I’m sharing a new 12″ crochet square pattern for the Pathways Square today. It’s called the Pathways Square because the pattern makes it easy to choose your own pathway and make the square uniquely your own. Read on for details.
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I’m excited to be joining Tamara from Moogly again for the 2022 Moogly Crochet Along! If you love 12″ crochet squares, the Moogly CAL is definitely the place to be. One of my favorite things about this CAL is getting to see Tamara’s version of each square. It really showcases how different yarn choices can make a big difference. This is especially true with my contribution, the Pathways Square. This square was designed to give you different options for looks because the center square layouts can easily change. In the pattern below, I share five different layout options. And, while Tamara used the same layout option as I did, because each of her squares used different colors, the result is very different. I can’t wait to see which pathway you choose for your version!
Don’t forget to visit Moogly’s blog to get Tamara’s notes on the Pathways Square along with links to the other blocks in the 2022 Moogly CAL.
If you make your own Pathways Square, I’d love to see it! Share your progress and questions by tagging me on Facebook as @Underground Crafter or on Instragram as @ucrafter. You can also share a picture in the Underground Crafters Facebook group. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a coupon code for your choice of one of my premium patterns and private access to my vault of subscriber goodies. Plus, you’ll never miss one of my free patterns again!
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Pathways Square
Crochet Pattern by Underground Crafter
Choose your own pathway when crocheting this square. Alternate positioning of the inner squares to create different looks. This pattern was designed for the 2022 Moogly Crochet Along.
Finished Size
- 12” (30.5 cm) square.
Materials
- Red Heart With Love yarn (100% acrylic, 7 oz/198 g/370 yd/338 m) – 1 skein each in 1502 Iced Blue (CA) and 1623 Mallard (CB), or approximately 66 yd (60.5 m) in CA and 85 yd (78 m) in any medium weight yarn.
- US Size J-10/6 mm crochet hook, or size needed to obtain gauge.
- Bent tip yarn needle.
Gauge
- Inner Square = 4.5” (11.5 cm) square in pattern. Exact gauge is not critical for this pattern.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
- BL – back loop only – Moogly has a helpful video tutorial for identifying the back loop here.
- CA – Color A
- CB – Color B
- cdc – crossed double crochet – Skip next st, dc in next st, dc in skipped st. Each cdc counts as 2 sts. A helpful video tutorial for this stitch pattern is available below.
- If you can’t see the video tutorial for the crossed double crochet above, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
- ch – chain
- dc – double crochet
- rep – repeat
- Rnd(s) – Round(s)
- RS – right (front) side
- sc – single crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- WS – wrong (back) side
- yo – yarn over
- *Repeat instructions after asterisk as indicated.
- () Work stitches between parentheses into same stitch or space.
- [] Repeat instructions between brackets as indicated.
Pattern Notes
- This pattern is worked in a combination of joined Rounds and Rows.
- Ch 1 at start of rows does not count as a stitch.
Pattern Instructions
Inner Square (Make 4)
- With CA, ch 4, skip 3 ch, join with sl st to next ch to form ring.
- Rnd 1: (RS) Ch 1, [3 dc in ring, ch 2] 3 times, 3 dc in ring, ch 1, join with sc (counts as second ch of ch-2 sp) to first dc. – 3 sts on each side + 4 ch-2 sp
- Rnd 2: (RS) Ch 1, 3 dc in same ch-2 sp, [ch 1, skip 3 dc, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp] 3 times, ch 1, 3 dc in first ch-2 sp, ch 2, join with sl st to first dc. Fasten off CA. – 6 dc + 1 ch-1 sp on each side + 4 ch-2 sp
- Row 3: Join CB with sl st to any corner ch-2 sp on RS, ch 1, sc in ch-2 sp, *sc in next 3 dc, sc in next ch-1 sp, sc in next 3 dc,** (sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch-2 sp; rep from * to ** once, sc in next ch-2 sp. – 9 sts on each side + 1 ch-2 sp
- Row 4: (WS) Turn, ch 3 (counts as dc), *cdc 4 times across next 8 sts,** (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-2 sp; rep from * to ** once, dc in next st. – 11 sts on each side + 1 ch-2 sp
- Row 5: (RS) Turn, ch 3 (counts as dc), *cdc 5 times across next 10 sts,** (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-2 sp; rep from * to ** once, dc in next st, changing to CA in last yo. Fasten off CB. – 13 sts on each side + 1 ch-2 sp
- Row 6: With RS facing, turn to work along raw edge side of previous rows, ch 1, 2 sc in side of each of next 2 rows, sc in side of next row, continue working along edge of Round 2, sc in ch-2 sp, *sc in next 3 dc, sc in next ch-1 sp, sc in next 3 dc,** (sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch-2 sp, rep from * to ** once, sc in next ch-2 sp, continue working along raw edge side of previous rows, sc in side of next row, 2 sc in side of each of next 2 rows. Fasten off CA. – 14 sts on each side + 1 ch-2 sp
Choose Your Pattern Layout and Join Inner Squares
- Choose a layout for your 4 squares in 2 rows of 2 squares. I used the version in the left corner but there are many other options for different looks.
- Use your preferred method for joining squares. I used a slip stitch join on the WS (see video below).
- If you can’t see the video for the slip stitch join above, click HERE to watch it on Facebook.
Continue Crocheting Outer Square
- Rnd 7: Join CA with sl st to any corner ch-2 sp on RS, ch 1 [evenly crochet 30 sc across side, ch 2], join with sl st to first sc, fasten off CA. – 30 sts on each side + 4 ch-2 sp
- Rnd 8: Join CB with sl st to any corner ch-2 sp on RS, ch 1, 2 hdc in same ch 2 sp, *ch 1, [hdc in next st, ch 1, skip 1 st] across to corner ch-2 sp,** (2 hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc) in corner ch-2 sp; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, 2 hdc in first ch-2 sp, ch 2, join with sl st to first hdc, fasten off CB. – 35 sts on each side + 4 ch-2 sp
- Rnd 9: Join CA with sl st to any corner ch-2 sp on RS, ch 1, 2 sc in same ch-2 sp, *sc in next 2sts, dc into ch-2 sp on Rnd 8, [skip next st, 2 dc in next skipped st (on Rnd 7)] across to last 2 sts before ch 2 sp, sc in next 2 sts,** (ch 2, 2 sc) in next ch-2 sp; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, ch 2, join with sl st to first sc, fasten off CA. – 37 sts on each side + 4 ch-2 sp
- Rnd 10: Join CB with sl st to any corner ch-2 sp on RS, ch 1, sc in same ch-2 sp, *scBL in next 37 sts,** (sc, ch 2, sc) in corner ch-2 sp; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, sc in first ch-2 sp, ch 1, join with sc (counts as second ch of ch-2 sp) to first dc. – 39 sts on each side + 4 ch-2 sp
- Rnd 11: (RS) Ch 1, sc in same ch-2 sp, *scBL in next 39 sts,** (sc, ch 2, sc) in corner ch-2 sp; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, sc in first ch-2 sp, ch 1, join with sc (counts as second ch of ch-2 sp) to first dc. – 41 sts on each side + 4 ch-2 sp
- If your square is smaller than 12” (30.5 cm) after Round 11, work additional rounds as follows until square reaches 12” (30.5 cm):
- Ch 1, sc in same ch-2 sp, *sc in each st across to corner ch-2 sp,** (sc, ch 2, sc) in ch-2 sp; rep from * around, ending last rep at **, sc in first ch-2 sp, ch 1, join with sc (counts as second ch of ch-2 sp) to top of first sc. (Increases by 2 sts on each side with each rep)
- Fasten off CB. With yarn needle, weave in yarn tails on WS.