Margaret Afghan Square

Margaret Afghan Square by Julie Yeager

What is Being Made

The Margaret Afghan Square is a 12-inch crochet square designed by Julie Yeager. This project creates a single decorative motif suitable for joining with other squares to form a larger afghan blanket. The finished square works up to a medium size, making it ideal for modular blanket construction or as a standalone decorative piece.

Craft and Technique

This project is worked entirely in crochet and is classified as an intermediate difficulty pattern. The design incorporates the Tapestry Crochet technique, which allows crafters to work with multiple colors in a single piece without frequent color changes or weaving in ends. In tapestry crochet, you change colors at the last yarn-over of each stitch and crochet over the color not in use, creating a seamless color transition and keeping unused yarn strands secure within the fabric.

Stitches Used

The Margaret Afghan Square uses fundamental crochet stitches that form the foundation of the design:

• Single Crochet (sc) – The primary stitch throughout the pattern, creating a tight, dense fabric
• Chain (ch) – Used to begin rounds and create foundational loops
• Slip Stitch (sl st) – Used to join rounds and create seamless transitions between rows
• Yarn Over (yo) – The fundamental technique for creating stitches

The pattern is written using American crochet terms and includes special abbreviations for space (sp) and stitch (st) references.

Construction Method

The square is constructed in the round, beginning with a small ring and expanding outward through successive rounds. The pattern creates a geometric shape with defined corners, achieved through strategic increases (3 single crochets in a single stitch for corner shaping). The design progresses from 8 stitches in Round 1 to 16 stitches in Round 2, then to 24 stitches in Round 3, with color changes introduced in Round 4 using the tapestry crochet technique.

Materials

Yarn: The pattern calls for worsted weight yarn in two colors. The suggested yarn is Vanna's Choice, with Color A in Barley and Color B in Linen. Worsted weight yarn is a medium thickness that works up quickly while maintaining stitch definition.

Hook: A Size J (6.0 mm) crochet hook is recommended for this project. This hook size pairs well with worsted weight yarn to create the proper gauge and fabric density for a finished 12-inch square.

Pattern Format

The Margaret Afghan Square is available as a free, downloadable PDF pattern, making it accessible for crocheters of all backgrounds. The complete instructions and materials list are provided in an easy-to-follow format suitable for intermediate-level crafters.