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Monty Carlo Crochet Square
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The Monty Carlo Square is full of texture that comes from the overlay crochet. I designed this as a companion square for the Casablanca Square. I think they would coordinate well together for a beautiful throw or in thread as a bedspread. Of course, it can be used in lots of different projects — join two for a pretty throw pillow, create sides and base and join two for a tote bag, you could even fashion these into a garment with a little creativity!
The Monty Carlo Square is made with overlay crochet, which is a technique using post stitches and color to create a 3D effect. If you look around, you will see many mandalas made with this technique and they are full of rich and bright colors.
I designed this square to work with one, two or three colors but of course, you may use as many colors as you like. My testers rated this square as an intermediate square, but with a few tips (which I share below), a little patience, and working one step at a time, I think even the beginner could achieve this square.
I designed these crochet squares in Red Heart With Love yarn. I really liked working with this yarn and you can read my yarn reviews for the details.
I used the Chetnanigans BlocksAll Board to block my squares and I love this tool! You can read my review HERE!
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Monty Carlo Square Instructions
Size: 12” Square
Materials:
- Worsted Weight yarn, I used Red Heart With Love in one, two or three colors – approximately 150 yards total
- Hook J/6.00 mm
- Stitch Marker
- Tapestry needle for weaving ends
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Gauge: Check diameter measurements as noted in pattern.
Abbreviations (US Terms):
BLO: back loop only
BP: back post
ch: chain
dc: double crochet
FP: front post
hdc: half double crochet
sc: single crochet
sl st: slip stitch
st(s): stitch(es)
tr: treble stitch
YO: yarn over
Special Stitches:
CL (Cluster): *YO, insert hook into designated st, YO and pull loop through, YO and pull through 2 loops* (2 loops on hook), repeat between * 3 times (5 loops on hook), YO and pull through all loops at once.
Beg CL (Beginning Cluster): worked same as CL except you work a ch2 and only repeat between * 2 times (4 loops on hook).
POPSt (Popcorn Stitch): Work 4 dc in designated st, remove hook from loop of last st and insert it in the first dc of the group of 4, working behind the 4 dc, pull the loop of last st, through the last st.
Beg POPSt (Beginning Popcorn Stitch): worked same as POPSt, except you work a ch3 and 3dc instead of 4dc.
** Be sure to leave stitch behind these special stitches un-worked.**
General Notes:
- Weave ends as you work.
- The beginning ch1 of a round does NOT count as a stitch.
- Numbers in ( ) at end of round indicate the number of stitches in that round.
- Join rounds with a slip stitch to first stitch of the round.
- Start each round in the same stitch as the join.
- When a number follows a stitch, it means to work that stitch in the number of stitches indicated, (example: sc 3 means work a single crochet in each of the next 3 stitches).
- When a number precedes a stitch, it means to work the number indicated in the next stitch, (example: 3dc means work 3 double crochets in the next stitch).
- Repeat instructions within [ ] or * as indicated.
This square is rated as intermediate because of the post stitches, bobbles and clusters; however, if taken one step at a time, I am confident that even a beginner will achieve good results!
Starting a Round:
Each round starts in the same stitch where the join was made.
To reduce the number of ends to weave, I have chosen to carry the unused yarn in the back of the square whenever possible. To do this, I simply drop the color not in use and let it hang on the back of the square until I need to pick it up again. I only do this if it is a row or two between color changes, otherwise I fasten off at the end of the round. If you prefer you may fasten off at every color change.
In some cases, I ask you to fasten off and start a round in a particular place, for these starts you may use the traditional chain method (ch1 for sc, ch2 for hdc or ch3 for dc), however, I prefer a standing stitch. If you don’t know how to make standing stitches, Moogly has some tutorials you may find helpful at the following links:
Standing Single Crochet; Standing Half Double Crochet; Standing Double Crochet
This pattern makes use of the overlay crochet technique. This means that you will work part of a round in previous rounds. Typically, you will be working one color over another color as well (unless you are making a solid colored square).
For these rows there are two methods you can use, choose whichever you prefer:
- Method A (Easier): Work each round in the color for that round (as usual).
- Method B: This requires working with both colors in the same round and crocheting over the color not in use at the moment, as in tapestry crochet (see tutorial). This provides a crisp look with very little “striping” from the contrast color.
Color Changes: In this pattern, color changes are made in the last pull-through of the stitch before the new color starts. Work stitches as usual until you have 2 loops on your hook, in the last stitch before the color change. Wrap the new color around the end of the hook, and finish the stitch with the new color.
I have a Tapestry Crochet Tutorial which might be helpful if you are not familiar with how to make the color changes and carry the unused yarn. You may find it at:
Tapestry Crochet Tutorial Bit.ly/TapestryCrochet
I designed this square to be worked in 1, 2 or 3 colors, of course you may use as many colors as you like. For my samples I used Blue Hawaiian (BH), Eggshell (EG) and Iced Aqua (IA). I have designated the color to be used for each round for the two and three color versions in parenthesis, with the 2 color instruction first and the 3 color second, for example: Round 1 (BH, IA) means that for the 2 color version you will use blue Hawaiian in this round or for the 3 color version you will use iced aqua.
Helpful Tips:
- Counting is important, to avoid frogging and frustration, check your stitch count for each round!
- Don’t work the FP stitches too tightly or they will pull and pucker the work.
- Be sure to leave an unworked stitch behind each FP or Popcorn stitch.
Monty Carlo Square Pattern
Round 1 (BH, IA): Ch4, join to form ring, ch1, 16 sc in center of ring, join. (16)
Round 2 (BH, IA): Work a Beg CL, ch3, skip 1 st, [CL, ch3, skip 1 st] to end, join to Beg CL. (8 CL)
Round 3 (EG, EG): Join in top of CL, ch1, *sc in top of CL, [sc 2, tr in skipped st 2 rows below, sc 2] in ch3 space*, repeat between * to end, join. (48 sts)
Round 4 (BH, IA): Ch1, sc in each st to end, join. (48) Gauge Check: 4” Diameter
Round 5 (EG, EG): Choose Method A or B for this round. Ch1, [FPtr around CL 3 rows below, sc 2, POPSt around tr 2 rows below, sc 2] to end, join. (48)
Round 6 (BH, BH): Ch1, sc 3, 3sc in POPSt, sc 5, 3sc in POPSt] until 2 sts remain, sc last 2 sts, join. (64)
Round 7 (BH, BH): Ch1, sc in each st to end, join. (64) Gauge Check: 5” Diameter
Round 8 (EG, EG): Choose Method A or B for this round. Ch1, [tr around tr 3 rows below, sc 7] to end, join. (64)
Round 9 (BH, BH): Ch1, sc in each st to end, join. (64)
Round 10 (EG, EG): Choose Method A or B for this round. Ch1, [POP around tr 2 rows below, sc 7] to end, join. Fasten off. (64) Gauge Check: 7” Diameter
Round 11 (BH, IA): Join in 4th sc of any sc 7 grouping with a standing st. *[dc, ch1, dc, ch2, dc, ch1, dc] in same st, ch2, skip 3 sts (you should be at the POPSt), sc9, ch2, skip 3 sts*, repeat between * to end, join.
Round 12 (BH, IA): Sl st into ch1 space, ch3 (place a SM in this stitch to mark the starting point for the next round), 2dc in same space, [dc, ch2, dc] in ch2 space, dc 3 in ch1 space, *sc in ch2 space, hdc 9, sc in ch2 space, dc 3 in ch1 space, [dc, ch2, dc] in ch2 space, dc 3 in ch1 space*; repeat between * two times; sc in ch2 space, hdc 9, sc in ch2 space, join. Fasten off. Gauge Check: 7.75” Diameter
Round 13 (EG, EG): Join with a standing st around the marked stitch from previous round. BPhdc 4, ch2, skip corner, BPhdc 4, [hdc, ch1, hdc] in sc, BPhdc 9, [hdc, ch1, hdc] in sc, *BPhdc 4, ch2, skip corner, BPhdc 4, (hdc, ch1, hdc) in sc, BPhdc 9, (hdc, ch1, hdc)*; repeat between * to end, join. Fasten off.
Round 14 (BH, BH): Join with a standing st. *[dc, ch1, dc, ch2, dc, ch1, dc] in any corner ch2 space, BPsc 3, skip next 2 hdc, [POPSt, ch2, POPSt] in next ch1 space, skip next 2 hdc, BPsc 7; skip next 2 hdc, [POPSt, ch2, POPSt] in next ch1 space, skip next 2 hdc,; BPsc 3 *; repeat between * to end, join. Fasten off. Gauge Check: 8.5” Diameter
Round 15 (EG, EG): Join with a standing st in any corner ch2 space. *[sc, ch2, sc] in corner, working in BLO, sc 6 (includes ch1 space), ch2, skip POPSt, POPSt in ch2 space, ch2, skip POPSt, sc 7 in BLO; ch2, skip POPSt, POPSt in ch2 space, ch2, skip POPSt; sc 6; repeat between * to end, join.
Round 16 (EG, EG): Sl st into corner ch2 space, ch1, [sc, ch2, sc] in corner, sc in each sc and POPSt (skip ch2 spaces) to end, join. Fasten off. (25 sc on each side + 4 corner ch2 spaces)
Round 17 (BH, BH): Work all sc in BLO. Join with a standing st in any corner, *[POPSt, ch2, POPSt ] in corner ch2 space, skip next sc, sc 3, [tr in front loop of st 3 rows below, sc 7] twice, tr in front loop of st 3 rows below, sc 3, skip next sc*; repeat between * to end, join. Fasten off. Gauge Check: 10” Diameter
Round 18 (EG, EG): Joining with a standing st in any corner, *[3hdc, ch2, 3hdc] in corner, sc in POPSt, sc in each st to next POPSt, sc in POPSt, *; repeat between * to end, join. (31 on each side + 4 corner ch2 spaces)
Round 19 (EG, EG): Sl st in next 2 sts and into corner ch2 space, ch1, *[sc 1, ch2, sc 1] in corner ch2 space, sc in each st to next corner*, repeat to end, join. (33 on each side + 4 corner ch2 spaces)
Rounds 20 & 21 (BH, BH): Sl st into ch2 corner space, ch1, *[sc, ch2, sc] in corner ch2 space, sc to next corner*, repeat to end, join. (37 on each side + 4 corner ch2 spaces after last repeat)
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Michelle says
Thanks for this wonderful pattern!