Puff Stitch Crochet: How to Make Soft, Even Puffs
A puff stitch is a few loose loops pulled up in one stitch and closed together. Learn the steps, the secret to even puffs (loop height), a practice swatch, and where puff stitch shines — blankets, beanies and baby items.
Pattern at a glance
US terms- Skill level
- Easy
- Yarn
- Worsted (#4) acrylic or cotton blend, about 35 yd for a swatch
- Hook
- 5 mm (H-8)
- Time
- About 30 minutes
- Finished size
- Swatch about 4½ × 4 in (11 × 10 cm)
You'll need
- Worsted (#4) yarn — about 35 yd
- 5 mm (H-8) hook
- Tapestry needle
In this post
A crochet puff stitch is made by pulling up several long loops in the same stitch and closing them all together. For a 3-loop puff: yarn over, insert, pull up a loop — three times — then yarn over and pull through all seven loops. The secret to neat puffs is pulling every loop up to the same height, about as tall as a half double crochet.
The rest of this post is just below — free, as always.
How to make a puff stitch
- Yarn over, insert the hook into the stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop to about ¾ in tall (3 loops on hook).
- Yarn over, insert into the same stitch, pull up a loop to the same height (5 loops).
- Yarn over, insert into the same stitch, pull up a loop (7 loops).
- Yarn over and pull through all 7 loops.
- Ch 1 to close the puff (most patterns do this — it gives a neat top to work into).
Can't pull through 7 loops? Hold the base of the loops with your thumb and rotate the hook downward as you pull, or use a hook with a pointier head.
Practice swatch
- Row 1: Ch 18. Hdc in the 3rd ch from the hook and across. Turn. (16)
- Row 2: Ch 2 (doesn't count), *puff in the next st, ch 1, skip 1* 8 times. Turn. (8 puffs)
- Row 3: Ch 2, hdc in each puff and each ch-1 space across. Turn. (16)
- Rows 4–11: Repeat Rows 2–3.
For a softer, all-over puff fabric, skip the hdc rows: on every row, work the puffs into the ch-1 spaces between the puffs below.
Puff stitch variations
| Variation | How | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Small puff | 2 loops (5 on hook) | Baby items, fine yarn |
| Classic puff | 3 loops (7 on hook) | Most patterns |
| Big puff | 4–5 loops | Chunky blankets |
| Puff in spaces | Work each puff into a ch-1 space instead of a stitch | All-over puff blankets |
Compare with the rounder, more raised bobble stitch.
Where puff stitch shines
- A squishy chunky blanket or baby blanket.
- A band of puffs on a wall hanging.
- The crown of a beanie.
Common questions
Why are my puff stitches uneven?
The loops are different heights. Pull each loop up to the same height before the next yarn over, and don't tighten the first loop when you add the second.
What is the difference between a puff and a bobble?
A puff is made of loose loops pulled through all at once; a bobble is made of several unfinished double crochets. Puffs are softer and flatter; bobbles are rounder.
Does puff stitch use a lot of yarn?
Yes — roughly twice as much as half double crochet over the same area.
What will you make with puff stitch? ☁️
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