Crochet the Strawberry Stitch

Twinkie Chan shows you how to crochet the strawberry stitch, perfect for creating fun 9" x 7" rectangles for Warm Up America. Find the pattern below. This video originally appeared live on January 16, 2020. 

Abbreviations:
sc4tog – single crochet 4 stitches together – insert hook into next st, YO, pull through 1 loop, [insert hook into next st, YO, pull through 1 loop] 3 times, YO and pull through all loops on hook

pc – popcorn stitch – work 5 dc into next st, take hook off loop, reinsert hook into 1st dc from front to back, then put dropped loop back on hook and pull through one loop, making sure the popcorn pops out toward you

Gauge: Using worsted weight yarn and H hook, or whatever size hook needed to obtain gauge, 16 sc x 18 rows = 4" x 4"

Pattern for 9" x 7" rectangle:
With White, ch 32.

Row 1: Sk 1st ch from hook, sc evenly across. – 31 sts

Row 2: Ch 2, turn. [3 dc, drop White and carry it along, join Red, pc, drop Red, carry it along, join Green, sc4tog, ch 1, drop Green, carry it along, pick up White] 7 times. Break off Red and Green. With White, 3 dc. – 31 sts (The pc, sc4tog, and ch1 all count as 1 stitch in the stitch count)

Row 3: Ch 1, turn. Work 1 sc in every dc. When you get to a strawberry, it will look like there are 3 sts to work in: the ch 1, the top of the sc4tog, and the 1st dc of your popcorn stitch, which appears as the only red st on my piece. Work 1 sc in that st, and then continue to work evenly in the dc sts.  – 31 sts

Row 4: Ch 2, turn. Dc, [drop White and carry it along, join Red, pc, drop Red, carry it along, join Green, sc4tog, ch 1, drop Green, carry it along, pick up White, 3 dc] 7 times, drop White and carry it along, join Red, pc, drop Red and break off, pick up Green, sc4tog, ch 1, drop Green, and break off, pick up White, dc in last st. – 31 sts

Row 5: Ch 2, turn. Sc evenly across. – 31 sts

Continue to repeat Rows 3-6 until your project is 7 inches tall.

Break off and weave in all ends.