Make a slip knot on your hook. Yarn over the hook by bringing the yarn over the hook from back to front. Using the hook, draw the yarn through the slip knot loop on your hook to create a new loop.

Yarn over. Insert the hook into the stitch, yarn over again and pull the yarn through the stitch, so you have three loops on your hook. Yarn over once more and pull through all three loops on your hook, completing the half double crochet.

Yarn over and insert the hook into the stitch. Yarn over and pull up a loop. Repeat this step a total of 3-5 times depending on how big the puff stitch should be. This will often be clarified in the a the pattern. Yarn over and pull through all the loops on the hook. Chain 1 to secure the puff stitch.

Work the first part of the stitch as you normally would for the stitch you are using (e.g., single crochet, double crochet, etc.). Instead of moving on to the next stitch, work an additional stitch into the same stitch.

Insert your hook into the stitch or space you want to work into. Yarn over the hook from back to front. Draw the yarn through both the stitch (or space) and the loop on your hook.

Yarn over, insert the hook into the stitch, yarn over and draw the yarn through the stitch. Yarn over again and draw the yarn through the first two loops on the hook, yarn over again and draw the yarn through the remaining two loops on the hook.

Instead of working in the usual direction, insert your hook into the first stitch on the opposite side. Yarn over as if you were going backward. Draw the yarn through the stitch, creating a loop on your hook. Yarn over again, and draw the yarn through both loops on your hook.

Work the first part of the stitch as you normally would for the specific stitch you are using. Stop before the final step and insert the hook into the next stitch. Yarn over and pull up a loop through the stitch, yarn over and pull through all the loops.

Insert the hook into the stitch, yarn over, and draw the yarn through the stitch.

Yarn over again and draw the yarn through both loops on the hook.

Yarn over twice. Insert the hook into the stitch, yarn over again and pull the yarn through the stitch. Yarn over and pull through two loops. Yarn over again and pull through two loops. Yarn over one more time and pull through the last two loops on your hook.

This can be made in various ways but this is what I do: Work to the desired stitch where you want to create the picot. Chain 2 and insert the hook back into the second loop from the hook, and make a slip stitch. Slip stitch into the next stitch or designated stitch to secure the picot. 

Repeat the sequence between the stars. After the sequence, it will be written how many times this must be repeated.