The list of dense stitches for crochet bag goes on and after the Waistcoat stitch and Canestro, it’s the turn of the Camel Stitch. It’s easy, it’s beautiful, it’s versatile and it’s as dense as it gets. It’s called camel stitch and it’s one more dense stitch Ideal to be used to create beautiful crochet bags. The most known version of the camel stitch is a variation of the half double crochet. The version that I prefer is a variation of the single crochet. The reason is that it produces a much denser fabric and a more solid appearance knit-like appearance.
Being a variation of single crochet the sc camel stitch is a stand-alone stitch. This means that it does not require any specific number of chains, and it can be worked in even and odd numbers. It looks amazing when worked in rounds but it can also be worked in rows. It is solid but it is also very thick and creates a fabric that looks as if it was knitted.
The single crochet camel stitch is a very easy stitch. When working a single crochet stitch, a small horizontal bar is formed at the backside of the stitch right under the upper two loops, where we usually place a regular single crochet. This horizontal bar is the loop where you must insert your hook to place a single crochet camel stitch. The rest is the same as any normal single crochet. You yarn over pull a loop yarn over again and pull through both loops on your hook.
Single crochet camel stitch in the round
Foundation:
Chain any number of chain stitches.
Row 1
Insert into the second chain from your hook and place a regular single crochet. Yarn over pull a loop, and then yarn over again and pull through both loops on your hook. Place one sc in each chain until the last chain stitch.
Round 1 and on
Insert into the horizontal bar at the back of the first sc of the first row and yarn over. Pull a loop yarn over again and pull through both loops on your hook. Place a stitch marker into the first camel stitch. Insert into the bar of the next stitch and place one more single crochet. Repeat until the end of the round.
Single crochet camel stitch in rows
Foundation
Chain any number of chain stitches plus one.
Row 1
Insert into the second chain from your hook and place a regular single crochet. Yarn over pull a loop, and then yarn over again and pull through both loops on your hook. Place one sc in each chain until the last chain stitch. Turn your work.
Row 2 and on
Chain one. Insert into the horizontal bar at the back of the first sc of the first row and yarn over. Pull a loop yarn over again and pull through both loops on your hook. Insert into the bar of the next stitch and place one more single crochet. Repeat until the end of the row and turn your work.
Tips
- Be very mindful of your tension. The sc camel stitch is an extremely dense stitch so it might be a good idea to use one hook size up to ensure that you will be able to insert it into the back bar of each stitch without straining your body.
- This stitch might be impossible to work if your yarn is slippery. So a lustrous slippery kind of cord like a shiny polyester cord would not be my recommendation for the stitch. A mat polyamide or a cotton cord would be an excellent choice to try this yarn without breaking your nerves or hands.
Dos
- The sc camel stitch creates a stripy fabric that looks amazing especially when worked in rounds. Therefore this stitch is a great choice for any type of sporty bag worked in the round like a bucket bag, or a backpack.
- When working the camel stitch the two upper loops of each stitch are left unworked and exposed at the surface of your fabric. You can fill these unworked loops with a hairy type of yarn like the eyelash to create a fur effect to some parts of a bag or even cover the entire bag with fur.
Don’t’s
- The camel stitch belongs to the so call knit-effect crochet stitches. And though the density and thickness of the fabric it produces might be dreamy for some projects it is not ideal for very delicate refined designs that you might want to achieve for an evening bag or a wedding clutch.
- Similar to the waistcoat stitch, the camel stitch I not a good idea if your yarn supply is borderline. Though it is not a yarn eater is still consuming more yarn than a regular single crochet and if your yarn is not plenty the need for density not big then maybe your stitch to the regular single crochet.
