I've called these sweet beauties "Little Coat Squares" as I made them especially to add some colourful embellishment to an old coat of mine. You can read more about my coat makeover HERE.
The squares are made up in three rounds, and here I've used a DK weight cotton yarn on a 4mm hook. They are quite dinky, measuring 5 cm square.
Before we begin, a little summary of the basic stitches. I'm writing using UK crochet terms.
sl st [slip stitch] :: insert hook, yarn over, pull the loop back through the stitch, then through the loop on your hook.
dc [double crochet] :: insert hook, yarn over, pull the loop back through the stitch (two loops on hook), yarn over and pull through both loops on hook (note :: this is equivalent to the US sc stitch)
tr [treble] :: yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull the loop back through the stitch (three loops on hook), yarn over and pull through two loops on hook (two loops left on hook), yarn over and pull through remaining two loops (note :: this is equivalent to the US dc stitch)
To start :: chain 6 and join with a slip stitch to form a ring. You'll be working out of the ring for the first round.
:: Round 1 ::
{NOTE ~ It's good practice to crochet over your tail end as you work this first round. Then when you fasten off, you can give the tail end a tug and it'll close the central hole up a little.}
Chain 2 (counts as 1 dc), then work 15 dc stitches into the ring. It'll be quite tight, the stitches will be close together.
Slip stitch into the 2nd chain of the initial ch-2 to close the round and fasten off (16 stitches)
:: Round 2 ::
You'll be working out of the stitches for this round.
Inserting your hook into the first stitch and pull through a loop of the new colour.
Hold the tail ends in place, making sure they sit across the top of the stitches from the previous round so that you can crochet over them.
Chain 3 (counts as 1 tr), 1 tr into each of the next 3 stitches, chain 2.
*work 1 tr into each of the next 4 stitches, ch-2*
Repeat between ** twice more, ending with a ch-2.
Slip stitch into 3rd chain of initial ch-3 to close round. Fasten off.
:: Round 3 ::
Insert your hook into the first corner space and pull through a loop of the new colour. As before, hold the tail ends in place, making sure they sit across the top of the stitches from the previous round so that you can crochet over them.
In the same corner space, chain 4 (counts as 1 dc and ch-2 space), 2 dc (as above)
Work 1 dc into each of the next 4 stitches. The first stitch here can be a little tricky as it's the place where you fastened off in the previous round. You might need to give your hook a good wiggle to get it into this first stitch, but it should be OK.
*In the next corner space, 2 dc, ch-2, 2 dc (as above)
Work 1 dc into each of the next 4 stitches*
Repeat between ** twice more.
Work 1 dc in the very first corner space (as above). Slip stitch into the 2nd chain of the initial ch-4 to close the round.
Fasten off, remembering to leave a long tail end if you wish to stitch your Little Coat Squares together.
Depending on what you are going to do with your Little Squares, you might choose to crochet them together using this technique.
Or you may prefer to simply stitch them together using the tail-ends of yarn and I'm going to show you how to do it. Place two squares next to each other (as above) and thread the tail end of one square onto a darning needle.
Put the squares together so that the right sides are touching and you are looking at the wrong side (as above)
Match up the stitches of both squares.
You will be over sewing the squares together, passing the needle through the BACK (outer) LOOPS ONLY of each square. Pass the needle through each and every crochet stitch along, remember back loops only. When you reach the last stitch, work a couple of stitches on top of each other, then darn the yarn back and forth under the crochet stitches to secure. Snip off the end.
When you open them out, they should sit nice and flat. The stitches are almost invisible as they are the same colour as the adjoining square. It's a pretty neat finish!
Playing with colour combinations is a lot of fun with these small squares, as they are so quick to make. And if you remember to crochet over your tail ends as you work, there will be no ends to darn in. They are a whole lot of happy :o)
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{A note about this pattern} My Little Coat Squares were inspired by an amazing knit and crochet jacket made by Norwegian designer Sidsel J. Høivik.
The jacket pattern was originally published in a Norwegian magazine in 2010, and is not available in English. I was able to recreate my squares simply by looking at photographs of the jacket (see here on Ravelry). Sidsel very kindly gave me her permission to share my Little Coat Squares here on Attic24 :: Thank you Sidsel ♥
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