Box Stitch

Box stitch, also called block stitch, builds a tidy, textured fabric from small squares made of a pair of double crochet and a chain. A common repeat works two double crochet and a chain-two into a space, skips along, and repeats, so each little group forms a raised box with a small opening beside it, and the next row sits its boxes into the chain spaces of the row below so they brick together into a regular grid. It is only double crochet and chains, which makes it a friendly early pattern, yet it looks structured and deliberate and grows quickly with good body. Worked in stripes it makes crisp colour blocks, since each box holds its colour cleanly, which is why it is popular for blankets and scarves. The fabric is reversible, lies flat, and has a little give from the chain spaces. Keep the two-double-crochet-and-chain group consistent and always work into the gaps, and the boxes line up on their own after the first couple of rows.