Crochet African Flower Granny Square — Step-by-Step Pattern & Tips
The Crochet African Flower Granny Square is a charming, textured motif that makes a lovely focal point for blankets, pillows, bags or garments. This pattern highlights layered petals and a neat decorative border — a great project for showcasing contrast colors and stitch texture. Below you'll find materials, special-stitch instructions, two methods (easy and advanced), and finishing notes so you can make your own 6" square.
Materials
Yarn – Any worsted-weight yarn in the colors of your choice. Prototypes are made using 2 colors.
Hobbii Portobello, Worsted weight, #4 (60% Cotton, 28% Acrylic, 12% Wool, 120 m (131 yds) per 50 g (1.75 oz) Ball)
Estimated Total Yardage for One Square
- Main Color (MC) Pink = 15 Yards
- Second Color (CC) White = 10 Yards
Hook – 6 mm Crochet Hook
Gauge – 15 sts over 8 Rows = 4 x 4” made in dc, before blocking.
Difficulty Level
Intermediate
Terms – US Terminology
Pattern Notes
Please kindly read through the pattern before starting.
Beginning chains count as a stitch throughout the pattern.
Stitches Abbreviations
- Chain/chains – ch/chs
- Chain space – ch sp
- Stitch(es) – st(s)
- Slip Stitch – sl st
- Single Crochet – sc
- Double Crochet – dc
- Magic Ring – MR
- Spike Single Crochet Stitch – Ssc
Special Stitch
Spike Single Crochet Stitch – Ssc:
- Insert the hook from front to back in the space where you want the bottom of the stitch to be.
- Yarn over, pull up to the level where you want the stitch to end (this should be at the level of the previous stitches).
- Yarn over and complete the single crochet stitch.
Finished Measurements
Each square measures about 6”
Construction Notes
This project is done in rounds.
You can use a color per round or switch after every round.
How to Crochet African Flower Granny Square
Method 1: Easy
Round 1: With CC, make a Magic ring, ch 3 (counts as the first dc, here and throughout), dc, *ch 1, 2 dc, rep from * 6 more times, ch 1, join with a sl st to the beginning ch. 16 dc, 8 ch sps
Close the ring tightly. Fasten off CC, join MC in any ch sp.
Round 2: With MC, ch 3, dc, ch 1, 2 dc in ch 1 sp, *(2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in each ch 1 sp around, join. 32 dc, 8 ch sps
Fasten off MC, join CC to any of the ch sps.
Round 3: Ch 3, 5 dc in ch 1 sp, *6 dc each ch 1 sp, join. 48 dc
Fasten off CC, join MC to any of the 3rd dc in the group of 6 dc from the round below.
Round 4: Ch 7 (counts as the first tr + ch 3), tr in same st, *dc in next 2 sts, hdc in next st, sc in next 5 sts, hdc in next st, dc in next 2 sts, (tr, ch 3, tr) in next st, rep from * 2 more times, dc in next 2 sts, hdc in next st, sc in next 5 sts, hdc in next st, dc in last 2 sts, join with a sl st to the 3rd.
Round 5: Ch 1, sc in each st around, aim for 3 sc in each ch 3 sp, join.
Method 2: Advanced
The only difference in this method of crocheting the African flower square is its long single crochet.
Round 1: With white, make a Magic ring, ch 3 (counts as the first dc, here and throughout), dc, *ch 1, 2 dc, rep from * 6 more times, ch 1, join with a sl st to the beginning ch. 16 dc, 8 ch sps
Close the ring tightly. Fasten off or drop yarn.
Join light green to any ch sps.
Round 2: Ch 3, dc, ch 1, 2 dc in ch 1 sp, *(2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in each ch 1 sp around, join with a sl st to the beginning ch. 32 dc, 8 ch sps
Round 3: Sl st until the next ch 1 sp, ch 3, 5 dc in ch 1 sp, *6 dc each ch 1 sp, join with a sl st to the beginning ch. 48 dc
Fasten off or drop yarn.
Join white to any of the sts.
Round 4: Ch 1, sc in next 2 sts, *long sc into the second space between the 4 dc from round 2, skip the next st in round 3, sc in next 5 sts, rep from * to the last 2 sts, sc in last 2 sts.
Fasten off white, join the dark green to any of the 3rd sc in the group of 5 sc from the round below.
Round 5: Ch 7 (counts as the first tr + ch 3), tr in same st, *dc in next 2 sts, hdc in next st, sc in next 5 sts, hdc in next st, dc in next 2 sts, (tr, ch 3, tr) in next st, rep from * 2 more times, dc in next 2 sts, hdc in next st, sc in next 5 sts, hdc in next st, dc in last 2 sts, join with a sl st to the 3rd chain from the beginning ch 7.
Round 6: Ch 1, sc in each st around, aim for 3 sc in each ch 3 sp, join with a sl st to the beginning ch.
Weave in all ends. Fasten off.
Block to measurement.
Finishing Tips
- Weave in ends securely and block each square to reach the stated 6" measurement before joining.
- Try contrasting colors for the petal rounds to make the flower pop.
- Read through the pattern once before starting to be familiar with where color changes and special stitches occur.