I’m excited to be kicking off the fourth edition of Granny Square Month on Underground Crafter with the Alba Square! This is the first of 30 free patterns for eight inch squares in the 2026 Granny Square Month Crochet Along.
This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. Yarn for the sample was generously provided by Herrschners.
For the Alba Square (and the other squares I designed for this CAL), I used three jumbo skeins of Herrschners Worsted 8 Wildflowers yarn (from left to right, in Wildflowers, Bluet, and Dandelion). I love how the colors came together!
Scroll down for the free pattern for the Alba Square. This is the first pattern in the 2026 Granny Square Month Crochet Along with Underground Crafter. To follow the CAL…
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Alba Square
8″ Crochet Granny Square Pattern by Underground Crafter
This Alba Square is the first of 30 free crochet patterns for 8″ square in the 2026 Granny Square Month Crochet Along with Underground Crafter. This 8” granny square uses post stitches to add texture.
Finished Size
- Motif: 8” (20.5 cm) square.
Materials
- Herrschners Worsted 8 Wildflowers yarn (100% acrylic, 8 oz/226 g, 489 yd/448 m) – 1 skein each in Dandelion (CA), Bluet (CB), and Wildflowers (CC), or approximately 25 yd (23 m) in CA and 10 yd (9 m) each in CB and CC in any medium weight yarn.
- KnitPro Waves 2.0 (available online at LoveCrafts | Amazon) US Size I-9/5.5 mm crochet hook, or any size needed to obtain correct gauge.
- Yarn needle.
Gauge
- Finished Square = 8” (20.5 cm) square in pattern. Exact gauge is not critical for this pattern.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
- CA – Color A
- CB – Color B
- CC – Color C
- ch – chain
- dc – double crochet
- FPdc – front post double crochet – Yo, insert hook from front around back to front of st in previous row, yo and draw up a loop, [yo and draw through 2 loops] twice. A helpful FPdc video tutorial is available below.
- If you can’t see the FPdc video above, watch it on YouTube.
- FPsc – front post single crochet – Insert hook from front around back to front of st in previous round, yo and draw up a loop, yo and draw through 2 loops. A helpful FPsc video tutorial is available below.
- If you can’t see the FPsc video above, watch it on YouTube.
- hdc – half double crochet
- Rnd(s) – Round(s)
- sc – single crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- tr – treble (triple) crochet
- yo – yarn over
- *Repeat instructions after asterisk as indicated.
- [] Repeat instructions between brackets as indicated.
- () Work instructions in parentheses into same stitch or space.
Pattern Notes
- Square is crocheted in the round with the right (front) side facing up.
- Ch 1 at start and sl st at end of Rounds DO NOT count as stitches.
- These squares might benefit from spray blocking. You can find more information and helpful videos about blocking in Blocking Basics for Crocheters and Knitters.
- Planning to join squares? The video below, “How to join granny squares 5 ways: mattress stitch, whipstitch, slip stitch, single crochet, join-as-you-go (JAYG)” may help.
- If you can’t see the video above showing 5 ways to join granny squares, watch it on YouTube.
Pattern Instructions
Square
- With CA, ch 4, skip 3 ch, join with sl st to next ch to form ring.
- Rnd 1: Ch 1, 12 dc in ring, join with sl st to first dc. (12 sts)
- Rnd 2: Ch 1, starting in same st [FPdc around next st, ch 1] around to last st, FPdc around next st, join with sc (counts as ch-1 sp) to first FPdc. (24 sts)
- Rnd 3: Ch 1, starting in same sp [2 dc in ch-1 sp, FPdc around next FPdc] around, join with sl st to first dc. (36 sts)
- Rnd 4: Ch 1, starting in same st [dc in next st, ch 1, dc in next st, FPdc around next FPdc] around, join with sl st to first dc. (48 sts)
- Rnd 5: Ch 1, starting in same st [sc in next st, sc in ch-1 sp, sc in next st, FPsc around next FPdc] around, join CB with sl st to first sc, fasten off CA.
- Rnd 6: Ch 1, 2 dc in same st, *dc in next st, hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next 5 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next st,** (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc in next st; repeat from * around, ending last repeat at **, 2 dc in first st, ch 1, join with sc (counts as second ch in ch-2 sp) to first dc. (15 sts/side + 4 ch-2 sp)
- Rnd 7: Ch 1, 2 dc in first ch-2 sp, *[dc in next st, ch 1, skip 1 st] across to last st on side, dc in next st,** (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * around, ending last repeat at **, 2 dc in first ch-2 sp, ch 2, join with sl st to first dc, fasten off CB. (19 sts/side + 4 ch-2 sp)
- Rnd 8: Join CC with sl st to any ch-2 sp, ch 1, 2 dc in first ch-2 sp, *dc in next 3 sts, [tr in skipped st on Rnd 6, dc in next st] across to last 2 sts on side, dc in next 2 sts,** (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * around, ending last repeat at **, 2 dc in first ch-2 sp, ch 1, join with sc (counts as second ch in ch-2 sp) to first dc. (23 sts/side + 4 ch-2 sp)
- Rnd 9: Ch 1, 2 sc in same ch-2 sp, *[ch 1, skip 1 st, sc in next st] across to last st on side, ch 1, skip 1 st,** (2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc) in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * around, ending last repeat at **, 2 sc in first st, ch 2, join with sl st to first sc, fasten off CC. (27 sts/side + 4 ch-2 sp)
- Rnd 10: Join CA with sl st to any ch-2 sp, ch 1, sc in same ch-2 sp, *sc in next 2 sts, [hdc in skipped st on Rnd 8, sc in next st] across to last st on side, sc in next st,** (sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * around, ending last repeat at **, sc in first sp, ch 2, join with sl st to first sc, fasten off CA. (29 sts/side + 4 ch-2 sp)
Finishing
- With yarn needle, weave in ends on wrong side of square.
- Spray or wet block (see Pattern Notes) if necessary.