Stitch Library Puff, Bobble and Popcorn Stitches Updated May 28, 2026 This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, I may earn a small commission. Click to see full details of my Privacy Policy. Pin it now, make later!59Shares Are you confused by the Puff, Bobble and Popcorn stitches? Don’t worry, it’s a common frustration. It’s something that I even got wrong when I was first learning. In fact, I thought they were all the same thing! After having a few people contact me about this recently, I thought a tutorial would come in handy to clarify it all for you. You will find the video tutorial at the bottom of this post, but if you prefer to read and look at photos, then I have that covered for you as well!TABLE OF CONTENTS1. Convert Pattern Terms2. FAQs 3. Is this stitch suitable for beginners?4. How do I keep count of my stitches?5. My edges are uneven! What am I doing wrong?6. What should I do if I make a mistake?7. Why do my stitches vary in size? 8. How long does it take to learn a new crochet stitch?9. Building your foundation10. Puff stitch11. Bobble stitch12. Popcorn Stitch13. Wondering if they are yarn eaters?14. Video Tutorials15. Right-handed16. Left-handedVIEW MORE▼ How to Crochet – A Handy Reference Guide eBook Unsure of the differences between UK and US terms? Need a refresher on how to do your stitches? In my ‘How to crochet: A handy reference guide’ EBook I help you with all of these terms and you can always have them to hand! You will also get exclusive access to free video instructions. You can find my EBook HERE. Convert Pattern Terms Here you can quickly switch between UK and US crochet terms. This will make following the pattern easier as all terms will be converted to your preferred version. view in UK terms view in US terms FAQs Is this stitch suitable for beginners? I always say if you like the look of a stitch, try it. If you’re comfortable with basic stitches like chain, double crochet, or treble crochet, you’ll likely pick it up quickly. I also recommend watching the video tutorial alongside following the written pattern. Lastly, take your time, practice slowly, and don’t worry if it feels tricky at first. How do I keep count of my stitches? Using stitch markers can make a huge difference, especially at the beginning and end of rows or rounds. Counting regularly after each row will also help you spot mistakes early before they become harder to fix. If you’re still struggling, add stitch markers after every 5 or 10 stitches. My edges are uneven! What am I doing wrong? Uneven edges usually happen when stitches are accidentally added or missed at the ends of rows. Pay close attention to where the first and last stitches go, and count your stitches often to make sure the total stays consistent. Using stitch markers can help with this. CLICK HERE for more help starting and ending rows with confidence. What should I do if I make a mistake? Mistakes happen to every crocheter! If you notice an error a few stitches back, gently pull out the stitches to the problem area and try again. In the crochet world, we call this frogging, and it’s all part of the learning process. Why do my stitches vary in size? This will be your tension. If you struggle with your tension and find your crochet stitches are inconsistent, or they get tighter or looser, I can help fix this with the golden loop! CLICK HERE to help fix your tension issues. How long does it take to learn a new crochet stitch? Some stitches click immediately, while others take a little more practice. Give yourself time to repeat the stitch pattern slowly, and don’t be afraid to pause and replay tutorials. Practice makes progress. Building your foundation You are viewing this pattern in UK terms. For each of these techniques I have started with an EVEN number of chains and done a row of Double Crochet starting in the 2nd chain from the hook. I have then chained one, turned the work and done another Double crochet in the base of the chain one. This will help to build a straight edge on the side of your work. Each of these stitches will be performed from the wrong side of the work. This means that your stitches will be pushed away from you. (please follow this rule unless a pattern advises you differently) Puff stitch For this stitch you will yarn over and insert the hook into the next stitch. Yarn over and pull through. this process will be repeated 5 times and you will end up with 11 loops on your hook which will be bunched together. Yarn over and pull through all of the loops on the hook. Double crochet into the next stitch. Repeat your puff stitch and double crochet to the end of the row. You will end on a double crochet. You must then chain 1 and turn. Double crochet into the base of the chain one and into every stitch of the row. Chain 1 and turn. You will now repeat the puff stitch row. Bobble stitch For this stitch you will yarn over and insert the hook into the next stitch. Yarn over and pull through, yarn over and pull through two stitches. this process will be repeated 5 times and you will end up with 6 loops on your hook. Yarn over and pull through all of the loops on the hook. Double crochet into the next stitch. Repeat your bobble stitch and double crochet to the end of the row. You will end on a double crochet. You must then chain 1 and turn. Double crochet into the base of the chain one and into every stitch of the row. Chain 1 and turn. You will now repeat the bobble stitch row. Popcorn Stitch For this stitch you will do 5 Treble crochets into the next space. You will pull up on the loop on your hook and carefully remove your hook. Insert your hook into the top of the 1st Treble crochet stitch and back into the last loop (that you have just taken your hook out of) Pull the loop through the treble crochet. Double crochet into the next stitch. Repeat your popcorn stitch and double crochet to the end of the row. You will end on a double crochet. You must then chain 1 and turn. Double crochet into the base of the chain one and into every stitch of the row. Chain 1 and turn. You will now repeat the popcorn stitch row. Now that you have seen them all together, does it make more sense to you? Have you used any of these in a project yet? I included the bobble stitch in my Bobble Stripe Blanket pattern as I just love the texture! Wondering if they are yarn eaters? Well, because they are such textured stitches, they do take up more yarn then your standard granny square would. I have weighed each of the swatches that I have done in order to give you an idea of how much yarn they used. Each swatch measures 11cm x 6cm approx Puff- 7g Bobble- 8g Popcorn- 11g As expected the Puff requires the least and the popcorn requires the most. Please be aware that I will not be able to help you calculate how much yarn you will need for your projects as this will depend entirely on the yarn you use, the hook size and your personal tension. I suggest you make a swatch of your own and calculate from there. I have used Caron Simply Soft which although seems deceptively thin, is actually an Aran weight yarn. It’s currently one of my favourite yarns. Video Tutorials Right-handed Or you can watch on YouTube Left-handed Or you can watch on YouTube KEEP ON making Don’t miss a thing! Sign up to our newsletter, grab a cuppa and find out about the latest posts and projects. First name Email address Thanks! Please check your inbox (and junk) to confirm your subscription! Pin it now, make later!59Shares Further Reading... How to Create a Modern Fringe Border for Your Crochet Projects June 1, 2023 How to Crochet the Diamond Waffle Stitch: FREE Pattern November 1, 2019 Master the Waffle Stitch – Free Crochet Tutorial January 24, 2020 8 Comments Sandie January 14, 2019 at 1:25 pm Very nice explanation of the three stitches. Thank you for including the name of the U.S. stitches. You have a lovely speaking voice, very clear and understandable. I am also quite jealous of your beautiful nails. 🙂 Reply Sarah-Jayne January 17, 2019 at 9:51 pm hehe thank you x Reply Jenny Gebicki March 5, 2019 at 1:18 pm Thank you for this video. Easy to follow content with a great explanation. Reply Julie Teasdale June 23, 2019 at 8:31 pm Love these stitches, thank you so much. Reply Roxie July 18, 2019 at 11:24 pm Thank y for videos your work is awesome I have trouble with tension and uneven stitches Reply June Reid February 23, 2020 at 8:01 am Thank you, I’m improving slowly 🙂 x Reply Donna Lombardo March 8, 2020 at 6:56 pm Great help on these stitches! Thanks so much! Reply Ann March 10, 2021 at 11:36 am Hi Sarah-Jayne Love your tips, patterns , videos and stitches. Very clear and easy to follow. However, is there any chance that you could do printable versions of the instructions of your stitches and patterns? My connection is ver erratic and it often disappears part way through my work, I have to log back in and by then I have lost where I have got to! Reply Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
