Purlbed

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Bobbles and puff stitches

Round raised bumps on a flat ground: a bobble is a tight cluster of unfinished dc, a puff a softer oval of loose hdc loops. Several stitches are started in the same stitch and left unfinished, then finished all together with one yarn over pulled through every loop on the hook: dc for a bobble, hdc…

What you work it with

Crochet · Tools: A hook for the yarn; smooth, springy yarn shows the bumps best.

Symbol chart

One or two repeats of the stitch pattern, in standard crochet symbols.
12345Chain (ch)Single crochet (sc)BobblePuff stitchRead from the bottom: each row starts at its number, with its turning chain.

Steps

  1. Work a few rows of sc.
  2. Bobble (on a WS row): *yarn over, insert, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through 2*; repeat 4 more times in the same stitch, yarn over and pull through all 6 loops.
  3. Sc in the next stitches.
  4. Puff (on a RS row): *yarn over, insert, pull up a long loop*; repeat 3–4 times in the same stitch, yarn over and pull through all loops, ch 1 to close.
  5. Work a sc row between bump rows.

The full card

What it looks like
Round raised bumps on a flat ground: a bobble is a tight cluster of unfinished dc, a puff a softer oval of loose hdc loops.
How it behaves
Strong texture and extra thickness; bobbles pop out on the side facing away from you when you work them.
How it works
Several stitches are started in the same stitch and left unfinished, then finished all together with one yarn over pulled through every loop on the hook: dc for a bobble, hdc (or just loops) for a puff.
Tools
A hook for the yarn; smooth, springy yarn shows the bumps best.
Parameters
A bobble: 4–5 unfinished dc. A puff: 3–5 loops pulled up. Usually on a sc ground, with sc between bumps.
Steps
1) Work a few rows of sc. 2) Bobble (on a WS row): *yarn over, insert, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through 2*; repeat 4 more times in the same stitch, yarn over and pull through all 6 loops. 3) Sc in the next stitches. 4) Puff (on a RS row): *yarn over, insert, pull up a long loop*; repeat 3–4 times in the same stitch, yarn over and pull through all loops, ch 1 to close. 5) Work a sc row between bump rows.
Charting
A filled oval is a bobble, an open oval with a bar a puff; each sits in one cell of the sc ground. Row 1 is a plain RS row, the bobbles are on WS row 2, the puff on RS row 5.
Limits and common problems
A bobble on the wrong side shows at the back: work bobbles on WS rows, or push them through. Uneven loops make lumpy puffs: pull each loop to the same height.
Combines with
Single crochet, Half double crochet, Moss stitch (linen stitch)
Pieces and assembly
Hats, cushions, blankets, baby clothes; a line of puffs as a border.

Written in our own words from machine manuals, knitting references and swatching. Knit a test swatch before a whole piece.

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