Crochet Secret Garden Granny Square

The Secret Garden Granny Square is a beautiful 6-inch (15.2 cm) afghan block. It begins with a delicate, dimensional floral center using textured stitches and beautifully transitions into a crisp, clean square.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Aran weight (Medium / Category 4) yarn. Scrap yarn friendly!

• Hook: 6.0 mm (US J/10) crochet hook.

• Notions: Tapestry needle for weaving in ends, and scissors.

Special Stitches Explained

Before you begin, here is how to execute the texture-rich stitches featured in the floral center:

• Magic Circle (MC): An adjustable yarn loop used to start working in the round without leaving a hole in the center.

• Popcorn Stitch: Work 4 double crochets (dc) into the designated stitch. Drop the loop from your hook. Insert your hook from front to back through the top of the very first dc made. Grab the dropped loop and pull it through the first stitch to close the cluster.

• Puff Stitch: Yarn over, insert hook into the chain space, yarn over and pull up a loop to the height of a double crochet. Repeat the instruction between asterisks 3 more times in the same space (you will have 9 loops on your hook). Yarn over and pull through all 9 loops. Chain 1 to secure the puff stitch (this closing chain is usually considered part of the stitch itself).

Step-by-Step Pattern Instructions

The Floral Center

Round 1: The Foundation Foundation

• Create a Magic Circle.

• Chain 2 (this acts as a height guide and does not count as a stitch).

• Work 12 double crochets directly into the magic ring.

• Pull the yarn tail to close the ring tightly.

• Join with a slip stitch into the top of the very first double crochet.

• Stitch count: 12 double crochets.

Round 2: The Popcorn Petals

• Chain 2 (does not count as a stitch).

• In the first stitch, work a Popcorn Stitch, then chain 2.

• Repeat: Work [1 Popcorn Stitch, Chain 2] into each remaining stitch around.

• To finish, slip stitch into the top of the first popcorn stitch to close the round.

• Stitch count: 12 Popcorns and 12 chain-2 spaces.

Round 3: The Puff Stitch Border

• Slip stitch forward into the first chain-2 space of the previous round.

• In this same space, work a Puff Stitch, then chain 3.

• Repeat: Work [1 Puff Stitch, Chain 3] into every chain-2 space around the circle.

• Join the round with a slip stitch into the top of the first puff stitch.

• Stitch count: 12 Puff stitches and 12 chain-3 spaces.

Squaring the Flower

Round 4: Transitioning from Circle to Square

Note: In this round, you will be transforming the round flower into a four-sided square by using stitches of varying heights (single, half-double, and double crochets).

• Chain 1, then slip stitch into the first chain-3 space from Round 3.

• Work 1 single crochet into this first chain-3 space.

• The Repeat Pattern: Now, work across the next three chain spaces to create your first side and corner:

  1. Next Chain Space: Work [2 single crochets, 1 half-double crochet].

  2. Corner Chain Space: Work [1 half-double crochet, 2 double crochets, chain 2, 2 double crochets, 1 half-double crochet] all into this single space to build the corner.

  3. Next Chain Space: Work [1 half-double crochet, 2 single crochets].

• Repeat the steps above 3 more times around the square.

• To complete the final side, work [2 single crochets, 1 half-double crochet] into the next space, build your final corner in the following space, and finish by placing [1 half-double crochet, 1 single crochet] back into the very first space you started in.

• Join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet of the round.

• Stitch count: 12 stitches per side, plus 4 corner chain-2 spaces.

Round 5: Granny-Style Block Rounds

Note: This round is worked “between the posts” (the gaps between stitches) rather than into the loops on top of the stitches.

• Chain 1, then slip stitch into the space between the posts of the first 2 single crochets.

• Chain 2. Working into that same space between the posts, work 3 double crochets.

• The Repeat Pattern:

  1. Skip to the gap between the next 2 half-double crochets and work 3 double crochets.

  2. Corner Space: In the chain-2 corner space, work [3 double crochets, chain 2, 3 double crochets].

  3. Skip to the gap between the next 2 half-double crochets and work 3 double crochets.

  4. Skip to the gap between the 2nd and 3rd single crochets of the side and work 3 double crochets.

• Repeat this sequence around the square 3 times.

• For the last side, place 3 double crochets between the next 2 half-double crochets, work your final corner cluster, and place 3 double crochets between the final pair of half-double crochets.

• Join with a slip stitch to the top of your first double crochet.

• Stitch count: 15 double crochets per side, plus 4 corner chain-2 spaces.

Round 6: The Final Border

• Chain 1 (this does not count as a stitch).

• Work 1 half-double crochet into the top of every stitch along the sides.

• When you reach each of the four corners, work [2 half-double crochets, chain 2, 2 half-double crochets] directly into the chain-2 space.

• Continue this evenly around all four sides.

• Join with a slip stitch to the first half-double crochet of the round.

• Stitch count: 19 half-double crochets per side, plus 4 corner chain-2 spaces.

Finishing Touch

Cut your yarn, fasten off your stitch, and use your tapestry needle to neatly weave all remaining yarn tails into the back of your work. For the neatest look, block your finished 6-inch square to sharpen the corners and lay the center flower completely flat!