Have you seen my Valladolid shawl design?
It's a top-down shawl design that's got enough spice to keep things interesting, but it's got meditative portions where you can go on stitching autopilot as well. It's a fun project and it features an unusual spin on one of my favorite stitches--the puff stitch.
Usually, puff stitch is worked into a stitch in the previous row.
But in this design, puff stitch is worked around the post of the double crochet stitch just worked on the very same row!
Here are the instructions for making this interesting stitch:
1. Ch 3 after the double crochet you've just made. You need at least 2 or 3 chains to create space for the puff stitch you are about to make.
2. Yarn over, then insert your hook from the front to the back in the space to the right of the post of the double crochet stitch you will be working around.
3. Yarn over, pull up a loop. (3 loops on hook).
4. Yarn over, insert your hook in the same spot as step #2, yarn over, pull up a loop. (5 loops on hook).
5. Repeat step #4. (7 loops on hook).
6. Repeat step #4. (9 loops on hook).
7. Yarn over, pull through all loops on hook.
8. You are done! Work at least one chain stitch to secure the puff or follow directions in pattern.
If you're a video person, here's the stitch in action: