Alpine Stitch

Alpine stitch is a raised, basketweave-like texture made by alternating plain rows with rows of front-post stitches worked around the posts of stitches two rows down. The rhythm is four rows: a single crochet row, then a row that mixes single crochet with front-post double crochet worked around the posts below, then another single crochet row, then a front-post row offset so the raised stitches fall between the ones before. Working the double crochet around the front of the post two rows down pulls that stitch forward and lays a bar of yarn across the surface, and staggering those bars each time weaves them into a deep, dense relief. The fabric is thick, structured, and warm, with very little drape, which makes it excellent for bags, cushions, and sturdy blankets but a poor choice for anything that needs to flow. Keep the single crochet rows between the post rows at an even tension, since they set the spacing the raised stitches sit on. It uses a good deal of yarn and is firmer than most textured stitches.