Trinity Stitch in Rows and Rounds

Hi friends!

I’m excited to share a fun stitch with you today, the trinity stitch! It’s a type of cluster stitch that combines three stitches together into one using single crochet. Each cluster is linked with the one before and after it and separated by chain stitches.

Today I’m going to show you how to work the stitch at the most basic level, then I’ll show you how to work it in both turned rows and in rounds, both of which look very different from each other as you can see above.

What is a Cluster Stitch?

Cluster stitches are groups of partially-worked stitches, that are joined together at the top in a single final pull-through. The partial stitches are made just like the standard stitch but stop just before the final pull-through-2. You can create clusters with any stitch using the same method of partial stitches and alter how they look by varying the number of partial stitches made.

Partial Stitch: start the same as the standard stitch but stop before the final pull-through-2
Cluster: a specified number of partial stitches joined together at the top

How to Crochet the Trinity Stitch

The trinity stitch is a two-stitch alternating stitch pattern comprised of a single crochet 3 together (sc3tog, also referred to as a cluster) and a chain 1. You will work partial single crochets from three stitches, joining them at the top in their final pull-through, the sc3tog portion of the stitch, then chain 1 to complete the trinity stitch combination.

Psst! Once you’ve mastered this stitch, you should check out the star stitch. They’re worked similarly and the trinity stitch is an excellent stepping stone to the star stitch.

This tutorial uses the following stitches and abbreviations:

• Chain (ch)
• Yarn Over (yo)
• Slip Stitch (sl st)
• Single Crochet (sc)
• Single Crochet 3 Together (sc3tog)
• Chain Space (ch sp)
• Cluster (Cl)

Working in Flat Turned Rows

When you work the trinity stitch flat, you’ll use a multiple of 2+1 stitches + however many turning chains you need for your set up row. You can use a set up row of any other type of stitch as long as there are an odd number of stitches to work on top of. In this tutorial, I’m starting from a foundation chain so you can see how that works, but you can do what suits you.

Rules of Thumb
1. You’ll start and end each row with a single crochet
2. Separate trinity stitches with a chain stitch
3. There is no chain stitch between the sc3tog and sc at the beginning/end of rows

For the swatch below, my foundation chain is (2 x 8 + 1) +1 for the turning chain = 18 chains.

Working in Rounds

Working the trinity stitch in the round is very similar to working it in rows, but differs from its flat variation in a couple of ways, most notably in the way it looks. You’ll notice that the trinity stitches are stacked neatly on top of one another and easy to distinguish versus the more starburst aesthetic of the turned row variation. The other difference is the stitch multiple. To work in rounds, you’ll need a multiple of 2 stitches and there won’t be any single crochet stitches to start or end rounds with.

Like before, you can work your trinity stitches on top of any other type of stitch, but in this tutorial, I am going to show you how to work them directly into chain stitches.

First Round Worked as a Row

I don’t like working long chains and then joining them before working my first round into them because there are more chances to accidentally twist the chain that way. Instead, I work my first round as a row, then join at the end to begin working in the round for subsequent rounds, so that’s how I’m going to teach you. It can be a little fiddly when joining that first row into a round, so definitely check out the video if you need to.

NOTE: Keep in mind that using this method means you will need a turning chain for your foundation chain, so add that to your stitch multiple.

For the sample below, my foundation chain is (2 x 14) +1 for the turning chain = 29 chains.

Yay! Congrats on learning a new stitch! It’s not too bad once you get the hang of it, is it? If you enjoyed the trinity stitch and want to step it up, you should check out the star stitch! It is worked similarly and really gives a beautiful starburst effect.

Happy yarning!

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