Note: These tutorials use UK crochet terms for stitches. Where necessary, the US terms for stitches will be given in brackets the first time they’re mentioned, then the UK terms will be used from then on.

Surface Crochet

The technique of “surface crochet” is as simple as the name suggests - it’s just crochet…but on a surface.

Surface crochet on a flat piece:

You begin with a ‘surface’ on which to work:

Some rows of crochet in blue

This piece is made using double crochet (US single crochet). You can learn how to do this stitch here.

Make sure you know which side of the surface is the front and which is the back.

Put your hook through the surface from the front to the back as whatever point you wish to start.

A crochet hook through a blue piece of crochet and a yellow slip-knot

Learn how to make a slip-knot here.

Hands using a crochet hook to pull a yellow loop of yarn through a blue piece of crochet

With the hook still in the surface, take your yarn and make a slip-knot on the hook. Pull the hook back through the surface so the loop of the slip-knot is now at the front (the loose end should stay at the back).

A blue crocheted rectangle with a smaller rectangle outline crocheted inside in yellow

Learn how to make a slip stitch here.

Now you can work whatever stitches are needed into the gaps between stitches. Make sure the working end of the yarn stays at the back of the surface. For example, surface crochet in slip stitch will look like this:

Hands working a crochet hook into a blue piece of crochet to pull some yellow yarn through it
A yellow slip stitch made into a flat piece of blue crochet on a crochet hook
Hands using a crochet hook to pull yellow yarn through a loop to make a slip stitch
A blue crocheted ball

Weave your hook under a stitch in your surface at the point you wish to start. Loop the yarn over the hook and pull it under the stitch and through the loop of the slip-knot. This way, you’ll have joined your yarn to the surface with a slip stitch.

On the surface of a 3D object:

This version of surface crochet is for when you don’t have access to the back of your surface. It’s similar to the one above, but a little trickier.

In this version, begin by making a slip-knot BEFORE putting the hook through the surface.

A yellow double crochet stitch made into a blue crocheted ball on a crochet hook
A blue crocheted ball with a ring crocheted around it in yellow
A yellow slip stitch made into a blue crocheted ball on a crochet hook
Hands working a crochet hook under a stitch on a blue crocheted ball to pull some yellow yarn under it
Hands working a crochet hook under a stitch on a blue crocheted ball to pull some yellow yarn under it
A yellow slip-knot on a crochet hook

Now you can work whatever stitches are needed under the stitches on the surface. The working end of the yarn will remain at the front of the surface. For example, surface crochet in double crochet will look like this:

You can learn how to make the stitches on this page and others here.

If you understand this, have a go at learning some other useful techniques.

Got a question? Get in touch at koalamea.crafts@gmail.com.