Concentric Granny Squares: Free Patterns

Have you ever utilized the “3rd loop” of a crochet stitch?

I tried it years ago (while pregnant with my youngest), and created a lovely baby blanket for her.

This is one of my very first published designs as “Mayhem & Majesty” – called Wild & Free. (Waaaay back in the day I published a few patterns on Ravelry as ‘Bec’s Fiber Fetish’ 😆 and that’s the business name I used for several years when I sold kids’ hats.)

ANYHOW. At the time of designing the Wild & Free Blanket, I called this special loop the “free loop” but since then I have heard it referred to as the “3rd loop” – so that’s the term I now use now as well.

Six years later, I’ve been playing with the 3rd loop again for another pretty floral design. While working on some quick how-to videos for that design, I’ve created a couple of FREE granny squares so you can try it out, too!

Pattern Notes

This pattern can be made with any weight yarn and you favorite hook for making granny squares in that yarn – but my example uses DK (3) weight yarn and a 4mm hook.
The two patterns below can be joined and use together in the same project, their size and side stitch counts are identical.
These little squares would make a fabulous stash busting project as they only use small amounts of each color.
If you are unsure of how to do some of the stitches/techniques, I’ve linked many of them to one of my ‘quickie’ videos. These are 90 seconds or less and completely ad free.

Stitches Used – US Terms

magic ring – video
3rd Loop – video
invisible join – video
standing dc/tr – Standing Double/Treble Crochet – my video shows a stand double crochet, but the concept is exactly the same for a treble, you just yarn over twice (as for a normal treble) and proceed as the video shows.
rnd – round
st(s) – stitch(es)
slst – slip stitch
ch – chain
sc– single crochet
hdc – half double crochet
dc – double crochet
tr – treble crochet

Supplies

Small amounts of DK yarn in 5 colors – the 5th color will need the most.
4mm Hook (or your preferred hook size for DK yarn when you make granny squares)

Bullseye Granny Square

Rnd 1 (into magic ring): ch2, dc 11, invisible join. (12 sts)

Rnd 2, working into 3rd loop: join next color into any st with a ch2, dc in same st as joining; 2dc in each st around, invisible join. (24 sts)

Rnd 3, working into 3rd loop: join next color into any st with a ch2, dc in same st as joining; *dc, 2dc in next st * repeat between * around; invisible join. (36 sts)

Rnd 4, working into 3rd loop: join next color into any st with a ch2, dc in same st as joining; *dc 2, 2dc in next st * repeat between * around; invisible join. (48 sts)

Rnd 5, working into 3rd loop: join final color into any st with a standing tr, *tr in next st, dc 2, hdc 2, sc, hdc 2, dc 2 ,tr, (tr, ch2, tr) in next st* repeat between * around, slst to starting tr to join. (60 sts)

Rnd 6, working in sts normally: ch2, *dc in next st and in each st across side, (3dc, ch2 3dc) into ch2 corner sp* repeat between * around, invisible join. (19 sts per side, ch2 corners)

Templar Granny Square

So named because the shape created by the 3rd loop use makes me think of that cross symbol on many knight shields and breast plates in movies. 😆 I have no idea it was on the famed Templar Knights’ armor – but it sounded like a cool name, so I went with it. Naming patterns is harder than you’d think – trust me.

Rnd 1 (into magic ring): ch2, dc, ch2, 3dc, ch2, 3dc, ch2, 3dc, ch2, dc; invisible join. (3 dc per side)

Rnds 2-4, working into 3rd loop: join next color into any corner with a ch2, *dc across side, (2dc, ch2, 2dc) into corner ch2 sp* repeat between * around; complete starting corner by working (2dc, ch2, dc) into the corner of your starting ch2; invisible join.

rnd 2: 7 dc per side
rnd 3: 11 dc per side
rnd 4: 15 dc per side

For round 5, you will be working all treble crochets – so we’ll begin with a ch3 and our invisible join will complete that ch3 into a treble st!

Rnd 5, working in all sts normally: join final color into and ch2 sp with a ch3, *tr in next st and in each st across side, (2tr, ch2 2tr) into ch2 corner sp* repeat between * around, invisible join. (19 tr per side)