Easy Moss Stitch Crochet Coaster (Linen Stitch)

Moss stitch looks woven, but it is nothing more than single crochet and chain 1 taking turns. Each stitch sits in the gap of the row below instead of on top of another stitch, which gives a close, pebbled fabric with no obvious right or wrong side. You may also see it called linen stitch or granite stitch. It is a good second project once plain single crochet feels comfortable, and this pattern uses US crochet terms.

Why Moss Stitch Suits a Coaster

Three things make this stitch a sensible choice for a coaster. The fabric is thin and even, so a glass sits level on it. The offset stitches fill the gaps of the row below, so there are no large holes. And because you work into chain spaces rather than into the tops of stitches, it is easy to see where the hook goes next, which keeps the rows moving quickly.

Materials and Size

• Worsted weight (#4) cotton yarn in one color, or two colors for the striped version
• US H-8 (5 mm) crochet hook
• Yarn needle and scissors

The finished coaster measures about 4.5 in (11.5 cm) square including the border. That figure is approximate, because gauge varies from one person to the next. As a rough estimate a single coaster takes 20 to 30 yards; to find your own number, weigh the finished coaster and compare it with the weight and length printed on the yarn label.

Abbreviations and Pattern Notes

Abbreviations: ch = chain, sc = single crochet, sl st = slip stitch, sp = space.

• The pattern starts with an even number of chains. To change the width, add or remove chains in pairs.
• The ch 2 at the start of each row counts as the turning chain plus the first ch-1 space. You will work the last stitch of the next row into it.
• You never work into the top of a single crochet in the body of the coaster, only into chain spaces.

The Pattern

1. Foundation: Ch 20.
2. Row 1: Sc in the 4th ch from the hook. (Ch 1, skip 1 ch, sc in the next ch) 8 times. (9 sc, 8 ch-1 sp, plus the loop formed by the 3 skipped chains)
3. Row 2: Ch 2, turn. Sc in the first ch-1 sp. (Ch 1, sc in the next ch-1 sp) 7 times. Ch 1, sc in the loop formed by the skipped chains at the start of Row 1. (9 sc, 8 ch-1 sp)
4. Row 3: Ch 2, turn. Sc in the first ch-1 sp. (Ch 1, sc in the next ch-1 sp) 7 times. Ch 1, sc in the turning ch-2 sp of the row below. (9 sc, 8 ch-1 sp)
5. Rows 4 to 20: Repeat Row 3. (9 sc, 8 ch-1 sp in each row)

Twenty rows is a guide. Moss stitch rows are short, so measure instead of trusting the number: when the piece is as tall as it is wide, stop. End on an even-numbered row if you are working stripes. Do not cut the yarn if you plan to add the border in the same color.

Reading the Fabric

Once the first three rows are done, the stitch explains itself. Each row is a line of single crochets separated by small gaps, and the new row drops one single crochet into every gap. Above each single crochet of the old row you chain 1, which makes the gap for the row after.

The only place to take care is the end of the row. The last stitch always goes into the turning chain space, which sits a little lower and tighter than the other gaps and is easy to pass by. If your coaster starts to narrow, that missed stitch is almost certainly why. Count nine single crochets at the end of each row until the rhythm is settled. More row-end troubleshooting is covered in the beginner coaster tutorial.

Two-Color Stripe Option

Moss stitch does something that plain rows do not: because each stitch reaches down into the row below, the colors overlap at the stripe edges and blend into a small dotted line. Two-row stripes are the easiest to manage, since the yarn you need next is always waiting at the same edge.

1. Work the foundation chain and Rows 1 and 2 in color A.
2. On the last single crochet of Row 2, stop when two loops are left on the hook, then yarn over with color B and pull through to finish the stitch. Do not cut color A.
3. Work Rows 3 and 4 in color B, and change back to color A in the last stitch of Row 4 in the same way.
4. Carry on changing color every two rows. Twenty rows gives ten stripes, five of each color.

Carry the unused yarn loosely up the side edge; the border will cover it. Pull it too tight and that edge will gather. The details of the technique are in the guide to changing colors cleanly.

Adding the Border

One round of single crochet squares off the edges and hides the carried yarn.

1. Top edge: Ch 1, turn. 3 sc in the first sc, sc in each ch-1 sp and each sc across to the turning chain (16 sc), 3 sc in the turning ch-2 sp. (22 sc)
2. First side: 16 sc evenly along the row ends, about 4 sc for every 5 rows. (16 sc)
3. Bottom edge: 3 sc in the corner, 16 sc evenly along the foundation chain, 3 sc in the next corner. (22 sc)
4. Second side: 16 sc evenly along the row ends. (16 sc)
5. Join: Sl st in the first sc. (76 sc in total)

If you worked a different number of rows, adjust the side counts, keeping the two sides equal. For something more decorative than plain single crochet, the guide to coaster edgings has four borders to choose from.

Finishing

Cut the yarn, leaving a tail of about 6 in (15 cm), and weave every tail through the back of the stitches in more than one direction. Moss stitch has small gaps, so run the needle through the single crochets rather than across the chain spaces, where a tail would show.

A light block evens out the rows and straightens the sides; the steps are in how to block crochet coasters. For care, follow the washing instructions on your yarn label.