‘FIELD TRIP’ FUN

One of the advantages of having a local crochet club is that you get to go out to lunch and on field trips with other crochet addicts. Another local group is also having their second ‘pajama party’ soon. This field trip was enjoyed by me (jd), Ronnie, Cindy, and Norma from MO and Lee, Vicki, and Debbie from Illinois. We all first met via Crochet Partners on the internet, some as long ago as 1999 when I first had the idea to ask others to join me in a crochet club.

Yesterday (June2), our little group trekked across the Mississippi River to what is known as the Metro East area of St. Louis. We used to do this more often when we didn’t have our own Hobby Lobby stores and we had to drive those 30+ miles to the nearest one. We started a tradition of eating and shopping. This tradition endures despite the current accessibility of Hobby Lobby (I can walk to one!). But, this particular occasion was a gathering to bid adieu to one of our Illinois members, Lee, who is moving to the Washington, D.C. area. The good news for the rest of us is that since Lee has kids in the area, we know she’ll be around here again and we’ll all get together again.

We ate, had a bit of show and tell (Ronnie’s bags and Debbie’s layette were stand-outs), and Vicki gave all of us green ink pens to which she had attached her own tiny crocheted orchids.

So, what did we do on this trip? The three gals from Illinois and four of us from St. Louis met at our usual haunt, Lottawatta Creek, for lunch. If you want portions that will feed a family of four, mostly fried, this is the place for you! It’s pretty tasty stuff, if too much to eat. Then we stuffed ourselves into two cars to drive to the nearby strip mall which houses HL and Joann’s. We all belong to HL’s online site and to Joann’s mailers, so we had our coupons in hand. The good news about Joann’s is that they accept competitor’s coupons so my 50% Michael’s coupon was good too.

This is what I bought with one of my 40% off coupons:

With 6 of us and 5 shopping carts, we strolled the yarn aisles, checking out hooks, patterns, freebies, etc. Cindy (who has lately forsaken crochet for quilting) had to cruise the fabric aisles too. And, of course, there are related things like jewelry, scrapbooking, and buttons which had to be inspected. We didn’t break the bank, but did come away with a nice haul.

And, of course, after all that heavy shopping we had to go out for dessert. We discovered Russell Stover’s Candy store also had ice cream, another group favorite. After we sated our desire for sugar and fat, we headed back to our own vehicles at Lottawatta Creek, and headed off in all directions for home.

Learning a crochet stitch is much more satisfying when you have an actual project waiting at the end of it. The Suzette stitch is especially versatile because its dense, softly textured fabric works for everything from practical cotton washcloths to cosy scarves, hats and blankets.

Here are some Suzette stitch crochet patterns worth adding to your project list.

Suzette Stitch Baby Blanket

The free Suzette Stitch Baby Blanket pattern from Premier Yarns uses the stitch to create a softly textured crochet blanket with a subtle tweed-like appearance.

This would make a lovely handmade baby shower gift, particularly when worked in a washable baby yarn. The stitch creates more visual interest than plain single crochet without introducing large holes that may catch tiny fingers.

Easy Suzette Stitch Blanket

The Suzette Stitch Blanket pattern by Stitching Together is another approachable blanket project for crocheters who enjoy a relaxing stitch repeat.

This is the sort of project you can keep beside the sofa and work on a few rows at a time. Just keep an eye on those skipped stitches—television crochet is wonderful until an extra stitch quietly sneaks in three episodes earlier.

Casey Suzette Stitch Scarf

The free Casey Scarf crochet pattern uses the Suzette stitch through most of the design, producing a cosy scarf with a softly scalloped, zigzag-like texture.

It is a good first wearable project for beginners because scarves do not require complicated shaping. You can also adjust the length fairly easily or use a self-striping yarn and let the colour changes do the decorative work for you.

Quick Suzette Crochet Scarf

For another scarf option, try this free Suzette Stitch Scarf pattern from Hooked by Robin.

The designer includes written instructions and a video tutorial, making it helpful for visual learners who prefer watching the stitch placement before beginning. It is designed as a quick project and would make a practical last-minute handmade gift.

Suzette Colour Block Scarf

The free Suzette Colour Block Scarf pattern is a cheerful option for using several coordinating yarn colours.

Colour blocking also makes this a handy stash-busting crochet project. You can use leftover yarn from other makes, although it is worth choosing yarns of the same weight and similar fibre content so the sections behave themselves after washing.

Chunky Suzette Stitch Beanie

The free Chunky Suzette Stitch Beanie crochet pattern turns the textured stitch into a warm winter hat.

Chunky yarn helps the pattern work up quickly and makes the raised texture especially noticeable. This would be a useful project for craft stalls, charity donations or quick handmade Christmas gifts.

Hazel Textured Crochet Beanie

The free Hazel Beanie crochet pattern combines simple ribbing with the Suzette stitch.

The ribbed brim gives the hat a neat, finished appearance while the Suzette stitch adds texture to the main body. It looks more complicated than a basic crochet beanie but is still built from familiar beginner stitches.

Suzette Stitch Washcloth

For a small practice project, try the free Suzette Stitch Wash Cloth pattern from The Purple Poncho.

A washcloth is one of the best ways to practise a new crochet stitch because it is small, useful and not terribly demanding. Even if the first one is slightly wonky, it will still wash perfectly well.

Use a smooth cotton yarn so the cloth is absorbent and the stitch texture remains clearly visible.

Suzette Ridge Crochet Washcloth

The free Suzette Ridge Crochet Washcloth pattern adds another layer of texture to this familiar stitch combination.

Make several in coordinating colours and pair them with handmade soap for an easy spa-style gift. They are also useful little projects for testing unfamiliar cotton yarn before committing to a larger set.

Corner-to-Corner Suzette Stitch Washcloth

The free C2C Suzette Stitch Washcloth pattern gives the stitch a slightly different construction by working it from corner to corner.

This is a good next project after you have mastered ordinary flat rows. It lets you explore increasing and decreasing while still using the familiar Suzette stitch combination.

Suzette Stitch Afghan Square

The Suzette Stitch Afghan Square pattern turns the textured stitch into a smaller crochet block.

Afghan squares are useful for charity blankets, sampler blankets and portable crochet projects. You can make the squares individually, use up leftover yarn and join everything together once you have enough—although “enough” has been known to become a surprisingly flexible number in my craft room.

More Suzette Stitch Crochet Pattern Ideas

Once you are comfortable with the basic stitch, you can also use it to make:

Crochet mug cosies
Ear warmers and headbands
Fingerless gloves
Cushion covers
Tote bags
Baby rompers
Crochet cardigans
Lap blankets
Double-thick potholders

You can browse additional Suzette stitch crochet patterns on Etsy, including sweaters, baby blankets, beanies, mug cosies and accessories from independent crochet designers.

When choosing a pattern, check whether it uses US or UK crochet terminology. Also check whether it uses the traditional Suzette stitch—one single crochet and one double crochet worked into the same stitch—or a designer’s variation of it. That quick check can prevent a great deal of confused unraveling later.

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