This 6” square block is a fun make for crocheters, featuring some of the items they love best. It could be incorporated into a traditional blanket as a repeated motif or along with other patterned and plain blocks as a sampler blanket. It could also feature in accessories, homewares or garments, either as part of the fabric of the item or as an appliqué on the surface, e.g. a patch pocket. Alternatively it could be stitched onto an item made of fabric, e.g. a bag or jacket.
It was designed as a block to share on Granny Square Day 2022 and received some lovely feedback from fellow crafters on Instagram. Here is the pattern for you to enjoy.
If you don't like reading patterns directly from a website, a printable pdf pattern download is available to purchase on Ravelry.
Requirements
10m (12yds) each of worsted/aran weight yarn in wool/acrylic/cotton in colours A (yarn) and B (ball band). I’ve used Rico Creative Cotton Aran in mine, a soft, low twist cotton yarn.
25m (30yds) similar weight and texture yarn in colour C (background). I’ve used Drops Paris, another soft, low twist aran cotton.
2m (2yds) each of sport/DK weight yarn in wool/acrylic/cotton in colours D (hook) and E (text). I’ve used Drops Muskat and Rowan Cotton Glacé in mine, which are smooth mercerised cotton yarns.
4.5mm hook (US 7) or suitable hook size to achieve desired texture, e.g. size suggested on the band for colours A-C
Yarn needle, stitch markers and scissors
Size
15cm/6” square
Working method
The yarn ball section is worked in rounds, ending with two rows back and forth to form the ball band. Two identical pieces are made and seamed together. The background is worked in rounds around the yarn ball shape and the hook is completed in surface crochet. Text is embroidered on the ball band.
Abbreviations
ch chain
sl st slip stitch
dc double crochet
htr half treble crochet
tr treble crochet
st/sts stitch/stitches
Rnd Round
Ch-sp chain space
RS right side
Pattern in UK Terminology
US Terminology below
Pattern notes
Turning chains count as a stitch except where the next stitch is dc. The yarn ball pieces are made of both rounds and back and forth rows; Row and Rnd are used at the start of each line to show which is which and instructions to turn are given where needed. This pattern is in UK terminology and is also available in a US terminology version; make sure you have the version you prefer! If you make loose chains, when working the yarn ball you may prefer to skip the starting chain in Rnd 2 and in the background reduce the 3 ch corners in Rnd 3 to 2 ch. If your block is oblong rather than square after background Rnd 3, you can work trebles rather than half trebles to add length to the short sides. Use stitch markers to mark the start of each round.
Method
Yarn ball section (make 2)
With colour A, chain 5.
Row 1: Starting in 2nd ch from hook, 4 dc. 4 sts. From here, piece is worked in rounds without turning.
Rnd 2: 1 ch, 2 dc in side of end st of row 1 , dc in each of the 4 dc of row 1, 2 dc in side of end st of row 1, dc in bottom of end st of row 1, 3 dc, join with sl st to 1st st of this rnd. 12 sts
Rnd 3: 1 ch, 2 dc into next stitch twice, 4 dc, 2 dc into next stitch twice, 4 dc, join with sl st to 1st st of this round. 16 sts
Rnd 4: 1 ch, *2 dc into next stitch, 2 dc, 2 dc into next stitch, 4 dc, repeat from *, join with sl st to 1st st of this round. fasten off, turn. 20 sts
Row 5: With colour B, starting in first st of rnd 4, 1 ch, 6 dc, turn. 6 sts
Row 6: 1 ch, 6 dc. 6 sts
Fasten off, leaving a slightly long tail for seaming. With pieces lying side by side, mirrored with right sides facing up, seam both pieces together through back loops of row 6. Weave in ends of colour A from start of foundation chains and from the fastening off of one piece, leaving one colour A end loose. Weave in all ends of colour B.
Background square
Rnd 1: With right side facing and colour C, starting in side of end stitch of 3rd row of ball band, 3 ch (counts as a tr), tr in side of next end stitch of ball band, htr into round 4 st that has a row 5 st worked into it, 3 dc, (dc, ch2, dc) in next st, 6 dc, (dc, ch2, dc) in next st, 3 dc, htr into round 4 st with a row 5 st worked into it, 4 tr into end stitches of colour B rows, htr into row 4 st with a round 5 st worked into it, 3 dc, (dc, ch2, dc) in next st, 6 dc, (dc, ch2, dc) in next st, 3 dc, htr into round 4 st with a row 5 st worked into it, 2 tr into sides of colour B rows, join with sl st to 1st st of this round. 44 sts, 4 2ch-sp
Rnd 2: 3 ch (counts as a tr), * tr in each st to 2ch-sp, (tr, 2ch, dc) in 2ch-sp, dc in each st to 2 ch-sp (dc, 2ch, tr) in 2ch-sp, repeat from *, tr in each st to complete round, join with sl st to 1st st of this round. 52 sts, 4 2ch-sp
Rnd 3: 3 ch (counts as a tr), * tr in each st to 2ch-sp, (tr, 3ch, dc) in 2ch-sp, dc in each st to 2ch-sp (dc, 3ch, tr) in 2ch-sp, repeat from *, tr in each st to complete round, join with sl st to 1st st of this round. 60 sts, 4 3ch-sp
Rnd 4: 2 ch (counts as htr), * htr in each st to 2ch-sp, (htr, 2ch, dc) in 2ch-sp, dc in each st to 2ch-sp (dc, 2ch, htr) in 2ch-sp, repeat from *, htr in each st to complete round, join with sl st to 1st st of this round. 68 sts, 4 2ch-sp
Fasten off
Embellishment
Attach colour D in 3rd tr of rnd 2 on one side of background. Work surface crochet across each tr until last 2 sts, work 1 st surface crochet into round 1 dc in the opposite direction from the other stitches, to form an angle like the tip of a crochet hook (see photo).
Embroider your chosen text across the ball band in Colour E (see photo).
Finishing
Weave in ends, leaving loose end of colour A to the RS, and block pieces to size.
Pattern in US Terminology
UK Terminology above
Pattern notes
Turning chains count as a stitch except where the next stitch is sc. The yarn ball pieces are made of both rounds and back and forth rows; Row and Rnd are used at the start of each line to show which is which and instructions to turn are given where needed. This pattern is in US terminology and is also available in a UK terminology version; make sure you have the version you prefer! If you make loose chains, when working the yarn ball you may prefer to skip the starting chain in Rnd 2 and in the background reduce the 3 ch corners in Rnd 3 to 2 ch. If your block is oblong rather than square after background Rnd 3, you can work dc rather than hdc to add length to the short sides. Use stitch markers to mark the start of each round.
Method
Yarn ball section (make 2)
With colour A, chain 5.
Row 1: Starting in 2nd ch from hook, 4 sc. 4 sts. From here, piece is worked in rounds without turning.
Rnd 2: 1 ch, 2 sc in side of end st of row 1, dc in each of the 4 sc of row 1, 2 sc in side of end st of row 1, sc in bottom of end st of row 1, 3 sc, join with sl st to 1st st of this rnd. 12 sts
Rnd 3: 1 ch, 2 sc into next stitch twice, 4 sc, 2 sc into next stitch twice, 4 sc, join with sl st to 1st st of this round. 16 sts
Rnd 4: 1 ch, *2 sc into next stitch, 2 sc, 2 sc into next stitch, 4 sc, repeat from *, join with sl st to 1st st of this round. fasten off, turn. 20 sts
Row 5: With colour B, starting in first st of rnd 4, 1 ch, 6 sc, turn. 6 sts
Row 6: 1 ch, 6 sc. 6 sts
Fasten off, leaving a slightly long tail for seaming. With pieces lying side by side, mirrored with right sides facing up, seam both pieces together through back loops of row 6. Weave in ends of colour A from start of foundation chains and from the fastening off of one piece, leaving one colour A end loose. Weave in all ends of colour B.
Background square
Rnd 1: With right side facing and colour C, starting in side of end stitch of 3rd row of ball band, 3 ch (counts as a dc), dc in side of next end stitch of ball band, hdc into round 4 st that has a row 5 st worked into it, 3 sc, (sc, ch2, sc) in next st, 6 sc, (sc, ch2, sc) in next st, 3 sc, hdc into round 4 st with a row 5 st worked into it, 4 dc into end stitches of colour B rows, hdc into row 4 st with a round 5 st worked into it, 3 sc, (sc, ch2, sc) in next st, 6 sc, (sc, ch2, sc) in next st, 3 sc, hdc into round 4 st with a row 5 st worked into it, 2 dc into sides of colour B rows, join with sl st to 1st st of this round. 44 sts, 4 2ch-sp
Rnd 2: 3 ch (counts as a dc), *dc in each st to 2ch-sp, (dc, 2ch, sc) in 2ch-sp, sc in each st to 2 ch-sp (sc, 2ch, dc) in 2ch-sp, repeat from *, dc in each st to complete round, join with sl st to 1st st of this round. 52 sts, 4 2ch-sp
Rnd 3: 3 ch (counts as a dc), *dc in each st to 2ch-sp, (dc, 3ch, sc) in 2ch-sp, sc in each st to 2ch-sp (sc, 3ch, dc) in 2ch-sp, repeat from *, dc in each st to complete round, join with sl st to 1st st of this round. 60 sts, 4 3ch-sp
Rnd 4: 2 ch (counts as hdc), *hdc in each st to 2ch-sp, (hdc, 2ch, sc) in 2ch-sp, sc in each st to 2ch-sp (sc, 2ch, hdc) in 2ch-sp, repeat from *, hdc in each st to complete round, join with sl st to 1st st of this round. 68 sts, 4 2ch-sp
Fasten off
Embellishment
Attach colour D in 3rd dc of rnd 2 on one side of background. Work surface crochet across each dc until last 2 sts, work 1 st surface crochet into round 1 sc in the opposite direction from the other stitches, to form an angle like the tip of a crochet hook (see photo). Embroider your chosen text across the ball band in Colour E (see photo).
Finishing
Weave in ends, leaving loose end of colour A to the RS, and block pieces to size.
Make it your own
You could try this in different weights of yarn, e.g. a DK yarn for colours A-C and a 4ply/fingering yarn for colours D and E, varying the size hook (usually the one suggested on the ball band for colours A-C), to get a different size square.
You could enlarge it to match the size of partner blocks in a sampler blanket by alternating a round of: htr/hdc in each side st and (htr/hdc, 2 ch, htr/hdc) in each ch-sp at the corners with a round of (htr, 3 ch, htr) in each ch-sp at the corners to keep it square.
Try using a speckled yarn to give the impression of text if you don’t fancy doing the embroidery.
Consider making the yarn and hook look like your favourite yarn and hook: a favourite colour for the yarn, the right shade/s for the ball band and the brand name and/or yarn name embroidered on, using finer yarn or thread if smaller text is needed. Match the colour/s of your favourite hook and even add extra rows of surface crochet to show the shape of its handle.
An item made from multiples of this block could be a lovely way to create a memento of yarns you’ve used, using the leftover scraps as the yarn colour. Remember you can hold multiple strands of finer weight yarns together to make them the right weight to match the yarn you’re using for the ball band and background.
How did it go?
I love to hear from anyone who uses one of my patterns to create a project. Any feedback you give about the pattern will help me develop future patterns that are easy to follow and it’s always exciting to see in-progress or finished projects created using my patterns. You can find me on Instagram or Ravelry
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