How to Do the Moss Stitch & Modify it for Amigurumi

When I first started crocheting the Moss Stitch quickly became one of my favorites because it’s super simple and it looks so beautiful. I used it to make wash clothes, a place mat and even a scarf or two. But when it comes to amigurumi, stitch patterns like the Moss Stitch don’t seem to have a place. That doesn’t have to be the case though! Let’s talk about how to do the Moss Stitch & modify it for amigurumi.

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How to Do the Moss Stitch & Modify it for Amigurumi

What is the Moss Stitch?

The Moss Stitch is a stitch pattern, meaning that it’s composed of 2 or more basic stitches in a repeated manner. In this case, it uses single crochet stitches and chains and the repeat is only 2 rows.

If you’ve never tried this stitch before or just want a refresher, I recommend following along and making a small sample swatch. Swatches are great for practicing stitch patterns and getting a feel for how your tension can affect the outcome. Below I’ve listed some materials and abbreviations you’ll need to get started.

Materials

These are the materials I used for my samples, but you can use any yarn with the correct corresponding hook.

• Animation (DK weight, 100% cotton from We Crochet) -affiliate link
• 2.5mm hook
• Scissors
• Stitch marker (only for the amigurumi sample)

Abbreviations

• Ch – chain
• Sc – single crochet
• Sk – skip
• Ch sp – chain space
• St – stitch

Want to follow along with the video version of this tutorial? Check it out below:

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Moss Stitch: Worked Flat

To start your sample, you’ll need to chain an EVEN number of stitches. You don’t needle to worry about having it be a specific multiple or anything, just do any even number. Below are the instructions as written for my sample.

Ch 16

Row 1: starting in the second ch from the hook, sc across. (15)

The Moss Stitch is worked over an ODD number of stitches, so make sure to work into the second ch from the hook because that first chain doesn’t count.

Also, the ch 1 when you turn for each row does NOT count as a stitch. However, the ch 1 stitches after that do count as stitches.

Row 2: ch 1, turn, [sc, ch 1, sk 1 st] 7 times, sc. (15)

From here onward, we’ll be be working into the chain spaces created when we chained 1 and skipped a stitch. Row 3 is also the start of the 2 row repeat that creates the Moss Stitch.

Row 3: ch 1, turn, sc, [sc in ch sp, ch 1, sk 1 st] 6 times, sc in ch sp, sc. (15)

Row 4: ch 1, turn, sc, [ch 1, sk 1 st, sc in ch sp] 6 times, ch 1, sk 1 st, sc. (15)

Now you can just repeat Rows 3 and 4 as many times as you like.

Moss Stitch: In the Round

For my sample, I started with a magic ring of 6 single crochet and increased evenly for several rounds until I reached 60 stitches. Then I added an additional increase on my last increase round to make the stitch count 61. The reason for this is that the Moss Stitch needs to be worked over an ODD number of stitches. Your sample doesn’t have to be as big as mine. You could create more of a cone shape for your sample, increasing by 3 instead of 6. This would give you several odd numbered rows to work with.

However you choose to start your sample, once you reach a row with an odd number of stitches, start the ‘set up’ round (which I’ll just call Rnd 1 in the following example).

Rnd 1: [sc, ch 1, sk 1 st] 30 times, sc. (61)

NOTE: The purple stitch marker marks the start of my round. The blue stitch marker doesn’t matter to this tutorial. I was experimenting for an upcoming pattern where that placement will be used.

From here onward, we’ll be be working into the chain spaces created when we chained 1 and skipped a stitch. Row 2 is also the start of the 2 row repeat that creates the Moss Stitch.

Rnd 2: [ch 1, sk 1 st, sc in ch sp] 30 times, ch 1, sk 1 st. (61)

Rnd 3: [sc in ch sp, ch 1, sk 1 st] 30 times, sc in ch sp. (61)

Now you can repeat rounds 2 and 3 as many times as you like.

Using the Moss Stitch for Amigurumi: Things to Know

Great for Specific Uses

This beautiful stitch can create a great texture variation on your projects, but unfortunately it’s not suited for everything. Because of the alternating chains, single crochets, and rows, adding any shaping (i.e. increases or decreases) can through the stitch pattern off. So the Moss Stitch is best used in rows/rnds where you’re working in straight, single crochet rows, like the sides of a tube.

Gaps

Another factor is that since we’re chaining 1 and skipping stitches, there are inevitably gaps in the stitches. This can mean that stuffing will show through your project depending on how firmly you stuff it. You can combat this by either stuffing less firmly or by inserting a nylon stocking (of similar color to your yarn) and putting the stuffing inside that.

Tension

When making amigurumi, you generally want tighter stitches, however if you chain tightly, it can make your fabric smaller. This means if you’re incorporating the Moss Stitch into a project, you’ll need to keep an eye on your tension as you chain. You could also go up a hook size while doing the Moss Stitch section and then return to the previous size for the rest of the project.

Yarn Over for the Moss Stitch

If you use yarn under single crochet (or any other variation like YU/YO), you’ll need to switch to regular, yarn over single crochet for the moss stitch. The yarn over method created V shaped stitches which are essential to the woven look of the Moss Stitch. If you continue to yarn under while doing this stitch, it’s not going to have the same look.

Summary

In this article we covered not only how to make the Moss Stitch, but also how to modify the repeats for amigurumi and some tips for using it in your amigurumi projects. Have you ever used this stitch, either flat or in the round? Share your experiences in the comments below!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorial and are inspired to use the Moss Stitch in new and exciting ways! Make sure you’re subscribed to my newsletter so you never miss a new article, pattern or special event!

If you liked this article, here’s a few more you might enjoy:

• Textured Stitches Made Easy: The Crocodile Stitch
• 4 Useful Crochet Stitches to Add to Your Amigurumi Tool Box
• How to Make Loop Stitches for Amigurumi

Have a beautiful day and happy stitching!