

Row 2:

Now start by chaining 1 and turning. DC in the same stitch. (DC in next, chain 1, skip next) across until there are 3 stitches (including the skipped stitch) left. DC in the last 2 stitches.

Row 3:

Next begin by chaining 1 and turning. HDC in the same stitch. Chain 1. Loosely DC (fully enclosing the chain 1 from the last row) into the skipped stitch from the previous row. Chain 1, skip the next. (DC into the skipped stitch from the last row, chain 1, skip next) across until there is 1 stitch remaining (after the skipped stitch). HDC in last.

Row 4:

Now chain 1 and turn. HDC in the same. Loosely DC (enclosing the chain 1 from the last row) into the skipped stitch from the last row. (Chain 1, skip next, loosely DC into skipped) across the row until there is 1 stitch left. HDC in last.

Finishing After Row 3:

Next, chain 1 and turn. SC in same. Loosely DC in the skipped stitch from the previous row. (SC in next, loosely DC into skipped stitch from last row) across the row. SC in last.

Finishing After Row 4:

Now, chain 1 and turn. SC in the first 2 stitches. (DC loosely into the skipped stitch from the last row, SC in next) across the row. SC in last.

Row of Single Crochets:

Lastly, I like to put a row of single crochet stitches after the finishing row. This is a total person preference, but I like how it looks. To do this, chain 1, and turn. Place one single crochet stitch in each stitch across.