How to make the Triple Crochet Stitch and the longer, Double Triple Crochet Stitch. The triple crochet, also called the treble crochet, stitch creates a long, post-like stitch that can add length and elegance to projects. Edging, for baby blankets or shawls, for example, can employ the triple crochet (abbreviated tr) or longer double, triple crochet (dtr) stitch to make adorable ruffles or other pronounced accent. This is truly a useful and style enhancing stitch that needs to be in your skill box!

A few Cali Chic Baby blanket patterns that use the Triple Crochet stitch are listed below:
Angel #41, Hollywood #49, Paris #63, Chocolate Dream #91, Foxy Wrap #109

How to crochet hdc between posts and make a 5-dc bobble in a contrast color. This video supports the Cotton Candy baby blanket pattern #160 and demonstrates how to make the “between posts” half double crochet stitch, as well as how to crochet a 5-dc bobble in a contrasting color.

The video also shows how to clean up the back side of the 5-dc bobble stitches so both the right and wrong sides of the blanket look cute and clean.

Other Cali Chic Baby blanket patterns that use the 5-dc bobble are:
Sugar Baby #12

Crochet Picot Stitches - Two Ways to Make Cute Picot Stitches

How to make Picot stitches using two of my favorite methods: the Slip Stitch Picot and the Single Crochet picot. Many methods are taught for making the picot stitch, but this video will introduce the two easiest ways to crochet a cute picot stitch.

The two methods shown will give you a choice between a smaller, more dainty picot stitch or a larger, more pronounced picot stitch. Either picot design will add a nice decorative accent to your blanket or project edging.

Cali Chic Baby blanket patterns that use the Picot stitch are listed below:
Blossom Bib & Blanket Set #140, Chevron #55, Freesia #143, Sugar Baby #12

2-dc Bobble Stitch Tutorial & How to Change Yarn Colors

How to make the 2-dc Bobble stitch (2 double crochet Bobble stitch) and how to change yarn colors without cutting your yarn. This video supports the Laguna baby blanket pattern #159 and demonstrates a Bobble stitch with only 2 dc… often incorrectly confused with a puff stitch (puff uses hdc only).

Other Cali Chic Baby blanket patterns that use the 2-dc Bobble stitch are listed below:
Claire #144, Elise #146, Grace #149, Fairy #124, Daisy Love #21,
Sugar Baby #12, Silver Spoon #99, Honey Bunny #82

Love Crochet Magazine issue 74

Cali Chic BabyAnother wonderful magazine, “Love Crochet” has included me in their publication! This time it’s a small overview of Cali Chic Baby and my life’s obsession, DIY baby blankets and accessories. Crochet is obviously a wonderful skill that allows me to add all the delicate lace and detail to my blanket edgings and Love Crochet magazines and their online properties is a wonderful way for crocheters everywhere to share that passion. I sell my patterns both on LoveCrochet.com and LoveKnitting.com.

You can see this article in the May 2019 Spring issue #74 that came out in April of 2019.

As crocheters, we are always looking for ways to change up the look or texture of our projects and add a little “spice” sometimes without having to employ crochet acrobatics. Well the single crochet in back loop only (scBLO) stitch is one of those easy ingredients to spice up a design. The result of going through just the back loop, rather than both loops, to complete your single crochet stitch creates a “ribbing” effect due to the slightly elongated, or stretched stitch. This gives a visible pop as well as a different texture, which I use from time to time in my baby blanket patterns.

Simple Tutorial
Below is the sc in back loop only instructions taken directly from the Cali Chic Baby blanket pattern, Sweet Dreams #24.

single crochet in back loop only

Give this simple stitch a try and see if you if you don’t find it a nice touch in various applications. Soon you will be looking for different places to use it and adding a ribbing effect to many projects!

Before you learn how to crochet easy picot stitches you might first ask, “what are picot stitches?” Picots are cute, little round-shaped crochet stitches that add a decorative touch to any edging. Picots are a way to add a finishing touch all around a baby blanket, for example, without having to crochet a complex border. There is certainly more than one way to go about crocheting a picot stitch but I will offer what I believe to be the easiest way to create them.

Below are the simple instructions of how I prefer to make the picot stitch.

How to make a Picot stitch
Ch 3, insert at arrow, hook yarn and pull through. Follow the photo arrow movements.
crochet easy picot stitches

Another fun stitch that’s easy to do but creates a nice “X” pattern in your work is the crossed double crochet stitch (crossed dc). Below I show a crossed dc stitch with chain between the dc heads as this is an option to less gap in the “X” pattern. The crossed dc stitch will add visual interest and variety to your baby blanket, hat, scarf or any other crochet project needing a little visual pop.

Once you learn this stitch you will be looking for chances to incorporate it! Follow the tutorial steps in the photos to create the easy crossed dc stitch separated by a single chain.

crossed double crochet stitch

Here I offer a short tutorial on changing yarn colors, using the Cali Chic Baby Teddy Bear pattern #58. The example shown applies to any pattern using a double crochet stitch where a new yarn color is being introduced.

Step 1
When row finishes with 2 dc, on second dc you will complete “HALF” the stitch and stop, saving the last yarn over for introducing the NEW white yarn.
changing yarn colors

Step 2
Don’t just drop your brown yarn! Take the brown yarn color and wrap over the crochet hook and hold.
changing yarn colors with dc stitch

Step 3
While holding brown yarn string as shown, bring in NEW white yarn color and pull through entire stitches on crochet hook, completing the row.
changing yarn colors tutorial

Step 4
Then, start your chain 3 for next row, and turn. Note by holding the brown yarn previously it is nicely secured close to the body for use again later with less “gap.”
how to change yarn colors without cutting

US vs UK Crochet Terms
Common US vs UK Crochet Terms & Abbreviations Chart (USA vs UK / AU)*:

Term & Abbreviation
(USA)
Term & Abbreviation
(UK / AU)
chain
ch
chain
ch
slip stitch
sl st
slip stitch
sl st
single crochet
sc
double crochet
dc
half double crochet
hdc
half treble crochet
htr
double crochet
dc
treble crochet
tr
triple crochet
tr
double treble crochet
dtr
double triple crochet
dtr
triple treble crochet
trtr
single crochet 2 together
sc2tog
double crochet 2 together
dc2tog
double crochet 2 together
dc2tog
treble crochet 2 together
tr2tog
half double crochet 2 together
hdc2tog
half treble crochet 2 together
htr2tog
back post single crochet
BPsc
BP+ (sc, dc, hdc, tr, etc.)
back post double crochet
BPdc
BP+ (dc, hdc, tr, etc.)
front post single crochet
FPsc
FP+ (sc, dc, hdc, tr, etc.)
front post double crochet
FPdc
FP+ (dc, hdc, tr, etc.)
single crochet back loop only
scBLO
(sc, dc, hdc, tr, etc.) + BLO
double crochet back loop only
dcBL
(dc, hdc, tr, etc.) + BL
single crochet front loop only
scFLO
(sc, dc, hdc, tr, etc.) + FLO
double crochet front loop only
dcFL
(dc, hdc, tr, etc.) + FLO
half double crochet third loop only
hdcTLO
half treble crochet third loop only
htrTL
crossed double crochet
crdc
space (ch space)
sp (ch sp)
space
sp
yarn over
yo
yarn over hook
yoh
skip
sk
miss
gaugetension

*Reference only based on an aggregate of crochet terms and comparison sources.