Made with fingering or sport weight yarn and a size 5mm or 5.5mm hook, this crocheted reversible shell stitch creates an amazingly soft and cushiony fabric that’s perfect for an easy and warm baby blanket. You could combine any two yarn colors from these 32 choices of Bernat Softee Baby.
An experienced beginner could crochet this easily. It’s just a matter of keeping track of two balls of yarn. Locking stitch markers or split ring stitch markers are pretty important to getting this right, too.
If you wanted a reversible placement or even better a doormat, you could use some nylon cord (here are 86 colors to choose from) to crochet a durable item to make a lovely welcome mat. (neither of these is an affiliate link, just so you know)
Pattern instructions for reversible shell stitch pattern
Stitches Used (US terms): Ch (chain st), sc (single crochet), hdc (half-double crochet), dc (double crochet), tr (treble crochet), fptr (front post treble crochet), sl st (slip stitch).
Yarn A = your first color choice; Yarn B = your second color choice (or a ball of the same color as A, just labelled B, to keep things straight)
Row 1: With yarn A, ch a multiple of 4 sts plus 2. Sc in 2nd ch from hk (hook) and in each ch across, turn.
Row 2: Ch 2 (referred to as lower t-ch, aka turning chain), *sc in next st, dc in next st, sc in next st**, ch 1, sk (skip) next st; rep from * across, ending final rep (repeat) at **, hdc in last st, ch 5, place live lp (loop) on marker, turn.
Row 3: With yarn B, join in last hdc made with sl st, tighten lp, ch 2 (referred to as upper t-ch), sk 1 sc, *3dc in next dc**, sk next (sc, ch sp, sc), rep from * across, ending at **, fptr around lower t-ch, ch 5, place live lp on marker. Do not turn.
Row 4: Return live lp of A to hook, working across sts from Row 2, *sk next 3 sts, sl st in ch-1 sp, ch 5; rep from * across, ending with sl st in top of beginning ch-2 from Row 2, ch 2, sl st in top of last tr from row 3, turn.
Row 5: Still with A, ch 2, *3dc in middle dc of next 3-dc group and at the same time, catching the ch-5 arch from WS (wrong side) under your hook each time you make a dc; rep from 8 across, fptr around lower t-ch tog (together) with tr from row 3, ch 5, place live lp on marker, do not turn.
Row 6: Return live lp of B to hook, working across sts from last row in same color, *insert hook from below up between next two 3-dc groups and work sl st (be sure not to catch any strands of yarn of other color), ch 5; rep from * across, ending with sl st around upper t-ch, ch 2, sl st in top of last tr from prev row, turn.
Row 7: Still with B, ch 2, *3dc in middle dc of next 3-dc group and at the same time, catching the ch-5 arch from WS under your hook each time you make a dc; rep from 8 across, fptr around lower t-ch tog with tr from 2 rows below, ch 5, place live lp on marker, do not turn.
Row 8: Return live lp of A to hook, working across sts from last row in same color, *insert hook from below up between next two 3-dc groups and work sl st, ch 5; rep from * across, ending with sl st around upper t-ch, ch 2, sl st in top of last tr from prev row, turn.
Row 9: Still with A,ch 2, *3dc in middle dc of next 3-dc group and at the same time, catching the ch-5 arch from WS under your hook each time you make a dc; rep from 8 across, fptr around lower t-ch tog with tr from 2 rows below, ch 5, place live lp on marker, do not turn.
Rep Rows 6–9 for desired length ending with an odd-numbered row.
Next Row: Return live lp to hook, working across sts from last row in same color, *insert hook from below up between next two 3-dc groups and work sc, ch 5; rep from * across, ending with sl st around upper t-ch, ch 2, sl st in top of last tr from prev row, turn.
Last Row: Working through both layers as follows, *sc in each of next 3 dc sts, catching ch-5 arch as established, sc between last dc and next dc and through sc on SC; rep from * across, sc in last st. Fasten off.