Diagonal Squares Afghan in Lion Brand Vanna's Choice

Diagonal Squares Afghan – Free Knitting Pattern by Lion Brand (Pattern L40264)

The Diagonal Squares Afghan is a free downloadable knitting pattern from Lion Brand Yarn, designed by Irina Poludnenko. It produces a stunning, large-scale throw measuring 47 x 58 inches (119.5 x 147.5 cm) — a generous size that makes it ideal as a cozy home accent or a thoughtful handmade gift. The pattern is rated Easy (Level 2), making it accessible to confident beginners and a satisfying project for intermediate knitters looking for a relaxing, repetitive build.

Design Overview and Construction Technique

What makes this afghan visually striking is its diagonal colorwork appearance, achieved not through complex intarsia or stranded colorwork, but through a clever bias knitting technique. Knitting on the bias means the fabric is worked at a 45-degree angle — stitches are increased on one edge and decreased on the other within each square unit, causing the knitted rows to run diagonally across the finished piece rather than horizontally. This creates the illusion of diagonal lines and geometric squares without requiring advanced colorwork skills.

The afghan is constructed as a modular, square-by-square project. Individual squares are knitted separately and then assembled to form the complete throw. The pattern specifies multiple distinct square types — including Square 1 (made multiple times) and Square 12 — each worked in specific colorways using the designated yarn colors. This modular approach makes the project highly portable and easy to work on in stages.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Bias knitting (knitting on the bias): The foundational construction method, using paired increases and decreases to angle the fabric diagonally.
• Increases and decreases: Used consistently to shape each individual square module and maintain the diagonal orientation of the fabric.
• Modular / mitered square construction: Each square is a self-contained unit, allowing for easy color management and a structured, geometric final layout.
• Color blocking: Different yarn colors are assigned to specific squares, creating the multi-toned, patchwork-style visual effect across the finished throw.
• Seaming / assembly: Completed squares are joined together to form the full afghan, requiring basic finishing skills.

Materials – Yarn

This pattern is specifically designed for Lion Brand Vanna's Choice yarn (Article #860), a workhorse acrylic yarn beloved for its softness, stitch definition, and wide color range. The pattern calls for multiple colorways to achieve its signature palette:

• Dusty Blue (Color A) – 7 balls: The dominant background color used throughout the majority of the squares.
• Colonial Blue (Color B) – 2 balls: A complementary cool-toned blue used as an accent color.
• Honey (Color C) – 1 ball: A warm golden-yellow that provides contrast against the blue tones.
• Rose (Color D) – 1 ball: A soft pink accent that adds a delicate pop of warmth.
• Dusty Purple (Color E): An additional accent color rounding out the palette with a muted violet tone.

Lion Brand Vanna's Choice is composed of 100% Premium Acrylic in most colorways, making the finished afghan machine-washable and highly durable — a practical advantage for a throw that will see regular use. Certain specialty colorways within the Vanna's Choice family (such as those in the 400-series) may contain a blend of 92% Acrylic and 8% Rayon or similar fiber variations, offering a subtle sheen.

A Note on Vanna's Palettes

The pattern introduction references using a combination of Vanna's Palettes alongside standard Vanna's Choice yarn. Vanna's Palettes is a coordinated color collection within the Vanna's Choice line, curated to work harmoniously together — making color selection straightforward and ensuring the finished squares blend beautifully when assembled into the complete throw.

Needles and Tools

As a knitting pattern worked in Lion Brand Vanna's Choice — a medium-weight (worsted / size 4