What is a Picot in Crochet? How to Work This Classic Edging Stitch
What is a Picot in Crochet?
A picot is a small decorative loop, worked as a set of chains closed with a slip stitch. It sits at the very edge of a project and does something that most other edging techniques don’t quite manage: it adds detail without weight. A finished picot edge has a delicacy to it that suits shawls, baby blankets, doilies, and anywhere else you want a neat, slightly ornate finish rather than a solid border.
The picot is one of the older stitches in crochet – it has a distinctly vintage quality, which is part of its appeal. It suits fine work and heirloom pieces, but it also works well as a counterpoint to something bolder.
If you can work a chain and a slip stitch, you can work a picot. That’s genuinely the whole technique.
How to Work a Basic Picot Stitch
The standard picot is worked as follows:
Chain 3 (or the number of chains specified in your pattern). Slip stitch into the first chain you made – the one at the base of the chain sequence.
That’s it. The loop forms naturally as you close the chain back on itself.
In most patterns, picots are worked as part of a final edging round alongside regular stitches – typically single crochet (US) or double crochet (US). Rather than working a separate round of picots on top of the edging, you work a few plain stitches, work a picot, work a few more plain stitches, and continue in that rhythm around the edge. The pattern will tell you the spacing, but it’s useful to understand that the picot is woven into the edging round rather than added afterwards.
Most patterns will also specify how many chains to use for each picot. Three chains is the most common, giving a small, neat loop. Five chains produces a larger, more pronounced picot. As with most details in crochet, the difference between the two is subtle in the swatch but visible on the finished piece, particularly on fine yarn.
A note on UK and US terms: Picot instructions are written the same way in both US and UK crochet conventions, since the stitch only uses chains and slip stitches. No conversions needed.
Picot Stitch Variations Worth Knowing
Adjusting the chain length
The simplest variation is changing the number of chains. A ch-2 picot is compact and almost disappears into an edge – useful when you want texture without drawing the eye. A ch-5 picot is generous and slightly droops, which can look deliberate and elegant on the right project, or a little unruly on the wrong one. Three chains is a reliable default for most projects.
Spacing and rhythm
Picots are rarely worked into every stitch. A common approach is to work several plain stitches (e.g. single or double crochet), then a picot, then repeat. The spacing affects the density and regularity of the finished edge. Tighter spacing gives a more continuous lace-like effect; wider spacing lets each picot read as an individual point. Both work – it depends on the aesthetic you’re after.
Where Picot Appears in Crochet Projects
Shawls and wraps
Picot edging is probably most at home on shawls, where the decorative points follow the natural curve of the edge without adding bulk. The New Dawn Shawl uses a picot edge for exactly this reason – it finishes the piece cleanly and adds a little visual interest along the lower edge without competing with the main stitch pattern. One thing I enjoy about working a picot edging is that it’s a different kind of motion from anything else in the project – just chains and a slip stitch, over and over – which gives it a pleasant, almost meditative rhythm as a finishing step.
It’s also worth noting that picot genuinely benefits from blocking. The loops can look a little squashed straight off the hook, but once the piece has been wet blocked and dried flat, each picot sits up clearly and the edging reads exactly as intended. If you’re not sure how to wet block your finished project, this guide covers the process step by step.
Motifs and mandalas
Picot also works beautifully as a finishing edge on motifs and mandalas. I made the Graphite Mandala (a pattern by Lilla Bjorn Crochet) and its picot edging was exactly right for it. The mandala itself is a fairly bold, organic design, and the picot at the outer edge gives a finish that is refined without being fussy – slightly decorative, in a way that suggests the piece has been properly finished, without drawing attention away from the main design. If you’re working on any kind of motif or circular project and want an edging that adds detail without bulk, picot is worth considering.
Blanket borders
A picot edge works well on a blanket when the main stitch pattern is fairly simple and the border needs to do some work visually. On a baby blanket particularly, the small repeated loops give a traditional, considered finish. It’s worth testing the chain length on a swatch first – on aran weight yarn, a ch-3 picot reads differently than it does on DK, and it’s easier to adjust before you’ve worked the full border.
Doilies and fine lace work
Picot finds its most elaborate expression in thread crochet – doilies, tablecloths, and similar fine work where multiple layers of picot can be combined into complex lace patterns. This is a different application from the edging uses above, and worth knowing about even if it’s not where you’d start.
A Few Practical Notes
Picot can feel fiddly at first, mostly because the chain sequence is short and the slip stitch back into it requires a bit of precision. A slightly smaller hook than you’ve been using for the project body can help with this – it gives you a little more control over the loop without distorting the size.
Yarn choice matters too. A smooth yarn shows picot clearly; a fluffy or textured yarn can obscure the loops and lose the effect entirely. If you’re adding a picot edge to an existing project and want the detail to read, it’s worth making sure the yarn has at least some structure.
More on Crochet Stitches and Techniques
If you’re looking to explore other ways to finish the edges of a crochet project, this guide to crochet borders covers a range of options with practical guidance on when each works well. The Crochet Blanket Resource Hub is also worth bookmarking if you’re working on a blanket project – it brings together guides on construction, sizing, and technique in one place.
Keep Up With New Tutorials and Patterns
If you’d like to receive new tutorials and pattern releases by email, along with a monthly round-up of what’s happening in the studio, you’re welcome to join the list. You’ll also receive two free tapestry crochet patterns when you sign up – a useful starting point if you’re new to the technique, or a welcome addition if you’re not.
Join here and collect your free patterns
About Catherine
Catherine is a crochet designer and educator based in Surrey, UK, specialising in blankets, tapestry crochet, and colourwork. Her patterns have been published in crochet magazines, and her design work is featured in the book 100 Crochet Tiles. She has also designed in collaboration with Sirdar and WeCrochet.
You can find her full pattern collection on Etsy and Ravelry, and her step-by-step video tutorials on YouTube.
