I have designed a 12inch (30cm) square especially for the first birthday of the CAL – Crochet A Long Facebook group. Can you believe this fun and supporting group with already 20.000(!) members is only a year old? To celebrate this wonderful event, many designers from all over the world have united to each designed a 12inch square so that all you wonderful people can make a “Friends Around the World” anniversary birthday blanket. You can find all the info about the “Friends Around the World” CAL in the CAL – Crochet A Long Facebook group. You can also post all your questions there and show your beautiful results.

This is the first afghan square I have designed and because it’s my ‘first born’ square I named it after my first born son Stephan. Stephan was all chuffed to find out that I had named a square after him. Do you like “Stephan”? I’m really pleased with how it turned out.

Resources

In addition to the written pattern in US terms there are more resources available to help you make this square. I want to thank the CAL – Crochet A Long Translation Team for the translation.

Materials

To make a ‘Stephan’ of your own you will need Scheepjes Stone Washed XL worsted weight yarn in the following amounts and colors:

125m Scheepjes Stone Washed XL yarn in 3 colors. I used:
- Color A: Coral (856) – 36m
- Color B: Brown Agate (862) – 46m
- Color C : Blue Apatite (845) – 43m
5mm (US H/8, UK 6) crochet hook

Scheepjes Stone Washed XL is available from Wool Warehouse (UK/Int), Caro’s Atelier (NL/EU) and many other Scheepjes stockists.

Abbreviations

Please note that this pattern uses US crochet terms with the following abbreviations.

ch – chain
sc – single crochet
hdc – half double crochet
dc – double crochet
blsc – back loop single crochet
blhdc – back loop half double crochet
bldc – back loop double crochet
tr – treble crochet
bptr – back post treble crochet
sl.st. – slip stitch
st. – stitch

A few extra notes before we start

When I change colors in the pattern I do not indicate how you should make the first stitch of each round, you can chose if you want to use a standing stitch or an equivalent number of chain stitches. The choice is up to you. I usually do not indicate if you should close a round with a slip stitch or an invisible join, again this choice is up to you. When I do indicate to join in a certain way this is to make the stitches of the next round easier to do.
When counting stitches, the ch1/ch2 corner stitches do not contribute to the final stitch count. Only the stitches between the ch1/ch2-corner spaces are counted.
Unless indicated otherwise, start each round in a ch1/ch2-corner space.
When relevant I will add an extra tip in (italic brackets).

Video tutorial

If you find the written pattern hard to follow, you can follow the video tutorial in which I show step by step how to make “Stephan”.

Stephan Square – Free Crochet Pattern

Round 1 Use color A. Ch4, close with a sl.st. to the first ch. ch3, 2dc in the ring, [ch2, 3dc in the ring] times 3, ch2, close to the top of the ch3. If you use an invisible join here it will be easier to work in the back loops in the next round.
Stitch count: 3 dc per side

Round 2 Use color B. Work this round in the back loop only. [(2dc, ch2, 2dc) in the ch2-corner space, 1bldc in next 3st.] times 4. Close to the first stitch.
Stitch count: 7 dc per side

Round 3 Use color C. Note that in this round you will be working certain stitches as back post stitches. [(2tr, ch2, 2tr) in the ch2-corner space, 1bptr in next 2st., 1tr in next 3st., 1bptr in next 2st.] times 4. Close to the first stitch in the back loop only or use an invisible join.
Stitch count: 7 tr and 4 bptr per side (11 st. in total per side)

Round 4 Use color A. Work this round in the back loop only. [(2dc, ch2, 2dc) in the ch2-corner space,1bldc in next 11st.] times 4. Close to the first stitch.
Stitch count: 15 dc per side

Round 5 Use color B. Note that in this round you will be working certain stitches as back post stitches. [(2tr, ch1, 2tr) in ch2-corner space, 1bptr in next 3st., 1tr in next 3st., 1bptr in next 3st., 1tr in next 3st., 1bptr in next 3st.] times 4. Close to the first stitch in the back loop only or use an invisible join.
Stitch count: 10 tr and 9 bptr per side (19 st in total per side)

Round 6 Use color A. Work this round in the back loop only. In this round the corner is formed by the sc in the ch1-space. [1sc in the ch1-corner space, 1blsc in next 3st., 1blhdc in next 4st., 1bldc in next 5st., 1blhdc in next 4st., 1blsc in next 3st.] times 4. Close, cut off and work away your yarn tails.
Stitch count: 6 sc, 8 hdc, 5 dc per side (19 st in total per side)

Round 7 Use color C. In this round you do not have a ch-corner space. The sl.st. counts as the corner space. Attach your yarn with a sl.st. in any sc worked in a ch1-corner space of round 5. [ch12, 1dc in the 3rd dc, ch12, sl.st. to next corner sc] times 4. Close with a sl.st. in the starting stitch. Do not cut your yarn.
Stitch count: 24 ch and 1dc per side. (25 st in total per side)

Round 8 Use the same color yarn as in round 7. In this round you will create a new ch2-corner space. Ch1, [(2sc, 3hdc, 3dc, 3tr) in the next ch12-space, (2tr, ch2, 2tr) in the next dc, [(3tr, 3dc, 3hdc, 2sc) in the next ch12-space, sc in the next sl.st.] times 4. Close with a sl.st. to the first sc (not the ch1). Do not cut your yarn.
Stitch count. 5 sc, 6 hdc, 6 dc, 10 tr per side (27 st in total per side)

Round 9 Use the same color yarn as in round 8. Ch2 (counts as 1hdc), 1hdc in next 8st., 1dc in next 4st., (2dc, ch2, 2dc) in the ch2-space, [1dc in next 4st., 1hdc in next 19st., 1dc in next 4st., (2dc, ch2, 2dc) in the ch2-space] times 3, 1dc in next 4st., 1hdc in next 10st.
Close with a sl.st. to the ch2 or make an invisible join.
Stitch count. 19 hdc and 12 dc per side (31 st in total per side)

Round 10 Use color B. [(2dc, ch2, 2dc) in ch2-space, (ch1, skip next st., 1dc in next st.) times 15, ch1, skip last st.] times 4. Close with a sl.st. to the first st. Do not cut your yarn.
Stitch count. 16 ch and 19 dc per side (35 st in total per side)

Round 11 Use the same color yarn as in round 10. sl.st. to the next st. Ch3 (counts as 1dc), (2dc, ch2, 2dc) in the ch2-space. [skip first dc, 1dc in next st., (2dc in next ch1-space) times 16] skip the next st, 1dc in last st.] times 4. Close with a sl.st. to the ch3 and cut your yarn.
Stitch count. 38 dc per side

Round 12 Before continuing, take a moment to measure your square. If you are already close to 12 inches you might have to replace the tr in this round for dc or maybe even hdc if you have a very loose tension. If you are still ‘miles’ away from 12 inches, work tr in this round and also work round 13. Note that in this round you will be working back post stitches.
Use color A. [(2tr, ch2, 2tr) in ch2-space, 1bptr in every st.] times 4. Close to the first st. with an invisible join.
Stitch count. 38 bptr and 4tr per side (42 st. in total per side)

Round 13 (optional, not shown in photograph) This round is optional and depends on your personal tension. If you are a tight crocheter your square might not be 12 inches yet, then make this round to get your square to the right size. If your square is already 12 inches, stop. Do not make this round. You might have to replace the dc with either hdc or tr, depending on your personal tension, to get your square exactly 12 inches.
Use color A. Work this round in the back loop only [(2dc, ch2, 2dc) in ch2-space, 1bldc in every st.] times 4. Close to the first st.
Stitch count. 46 dc per side

When you have completed your square, block it to 12inches (30cm). And then you are all done!

#itsallinanutshell

If you are making something with one of my patterns or one of my videos, I would love to see your work. Use the hashtag #itsallinanutshell on Instagram to help me find it, share your work in my It’s all in a Nutshell Crochet Nuts group on Facebook or tag me in one of your posts.

With love,
Esther

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