Loop Stitch

Loop stitch, sometimes called the fur or shaggy stitch, leaves a loop of yarn standing on the surface with each stitch to build a soft, dense pile like faux fur. You wrap the working yarn around a finger to set the loop length, then work a single crochet that traps the loop at its base so it stays put when you move on, and a whole row of these leaves a fringe of loops on one face of the fabric. Worked row after row with the loops on the same side, the pile fills in thick and plush; the loops can be left as a shaggy texture or cut to make a cut-pile rug. It is a favourite for rugs, cushions, teddy-bear fur, coat collars, and playful trims. It is an intermediate stitch mainly because keeping every loop the same length by hand takes a steady rhythm, and it uses a great deal of yarn because each stitch carries a loop. Work the loops on the wrong-side rows if you want them all to fall on the right side, and keep the base single crochet snug so the loops do not pull out.