Afghan Square Knitting Patterns

Knitters Janet Szabo and Vickie Howell demonstrate how to use different stitches — like the trinity, diamond and garter stitches — to make different afghan squares.

Trinity Stitch Afghan Square

The trinity stitch, also known as the popcorn or blackberry stitch, is one stitch where all the action happens on the wrong-side rows.

Steps:

Using Plymouth's Encore Worsted and size 7 (4.5 mm) 16" circular needles, cast on 60 sts. Work 5 rows garter stitch (knit every row).

Keeping first and last three sts of each row in garter stitch, work patt across center 54 sts as follows:

Row 1 (WS): K1, *[k1, p1, k1] into next st, p3 tog; rep from * to last st, k1.
Rows 2 and 4: Purl all sts.
Row 3: K1, *p3 tog, [k1, p1, k1] into next st; rep from * to last st, k1.

Rep rows 1-4 a total of 18 times. Discontinue pattern and work 5 rows of garter stitch. Bind off loosely.

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Moss Diamond Cable Afghan Square

This square uses a right cross (RC, Image 1) and left cross (LC, Image 2) stitch.

Steps:

Using Plymouth's Encore Worsted and size 7 (4.5 mm) 16" circular needles, cast on 60 sts. Work 5 rows garter stitch (knit every row), increasing 6 sts evenly across last row (66 sts).

Keeping first and last three sts of each row in garter stitch, work patt across center 60 sts as foll:

Row 1 (WS): K7, [p4, k10] three times, p4, k7.
Row 2: P6, [2/1 RC, 2/1 LPC, p8] three times, 2/1 RC, 2/1 LPC, p6.
Row 3 and all WS rows: Knit the knits and purl the purls.
Row 4: P5, [2/1 RC, p1, k1, 2/1 LPC, p6] three times, 2/1 RC, p1, k1, 2/1 LPC, p5.
Row 6: P4, [2/1 RC, (p1, k1) twice, 2/1 LPC, p4] four times.
Row 8: P3, [2/1 RC, (p1, k1) three times, 2/1 LPC, p2] three times, 2/1 RC, (p1, k1) three times, 2/1 LPC, p3.
Row 10: P2, [2/1 RC, (p1, k1) four times, 2/1 LPC] three times, 2/1 RC, (p1, k1) four times, 2/1 LPC, p2.
Row 12: P2, k2, (p1, k1) five times, [2/2 LC, (p1, k1) five times] three times, k2, p2.
Row 14: P2, [2/1 LPC, (p1, k1) four times, 2/1 RPC] three times, 2/1 LPC, (p1, k1) four times, 2/1 RPC, p2.
Row 16: P3, [2/1 LPC, (p1, k1) three times, 2/1 RPC, p2] three times, 2/1 LPC, (p1, k1) three times, 2/1 RPC, p3.
Row 18: P4, [2/1 LPC, (p1, k1) twice, 2/1 RPC, p4] four times.
Row 20: P5, [2/1 LPC, p1, k1, 2/1 RPC, p6] three times, 2/1 LPC, p1, k1, 2/1 RPC, p5.
Row 22: P6, [2/1 LPC, 2/1 RPC, p8] three times, 2/1 LPC, 2/1 RPC, p6.
Row 24: P7, [2/2 RC, p10] three times, 2/2 RC, p7.

Moss Stitch Afghan Square

Steps:

Using Plymouth's Encore Worsted and size 7 (4.5 mm) 16" circular needles, cast on 60 sts. Work 5 rows garter stitch (knit every row).

Keeping first and last three sts of each row in garter stitch, work patt across center 54 sts as foll:

Row 1 (WS): *K1, p1; rep from * across.
Row 2: *P1, k1; rep from * across.
Row 3: *P1, k1; rep from * across.
Row 4: *K1, p1; rep from * across.

Rep rows 1-4 a total of 18 times. Discontinue pattern and work 5 rows of garter stitch. Bind off loosely.