My, my - Mitred Square!

So, here's what happened...

                                  (made with Red Heart Strata "Cherry Berry")

...Someone in one of the (many) online crochet groups I belong to posted a link to a mitered/mitred square pattern worked in single crochet. I liked the look of it so I gave it a try. Very nice... but perhaps a bit too solid. I needed something a bit softer. I tried using a larger hook but it lost the nice stitch definition. Hmm, I wonder what half-double crochets would be like?

Those of you who have worked with HDC's know that they have a tendency to "lean" - that is, the top of the stitch appears to be slightly to the right of the stitch rather than sitting directly on top of it. I took advantage of this to allow for a 4 hdc corner. Normally an even number wouldn't work, because you wouldn't have a "corner" stitch to work your next corner into, if you get my drift. But because of the lean, the 2nd hdc of the previous row's corner angles into the middle, so that's the stitch you work your next 4 hdcs into.

One of the things you'll need to be aware of is that, as a result of this corner business, the even-numbered rows will have a different number of stitches either side of the corner, so you'll have to watch your stitch count. What's she on about?? Don't worry, I've given stitch counts for the first 7 rows. Hopefully all will become clear.

Half-Double Crochet (HDC) Mitred Square
(American Notation)

Use whatever yarn and hook combination works for you. I used WW and an H/5mm hook, and 14 rows was just under 7".

Don't forget to work a stitch into the turning chains. They're easy to miss as the hdc next to them leans into them.


Row 1 - ch3, in 3rd ch from hook work 3 hdc (remaining ch2 at beginning counts as a hdc).
    = 4 hdc

Row 2 - ch2, turn (counts as a hdc throughout), 4 hdc in nxt st (corner made), hdc in nxt 2 st.
    = 1 hdc, 4hdc corner, 2 hdc

Row 3 - ch2, turn, hdc in nxt 2 st, 4 hdc in nxt st, hdc in nxt 3 st.
    = 3 hdc, 4hdc corner, 3 hdc

Row 4 - ch2, turn, hdc in nxt 3 st, 4 hdc in nxt st, hdc in nxt 5 st.
    = 4 hdc, 4hdc corner, 5 hdc

Row 5 - ch2, turn, hdc in nxt 5 st, 4 hdc in nxt st, hdc in nxt 6 st.
    = 6 hdc, 4hdc corner, 6 hdc

Row 6 - ch2, turn, hdc in nxt 6 st, 4 hdc in nxt st, hdc in nxt 8 st.
    = 7 hdc, 4hdc corner, 8 hdc

Row 7 - ch2, turn, hdc in nxt 8 st, 4 hdc in nxt st, hdc in nxt 9 st.
    = 9 hdc, 4hdc corner, 9 hdc

Can you see the pattern forming? Even-numbered rows have one less stitch to the right of the corner than to the left of the corner; odd-numbered rows have the same number of stitches on both sides.

To continue:
- ch2, turn, hdc in ea st to corner, hdc in nxt st (i.e. 1st st of corner), 4 hdc in nxt st (i.e. 2nd st of corner), hdc in ea st to end.
Repeat the above until the square is the required size.

If your square is the size you want it at the end of an even-numbered row, skip the turning chain (i.e. don't work the last hdc into that st) and finish off - you'll then have an even number of stitches on both sides.

I worked a border of sc around my squares to finished them off. Not necessary, but I like the look. Work 1 sc in each hdc , 3 sc at the corners and work an equal number of stitches evenly along the other two sides of the square.

Copyright © 2008, Judy M Kerr.
All Rights Reserved.

Struggling? Feel free to email me.