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Lemon Peel Stitch Crochet Tutorial (Beginner Friendly Guide)

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Don’t you just love learning new stitch combinations? We’re going to tackle the Lemon Peel stitch in this tutorial and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how simple it is! The Lemon Peel stitch is an easy crochet stitch combination using the double crochet stitch and single crochet stitch that produces a fabric with a beautiful texture.

graphic of how to crochet the lemon peel stitch with crochet swatch in the background

To master the crochet lemon peel stitch you only need to know how to chain, single crochet, and double crochet. That’s it! It is a good stitch combination to learn for a beginner who has a grasp of the basic stitches and is ready to expand their crochet skills.

This tutorial will walk through an introduction of the stitch, followed by written instructions, and then step-by-step photo tutorials for both right and left-handed crocheters.

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Lemon Peel Stitch Introduction

The Lemon Peel stitch is very similar to the Suzette Stitch, where you alternate between single and double crochets. Instead of putting them in the same stitch like you do with the Suzette Stitch, you’ll alternate stitches as you go.

Since the stitches have different heights, you end up with a solid fabric that is slightly puckered on the surface and resembles the peel of a lemon. It is simple and pretty!

The crochet Lemon Peel Stitch works great for dishcloths, dish towels, scarves, and baby blankets. It is one of those stitch combinations that is called different names, one of the most common being the griddle stitch.

Stay tuned for a free crochet pattern featuring the Lemon Peel Stitch coming your way soon.

For other great stitch combination tutorials check out these posts:

How to Crochet the Moss Stitch

How to Crochet the Extended Single Crochet

How to Crochet the Crunch Stitch

Alright, grab your hook and some worsted weight yarn, and let’s get started learning a new stitch pattern.

graphic reading "how to crochet the lemon peel stitch" with a crochet swatch of fabric and a hook in the background

Lemon Peel Stitch Tutorial

Materials

The sample swatch for the photo tutorial used Category 4 Worsted Medium Weight yarn (Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice in Linen) and a US size J, 6.0 mm crochet hook from Furls.

Abbreviations

ch(s): chain(s)
sc(s): single crochet(s)
dc(s): double crochet(s)
st(s): stitch(es)

Notes

All instructions and abbreviations are written in US crochet terms.

The ch 1 at the beginning of each row does not count as a stitch.

You’ll start each row with a chain 1 and then a single crochet and end the row with a double crochet. When working with double crochets, we are used to counting the turning chain as a stitch and then skipping the first dc in the previous row, but your turning ch does not count as a stitch so you want to make sure you are not skipping the double crochet in the row below.

On each next row, you’ll be working the single crochets into the double crochets of the previous row and the double crochets into the single crochets of the row below.

To adjust the size of your swatch, start with an odd number of chains, which will give you an even number of stitches in each row.

Lemon Peel Stitch Written Instructions

Ch 21 (start with an odd number of stitches)

Row 1: sc in the 2nd ch from hook, *dc in the next ch, sc in the next ch, repeat from * to the end of the row ending with a dc in last ch, turn. (20)

Row 2: ch 1, *(sc in dc of the row below, dc in sc of the row below, repeat from * to the end of the row, turn. (20)

Repeat Row 2 until you’ve reached the desired length. The sample swatch has 15 rows total.

How Do I Count Rows of Lemon Peel Stitch

Counting the rows of Lemon Peel Stitch can be a bit tricky since the stitches are different heights and it makes it look like the rows blend together.

I find it easiest to look at the stitches at the end of the rows and count those.

You can see in the photo below while looking at the right side of the fabric, that the last stitch of row 1 is a double crochet. Up from there, you can see the back side of the first single crochet of row 2. Keep counting the alternating double crochets and single crochets and you shouldn’t miss a row.

arrows with labels showing how to count rows of lemon peel stitch

If you count on the other edge of your fabric, remember the first row will have a single crochet and the second row a double crochet. Keep practicing and you’ll get it!

Crochet Lemon Peel Stitch Photo Tutorial – Right Handed

Ch 21 (start with an odd number)

starting crochet chain and crochet hook

Row 1: sc in the 2nd ch from hook, (I worked in the back loop of the chain)

wroking a single crochet into a chain

*dc in the next st,

working a single crochet and double crochet into a chain

sc in the next st, repeat from * to the end of the row ending with a dc in last st, turn. (20)

completed row 1 of the lemon peel stitch

Row 2: ch 1, *sc in dc of the row below,

starting row 2 of the lemon peel stitch with an arrow showing where to place the first stitch
1st stitch of row 2 complete

dc in sc of the row below,

1st two stitches of row 2 complete

repeat from * to the end of the row, turn. (20)

completed row 2 of the crochet lemon peel stitch

Repeat Row 2 until you’ve reached the desired length. The sample swatch has 15 rows total.

lemon peel stitch crochet swatch with purple crochet hook

Lemon Peel Crochet Stitch Photo Tutorial – Left Handed

Ch 21 (start with an odd number of chains)

left handed starting crochet chain and crochet hook

Row 1: sc in the 2nd ch from hook, (I worked in the back loop of the chain)

left working a single crochet into a chain

*dc in the next stitch,

left side working a single crochet and double crochet into a chain

sc in the next chain, repeat from * to the end of the row ending with a dc in last st, turn. (20)

completed row 1 of the lemon peel stitch left handed

Row 2: ch 1, *sc in dc of the row below,

starting row 2 of the lemon peel stitch with an arrow showing where to place the first stitch left handed
1st stitch of row 2 complete left handed

dc in sc of the row below,

left 1st two stitches of row 2 complete

repeat from * to the end of the row, turn. (20)

left handed completed row 2 of the crochet lemon peel stitch

Repeat Row 2 until you’ve reached the desired length. The sample swatch has 15 rows total.

left handed lemon peel stitch crochet swatch with purple crochet hook

That’s it! What do you think of that wonderful texture? I hope you feel super comfortable working a Lemon Peel stitch now so you can use it in your next favorite crochet project.

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