Blanket Stitch ?

This "Retro" pattern has been around for so long I feel Certain that it must be in the public domain by now.

  

But this post is not a pattern for the infamous Granny Square Christmas Stocking.  This post is to show a pattern for a crochet stitch I use and consider to be the equivalent of the overcast or "blanket stitch in sewing.

   

I do not know if this is a "real" crochet stitch or not.  It is a process I worked out while trying to avoid a marked difference in appearance on the right and wrong side of a crochet joined seam.  

Since I am making "stockings" I am using them for demonstration purposes of this joining.  Starting with a standard 5 corner granny,  I do make one small change in the last round.  In one of the 5 corners I work 6 treble crochet instead of the normal 3 double crochet, ch 2, 3 dc.  This 6 treble corner will become the toe of the stocking. 

NOTE:  6 treble in bottom corner 

Positioning the square so the treble crochet point is downward,

1.  Join yarn in the right top corner, single crochet in the ch 2 space and each stitch across

2.  fold the piece in half,  with the wrong sides together, sl st in the first single crochet.  



1                       2                        3

From this point you will always be working through both thicknesses.

3.  Single crochet in the corner space, ch 10, single crochet in same space.  This forms the loop for hanging. 

4                          5                        6

4.  Insert hook from back to front through the next corresponding stitches.   

5.  Make sure your working yarn is under the bottom of your hook in the back 

     and crosses over the top of the piece to the front.  

6.  Pull a loop through to the back and complete the single crochet.

        Work down the side of the stocking in this same manner working 3 single crochet in the 2 chain corner space and continue across the bottom to the toe of the stocking. 

     End off and work in yarn tails.

6-B  Looking at the edge / top of the seam your stitch will look like this.

So what have we accomplished ?

With the blanket stitch worked as explained here both the front and back side appear almost the same.  There is a large difference between the front and back side of the standard single crochet.

7 FRONT SIDE  (SC)    8 FRONT SIDE  (blanket st)  9 Reverse of both STS

10  Closeup compare the difference

Yes it can be done in double crochet.

11. Front side double crochet blanket stitch on the left, 
single crochet blanket stitch on the right 

  12. Reverse side with single crochet blanket stitch on the left, double crochet blanket stitch on the right

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Since these stocking are small and light weight they can also double as a
Christmas Brooch.  In the "Jewelry Findings" of your favorite craft store
you can purchase packs of small brooch pins

which you can sew or glue to the top of  the back of your stocking
so it can me worn like a pin.