Cotton Breeze Square
Introduction
The Cotton Breeze Square is a pretty pastel crochet square with a simple square centre surrounded by soft, textured rounds of half treble crochet clusters.
It’s a lovely little square to make when you want to use a selection of soft colours together. I made mine using Sirdar Happy Cotton, but you can use any similar 4-ply cotton yarn and create your own colour combination.
The centre is worked as a small square, starting with a chain of 6 and five rows of double crochet. Two rounds of half treble crochet clusters are then worked around the four sides, creating a softly textured square with a pretty, almost woven effect.
About the Cotton Breeze Square
This is a simple crochet square that is particularly suited to cotton yarn. The combination of the neat double crochet centre and the textured half treble clusters gives the finished square plenty of texture without making it too heavy.
I chose a soft pastel palette for my squares, but this design would work just as well in brighter colours, a limited two- or three-colour palette, or as a stash-busting project using lots of different shades.
What can I make with Cotton Breeze Squares?
Once you have made a few squares, there are lots of ways to use them. Try joining them together to make a colourful blanket, or use a smaller number of squares for cushions, bags, scarves and other crochet accessories.
Changing the colours can completely change the look of the finished square, so this is a great pattern for experimenting with colour.
Materials
- 4-ply cotton yarn
- 3.5 mm crochet hook
- Scissors
- Yarn needle
Yarn
For my Cotton Breeze Squares I used Sirdar Happy Cotton, a 4-ply cotton yarn that comes in a lovely range of colours. The small 20 g balls are particularly useful for crochet squares as they allow you to use lots of different shades without needing large quantities of each colour.
I was able to make approximately 6 squares from each 20 g ball. I used a 3.5 mm crochet hook, although I tend to have a fairly loose tension.
Video Tutorial
If you prefer to crochet along with a video, I have a step-by-step tutorial for the Cotton Breeze Square.
Abbreviations/Crochet Terms
UK terms are used throughout.
Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
ch | Chain |
dc | Double crochet (UK) |
htr | Half treble crochet (UK) |
htr cluster | 2 half treble crochet stitches worked into the same stitch or space |
st(s) | Stitch(es) |
*to* | Instructions between asterisks are repeated as specified |
UK-US Conversion
| UK Crochet Term | US Crochet Term |
|---|---|
| Double crochet (dc) | Single crochet (sc) |
| Half treble crochet (htr) | Half double crochet (hdc) |
| Chain (ch) | Chain (ch) |
| Slip stitch (ss) | Slip stitch (sl st) |
Written Pattern
Make the centre
- Make a slip knot and chain 6.
- Dc in the second chain from the hook and in each chain along to the end, working into the back bumps of the chain. [5 dc]
- Turn, ch1 (does not count as a stitch), dc in the first stitch and each stitch along to the end.
- Repeat step 3 a further 3 times. You should now have 5 rows of dc and formed a little square.
First round
- Turn, ch2 (counts as 1 htr), then work 1 htr in the first stitch.
- Skip 1 stitch, work 2 htr in the next stitch, skip 1 stitch, then work 2 htr in the last stitch.
- Do not turn. Ch2, then work 2 htr in the same space.
- Work down the side of the square. Skip 1 row, then work 2 htr around the post of the last stitch of the next row. Skip 1 row, then work 2 htr around the last stitch of the foundation row.
- Ch2, then work 2 htr in the same stitch.
- Work along the bottom of the square, into the foundation chain. Skip 1 chain, work 2 htr in the next chain, skip 1 chain, then work 2 htr in the last chain.
- Ch2, then work 2 htr in the same stitch.
- Work along the final side of the square. Skip 1 row, work 2 htr around the last stitch of the next row, skip 1 row, then work 2 htr in the same corner stitch where you started the round.
- Work 1 htr into the top of the beginning chain. This is worked instead of chaining 2 as it puts the loop in the correct position for the next round.
Second round
- Ch2 (counts as 1 htr), then work 1 htr in the same corner space just formed.
- Work along the side of the square, placing 2 htr in each space formed between the htr clusters of the previous round.
- In the corner space, work [2 htr, ch2, 2 htr].
- Continue around the remaining three sides, working 2 htr in each space between htr clusters and [2 htr, ch2, 2 htr] in each corner.
- When you reach the starting corner, work 2 htr in the corner space, then 1 htr into the top of the beginning chain. Fasten off.
Colour Ideas
This square is ideal for experimenting with colour. You can use a different colour for each round, alternate two or three colours, or make the centre one colour and use contrasting shades for the surrounding rounds.
I chose a collection of pastel shades for my Cotton Breeze Squares, but there are no rules when it comes to choosing your colours. Try combining colours from your stash and see what you come up with.
