If you’ve been following my blog for awhile you may have seen several projects where I crochet around fleece fabric. I mostly use this technique in my Lovey Blanket series (LIKE THIS ONE) but crocheting around fleece is also a quick way to put a little flair and personalization into a piece of fabric and quickly transforming it into finished blanket! A great gift for kids and adults. Espiecally since fleece fabric comes in so many prints. I thought it was time to make a detailed tutorial and video on how exactly to crochet around your fabric. You will need to use one important tool: The Skip Stitch Blade. The Skip Stitch Blade (paired with a rotary cutter) creates small holes along the edge of your fabric in which you can insert your hook and use to create an even crochet edge.
The Skip Stitch Blade can be purchased directly from SkipStitch.com. You will need to buy the ORIGINAL #1 blade. This one will create the correct amount of spacing when it cuts holes in your fabric edge. There are other similar blades sold in craft stores and online but don’t be fooled. The others don’t work as well as this one!
Materials:
– Skip Stitch Blade Original #1 <<<< purchase here.
– 45mm Fiskars Rotary Cutter
– Fleece Fabric. Sold at stores like JoAnn Fabrics. You can purchase by the yard.
– Ruler
– Scissors
– Size F, G, or H crochet hook
– Caron Simply Soft Yarn or another Worsted Weight Yarn. Shop for more yarn options at Yarnspirations.com.
– Cutting Mat
If you purchase the skip-stitch blade from my Amazon link below it comes with a rotary cutter. You can purchase the skip stitch blade by itself from THIS LINK.
Watch my video tutorial or see my photo tutorial below!
Lay fabric flat against the cutting mat and place ruler about 1/2-1 inch from edge. Using the ruler as your guide, run Skip Stitch Blade along the fabric. Pressing down firmly.
If you stretch the fabric you should be able to easily see your cut holes. Continue to make cuts around all 4 edges.
You will see some of your corner cuts overlap. That is fine! Choose the one you think is best and leave the other corner holes unworked. It helps to trim the corner pieces off so your fabric doesn’t bunch up when you crochet around it.
Starting at any hole along the edge, SC + chain 1 in each hole. In the corners make a SC + Chain 2 + SC all in one hole.
Round 2: SC in each stitch around.
Round 3: Get creative! Change colors or use different stitches!
I decided to use the shell stitch for my final round. Join yarn, *skip a stitch and make 6 DC all in one stitch, skip a stitch and join with slip stitch to next, Repeat from * around. Try to land on a shell for your corner stitch. If that requires you to not skip a stitch or skip 2 stitches, do it. You won’t be able to tell in the end. Crochet is very forgiving!
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You are such a creative smarty pants!! Love following you, and recreating some of what you make. (Recently made your barn hat for my granddaughter!)
Thank you so much for sharing!
yes! Love love love what you create! so talented!! where did you get those hooks? they’re adorable!!
Love this pattern for crocheting on fleece; would love to print but it doesn’t work. Any suggestions!
JoAnn, when I come across something where there’s not a obvious way to print it, I’ll copy and paste what I want onto a Word document. You can shrink the size of the pictures so they don’t take up so much room, then you can print that off. I hope that helps.
Beautiful! I will need to get one of those rotary cutters with the skip cut. Excellent tutorial. You darling sweetheart has grown so much. Still mammy’s little model!
Thanks Sarah. I adore this technique and your oh so cute zebra fleece! I’ve ordered my blade and can’t wait to get started. You’re the BEST!!! xoxo
Thank you for the video. Now I can make some lovey blankets for my great granddaughters.
Love this! Thank you.
Also.. the little girl in the photo.. is adorable.
Thank you for demonstrating. I’ve been interested in crocheting a border around fabric but was not sure how to or even where to get the blades. This is very helpful.
Do you have to sew a border first? I’ve seen people say it has to have a finished edge prior to the crochet edge. Does it hold up without it?
Fleece does not fray, so you shouldn’t have to turn the edge under.
I love your blog, however there are scripting errors that make it frustrating to use. It could also be the video ads. Even typing this comment to was extremely frustrating. I love the overstuffed owl. Also the crocheting around fleece. I’ll check back.
PS add me to your email list. I couldn’t get it to work on the site.
Michelle
Tried to order the skip stitch and 45mm rotary cutter for my wife. Not available. When will will you have more?
It’s spooky how clever some ppl are. Thknas!
I also tried ordering the skip stitch blade and rotary cutter through your Amazon link, but it says they are out – any alternatives?? Thanks, can’t wait to make this!!
thank so a lota lot for your web site it assists a whole lot
I am having trouble with the fabric ripping between the holes. Are the holes too close together or is my fabric (soft fleece) too fragile?
I wondered the same as i encountered the same problem =(
I have a question…how do you know a fleece won’t tear? i bought this pretty fleece blanket and attempted to crochet a border around it and its just tearing apart 🙁 felt completely devastated!!
I’m new to crochet and loved finding your video today. Many thanks.
How long do you think this would take for a 2yd blanket (for an adult?)
thanks:)
Thank you so much. I didn’t know this took existed!!!
this is great. I am sure the fabric exchange has so many choices of fabric for this kind of project.
Love the zebra lovey and your tutorial. I’m a beginner at crocheting, but I think I can do this with your instruction! Thanks so much.
Will this method work with flannel?
I’m a crochet/sewing beginner . Is that one thickness of fabric? It’s probably too hard to double it.
Have you used this technique with two layers of fleece?
I am new to a lot of these crafts and I felt that you were trying to go too fast. It is difficult to follow . On second round I could not tell where you were putting hook.
Have you tried with double side fleece? To me, single side doesn’t look properly finished, so I bought the blade, but it cut all through, instead of doing holes only, because of the double thickness. Have you experienced this, too? Thank you
Thank you so much for this article