Difference Between Bobble, Puff & Popcorn Stitch (With Photo Tutorial)

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The bobble, puff and popcorn stitches are stitches that work out quickly and give texture to your project, but what is the difference between the three and how to choose the right stitch for your project?

It can be confusing at first, but today I will show you the difference between each of these stitches and how to crochet them.

At the end you will have a clear picture of what bobble, puff and popcorn stitches are, how to make them and which stitch to use based on how much texture you want, how thick and how flexible you want to project to be.

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Supplies I used:

• Stylecraft DK yarn in fuchsia
• 3.5mm crochet hook, this set is a great choice

The Stitches:

Pattern written in US terms using Craft Yarn Council abbreviations.

The Foundation

All three stitches start with the same foundation which will create a straight edge on the top and bottom of your project.

Row 1: make an even number of chains, turn

Row 2: single crochet in the second chain from the hook and in each of the remaining chains, in the end, chain 1 and turn

To create a straight edge on the sides of the project, start and finish each row of bobble/puff/popcorn with single crochet.

The Three Stitches

As well as the same foundation, these stitches have other things in common too:

1. Unless specified in the pattern, all 3 stitches are worked on the wrong side, meaning that the textured part of the stitch will be pushed away from you. The front (right side) will be textured, while the back (wrong side) is flat.

2. They consist of a group of stitches worked in the same chain.

3. The pattern is a repeat of the same two rows, a row of single crochet, and a row of bobble/puff / popcorn stitches. 

Bobble Stitch

This stitch consists of 3 to 5 unfinished double crochet stitches clustered together in each chain, separated by a single crochet stitch.  This tutorial uses 5 unfinished double crochet stitches, but on my other projects like the Sheep Baby Blanket, I only used 3 because I wanted the blanket to be lighter and more flexible.

To make the bobble stitch: yo, insert hook into chain, yo and pull through the chain (you have 3 loops on your hook), yo and pull through 2 loops (you have 2 loops on your hook). 

Repeat this step 4 more times in the same chain (you will have 6 loops on your hook), yo, and pull through all 6 loops.

Continue where you left off from your foundation:

Round 3: sc in 2nd ch from hook, *bo, sc*, repeat ** sequence until the end, ch1, turn 

Round 4: sc in 2nd from hook and in each chain until the end of the row, ch1, turn

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until the desired height is achieved making sure to end in a chain of single crochet stitches. 

Puff Stitch

This stitch consists of 3 to 5 unfinished half double crochet clustered together in each chain separated by a single crochet stitch. 

To make the puff stitch: yo, insert hook into chain, yo and pull through the chain (you have 3 loops on your hook). 

Repeat 4 more times in the same chain ( you will have 11 loops on your hook), yo, and pull through all 11 loops.

Continue where you left off from your foundation

Round 3: sc in 2nd ch from hook, *ps, sc*, repeat ** sequence until the end, ch1, turn

Round 4: sc in 2nd from hook and in each chain until the end of the row, ch1, turn 

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until the desired height is achieved making sure to end in a chain of single crochet stitches.

Popcorn Stitch

This stitch consists of 3 to 5 double crochet clustered together in each chain separated by a single crochet stitch. 

To make the popcorn stitch: yo, insert hook into chain, yo and pull through the chain (you have 3 loops on your hook), yo and pull through all 3 loops. Repeat 4 more times in the same chain (you will have one loop on your hook).  

Without turning, carefully take your hook out of the chain and insert it through the 5th chain from the hook, then insert it back into the loop. 

Pull the loop through the chain forming the popcorn stitch.

Continue where you left off from your foundation

Round 3: sc in 2nd ch from hook, *po, sc*, repeat ** sequence until the end, ch1, turn 

Round 4: sc in 2nd from hook and in each chain until the end of the row, ch1, turn Repeat rows 1 and 2 until the desired height is achieved making sure to end in a chain of single crochet stitches.  

Comparing the Stitches and Choosing the Right One for Your Project 

Now that you know how to make them, let’s compare the three stitches based on how much yarn they use, the texture thickness, flexibility, and softness.

Weight

Weight is important when you choose a stitch for your pattern. You will want some projects to be fluffy and light ( e.g. a baby blanket) while some heavier and hard-wearing (e.g. a pillow cover). 

All three stitches are yarn eaters, but the popcorn stitch uses the most yarn out of the three, followed by the bobble and, last, the puff stitch.

Thickness

Thickness plays an important role in choosing a stitch for your project. 

If you are making a winter lapghan or a cuddly toy, you will want it to have as much texture as possible, but if your project is a summer cardigan, then you will need less thickness. 

You will get a bigger cluster, and therefore, more texture and a bigger thickness, from the popcorn stitch as it uses double crochet stitches. in the 2nd place is bobble stitch followed by the puff stitch.

Flexibility

Using textured stitches in your projects can sometimes mean that the end result is a stiff, thick fabric, but not always.

You will need flexibility in some projects (e.g. clothes, baby blankets), while in other projects doesn’t matter (e.g. chair covers, wall hangings).

You will get the most flexibility from the bobble stitch, the puff stitch is 2nd, and last, with the least flexibility, is the popcorn stitch.

Softness

The softness of a crochet project depends a lot on the type of yarn you are using, but also, on the type of stitch you choose. 

Items like baby blankets and baby clothes should be soft and gentle on the skin, while hard-wearing items like bath scrubbies and washcloths need less softness.

The softest stitch out of the three is surprisingly the puff stitch, even though it has the least texture, the 2nd is the bobble stitch and the last is the popcorn stitch.

Looking for other crochet stitches?
Browse the entire stitch library HERE.

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This pattern and design are subject to copyright and are for personal, non-commercial use only. 

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Happy Crocheting!

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