Tricolor Alpine Stitch Tutorial

Learn to crochet the alpine stitch in three colors! In this step-by-step photo tutorial, you’ll learn three skills: how to crochet the alpine stitch, how to carry your yarn up the sides for color changes, and how to add a camel stitch border so you can complete a finished coaster, dishcloth, or blanket project.

I created this tutorial to support my Tricolor Alpine Stitch Baby Blanket + Camel Stitch Border. Get that pattern here.

Believe it or not, the alpine stitch is a pretty mindless pattern once you get going. It’s a four-row repeat but it feels like a two-row repeat. Each set of two rows is very similar – just different enough to be a four-row repeat officially.

There’s a clear right side and wrong side for alpine stitch, but I think the back of the stitch is lovely, too!

Abbreviations (US)

blo: back loop only
ch(s): chain(s)
dc(s): double crochet(s)
hdc(s): half double crochet(s)
fptr(s): front post treble crochet(s)
pm: place marker in the stitch you just worked
rep: repeat
rnd: round
rs: right side
sc(s): single crochet(s)
sl st: slip stitch
st(s): stitch(es)
ws: wrong side
yo: yarn over

Materials

I Love This Yarn! Weight 4 Medium (100% Acrylic, 355yds/325m, 7oz/198g)
- Color A: 2 Skeins Linen
- Color B: 2 Skeins Spa
- Color C: 2 Skeins White
Size I/9 5.5mm crochet hook
Stitch Markers
Scissors
Tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Notes

For a video tutorial of this stitch, check out my FaveCrafts Studio Live class here: Learn to Crochet the Alpine Stitch in Three Colors

In order to carry your yarn up the sides, you need to complete an odd number rows per color. The alpine stitch is a four row repeat, but we change color every three rows. I am thrilled with the results. I think the colors transition just beautifully.

The alpine stitch can be achieved using either front post double crochet stitches OR front post treble crochet stitches. Haak Maar Raak suggests front post treble crochet if your work starts curling. I tend to crochet tightly, so I opted for the treble crochet option!

Yarn is worked carrying the colors up the sides. Significantly fewer ends to weave in! You’ll complete your starting ch and the first 3 rows in your first color, then change colors every 3 rows for the body of the blanket.

I tacked down any floats at the end of every row to prevent super long, tight floats from forming. Once you’ve completed the first 10 rows or so and all three colors are begun, you should have in mind that at the end of EVERY row you will either be tacking down floats OR changing color.

Turning ch never counts as a st.

With color A (linen/beige), ch an even number. For this swatch I chained 12.

Row 1: (rs) Dc in the 3rd ch from the hook and in each st across. (10 sts here and throughout.) Ch 1 and turn.

Row 2: (ws) Sc in each st across. Ch 1 and turn.

Row 3: (rs) Dc in the first st.

Fptr around the dc beneath the next st. We will always be working fptrs around dcs in the row beneath the row of scs just worked.

So, yo twice, insert your hook behind the next dc from row 1.

Yo and pull up a loop. You should have 4 loops on your hook. Yo and pull through 2 loops. You will have 3 loops on your hook. Yo and pull through 2 loops. You will have 2 loops on your hook. Yo and pull through 2 loops to complete the st.

Dc in the next st.

Fptr around the dc beneath the next st.

*Dc in the next st, fptr around the dc beneath the next st; rep from * until there are two sts left in the row.

Dc in the last two sts, switching to color B (spa/teal) during the last yo of the last dc.

Ch 1 and turn.

Row 4: (ws) Sc in each st across.

Ch 1 and turn.

Row 5: (rs) Dc in the first st. Dc in the next st (the sc directly above the fptr from two rows back).

Fptr around the dc beneath the next st.

*Dc in the next st (the sc directly above the fptr from two rows back), fptr around the dc beneath the next st, rep from * until there is one st left in the row.

Dc in the last st, tacking down color A in the last yo. Tacking down your colors as you work helps prevent super long floats from becoming too tight.

Ch 1 (with only your working yarn/color B/teal, dropping your tacked down color A) and turn.

Row 6: (ws) Sc in each st across. Switch to color C (white) during the last yo of the row. Ch 1 and turn.

Changing colors results in some loose stitches, so be sure to snug up/tighten the loose yarn after you’ve joined a new color to keep the stitches as consistent as possible.

Rep Rows 3-6 until desired size. At the end of each row from here on out, you are either tacking down your color from a previous row OR changing colors. You will change colors every 3 rows.

Row 7: (rs) (Row 3 of the repeat) Dc in the first st. *Fptr around the dc beneath the next st, dc in the next st, rep from * until there is one st left in the row. Dc in the last st. Ch 1 and turn.

Tack down your color A at the end of this row.

When you ch 1 at the end of the row, only do so with the current working color, dropping the color you’ve tacked down.

Row 8: (ws) (Row 4 of the repeat) Sc in each st across. Tack down your color B, ch 1 and turn.

Row 9: (rs) (Row 5 of the repeat) Dc in the first st, *dc in the next st, fptr around the dc beneath the next st, rep from * until there is one st left in the row. Dc in the last st, changing back to color A in the last yo. Ch 1 and turn.

Row 10: (ws) (Row 6 of the repeat) Sc in each st across. Tack down color B during the last yo. Ch 1 and turn.

Row 11: (rs) (Row 3 of the repeat) Dc in the first st. *Fptr around the dc beneath the next st, dc in the next st, rep from * until there is one st left in the row. Dc in the last st, tacking down color A during the last yo. Ch 1 and turn.

Row 12: (ws) (Row 4 of the repeat) Sc in each st across, switching to color B during the last yo. Ch 1 and turn.

Row 13: (Row 5 of the repeat) Dc in the first st, *dc in the next st, fptr around the dc beneath the next st, rep from * until there is one st left in the row. Dc in the last st, tacking down color C in the last yo. Ch 1 and turn.

Row 14: (ws) (Row 6 of the repeat) Sc in each st across, tacking down color A in the last yo. Ch 1 and turn.

Row 15: (rs) (Row 3 of the repeat) Dc in the first st. *Fptr around the dc beneath the next st, dc in the next st, rep from * until there is one st left in the row. Dc in the last st. Cut yarn and fasten off!

A bunch of floats, but very few ends to weave in!

Weave in ends.

Camel Stitch Border Tutorial

Winding Road Crochet’s Camel Stitch Blanket Border Tutorial is FANTASTIC – super clear instructions with step out photos and a video tutorial. I highly recommend if you have any confusion about working this border!

Border is worked rs facing.

Rnd 1: Using color C (white), pull up a loop of yarn in the upper right-hand corner. Ch 1, sc in the same st.

Sc in each st across. In each corner work (sc, ch 1, pm, sc).

IMPORTANT NOTE: As you work along the sides, enclose all those yarn floats as you work! They will peek through a tiny bit:

Aim to place about 3 sts along the sides of each color stripe, or one st per each row end.

Work 1 sc in each st along the bottom of the blanket. When you return to your starting corner, work (sc, ch 1, pm, sl st join).

Rnd 2: Ch 1, hdc back into the marked ch-1 corner. Working back into the starting corner keeps your seam in the corner for a more polished look. Hdc in each st across each side while working (hdc, ch 1, pm, hdc) in each corner. At starting corner work (hdc, ch 1, pm, sl st join to the first hdc in the row).

Rnds 3-4: Ch 1, hdc back into the ch-1 corner. Hdc in the blo of each st across sides while working (hdc under both loops, ch 1, pm, hdc under both loops) in each corner. At starting corner, work (hdc, ch 1, pm, sl st join to the first hdc in the row).