Crochet Afghan Square Patterns

Alpine Chevron Lace Square Free Crochet Pattern

Knitting Vibes • October 27, 2026

Alpine Chevron Lace Square: A Beginner-Friendly Mountain Cabin Afghan Block

Welcome to your very first crochet adventure! This Alpine Chevron Lace Square is a 12-inch afghan block that looks like a tiny mountain range, with zigzag peaks and valleys rippling across warm terracotta and mustard stripes. It is perfect for total beginners who have never held a hook before, because it is worked in simple joined rounds using only the most basic stitches, and every single step is spelled out below. The finished square is soft, flat, and cozy, with a matte yarn halo and crisp stitch definition that makes the chevron texture pop. Make one as a potholder-sized practice piece, or make a stack and stitch them into a cabin-style blanket that will last for years.

Materials Needed

Yarn: Worsted weight (CYC 4) acrylic or wool-blend yarn, approximately 180–200 yards total. You will need about 100 yards of terracotta and 80–100 yards of mustard.
Crochet hook: J/10 (6.0 mm), or the size needed to meet gauge.
Stitch markers: At least 4, to mark corners and the first stitch of each round.
Tapestry needle: A blunt-tipped needle with a large eye, for weaving in ends.
Scissors: Sharp, for cutting yarn cleanly.
Finished size: 12 inches x 12 inches after blocking.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

ch – chain. Wrap the yarn over your hook and pull it through the loop on your hook. This makes a small link.
sc – single crochet. Insert your hook into the stitch, wrap yarn over, pull up a loop (you now have 2 loops on your hook), wrap yarn over again, and pull through both loops. One loop remains.
dc – double crochet. Wrap yarn over your hook first, insert hook into the stitch, wrap yarn over and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), wrap yarn over and pull through 2 loops (2 loops remain), wrap yarn over and pull through the last 2 loops. One loop remains.
dc2tog – double crochet 2 stitches together. This is a decrease that makes the fabric narrower. Start a double crochet in the first stitch but stop when you have 2 loops on your hook. Then start a double crochet in the next stitch, and when you have 3 loops on your hook, wrap yarn over and pull through all 3 loops. Two stitches become one.
sl st – slip stitch. Insert your hook into the stitch, wrap yarn over, and pull it through both the stitch and the loop on your hook in one motion. This joins rounds without adding height.
sp – space. The little gap made by a chain, which you will work into on the next round.
st(s) – stitch(es). One completed loop or column of yarn in your fabric.
rep – repeat. Do the same instruction again.
magic ring – an adjustable loop you make with yarn, then crochet into, then pull tight so there is no hole in the center.
turn – flip your work over so you crochet back in the other direction. This keeps the square flat.
fasten off – cut the yarn a few inches from your work and pull the tail all the way through the last loop to lock it.

Gauge

Gauge: After Round 5, the square measures approximately 6 inches across. Finished blocked size is 12 inches x 12 inches.

Gauge matters because it tells you whether your stitches are the same size as the designer's. If your stitches are too big, your square will grow past 12 inches; if they are too small, it will shrink. To check, work Rounds 1–5 exactly as written, then lay the piece flat and measure straight across from edge to edge. If it is bigger than 6 inches, try a smaller hook; if it is smaller, try a larger hook. Always make the swatch with the same yarn and hook you plan to use for the real square.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

Use stitch markers. Place one in the first stitch of every round and one in each corner chain-2 space. This stops you from losing your place in the chevron repeat.
Do not pull the yarn too tight. Keep your loops relaxed and even. Tight stitches make the square curl and shrink.
Count after every round. The stitch counts in parentheses are your safety net. If a count is off, undo that round and try again.
Change color at the join. Finish the round with the old color, then pull the new color through the final slip stitch. This hides the change neatly.
Turn at the end of each round. Turning keeps the fabric flat and lines up the chevron peaks. Do not skip the turn except on Round 10.
Relax your tension on the corners. The (dc, ch 2, dc) corner groups need a little breathing room so the square stays square.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Notes

The square is worked in joined rounds, turning at the end of each round to keep the fabric flat and the chevron peaks aligned. Color changes are made at the join: work Rounds 1–2 in terracotta, Rounds 3–4 in mustard, Rounds 5–6 in terracotta, Rounds 7–8 in mustard, Round 9 in terracotta, and Round 10 in mustard. The chevron repeat is a multiple of 12 stitches plus 1. Each round begins and ends with a half-repeat at the corners so the square stays square. Chain-3 at the beginning of a double crochet round counts as the first double crochet unless otherwise stated.

Setup

With terracotta, make a magic ring (or chain 4 and join with a slip stitch to form a ring).

Body

Round 1 (terracotta): Chain 3 (counts as first double crochet), work 11 double crochet into the ring. Join with a slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain-3. Turn. (12 dc)

Round 2 (terracotta): Chain 3, double crochet in the same stitch. Work 2 double crochet in each stitch around. Join with a slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain-3. Turn. (24 dc)

Round 3 (mustard): Chain 1, single crochet in the same stitch. *Single crochet in the next 2 stitches, chain 1, skip 1 stitch, single crochet in the next 3 stitches, double crochet 2 together over the next 2 stitches, single crochet in the next 3 stitches, chain 1, skip 1 stitch, single crochet in the next 2 stitches, single crochet in the next stitch; repeat from * around, ending with a single crochet in the last stitch. Join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet. Turn. (28 sc, 4 dc2tog, 8 ch-1 sps)

Round 4 (mustard): Chain 3. *Double crochet in each single crochet to the next chain-1 space, work (double crochet, chain 2, double crochet) in the chain-1 space, double crochet in each single crochet to the next double crochet 2 together, double crochet 2 together over the next 2 stitches; repeat from * around, ending with a double crochet in the last stitch. Join with a slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain-3. Turn. (48 dc, 4 ch-2 corner sps)

Round 5 (terracotta): Chain 1, single crochet in the same stitch. *Single crochet in each double crochet to the next chain-2 corner space, work (single crochet, chain 2, single crochet) in the corner space, single crochet in each double crochet to the next double crochet 2 together, double crochet 2 together over the next 2 stitches; repeat from * around, ending with a single crochet in the last stitch. Join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet. Turn. (52 sc, 4 dc2tog, 4 ch-2 corner sps)

Round 6 (terracotta): Chain 3. *Double crochet in each single crochet to the next chain-2 corner space, work (double crochet, chain 2, double crochet) in the corner space, double crochet in each single crochet to the next double crochet 2 together, double crochet 2 together over the next 2 stitches; repeat from * around, ending with a double crochet in the last stitch. Join with a slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain-3. Turn. (72 dc, 4 ch-2 corner sps)

Round 7 (mustard): Chain 1, single crochet in the same stitch. *Single crochet in each double crochet to the next chain-2 corner space, work (single crochet, chain 2, single crochet) in the corner space, single crochet in each double crochet to the next double crochet 2 together, double crochet 2 together over the next 2 stitches; repeat from * around, ending with a single crochet in the last stitch. Join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet. Turn. (76 sc, 4 dc2tog, 4 ch-2 corner sps)

Round 8 (mustard): Chain 3. *Double crochet in each single crochet to the next chain-2 corner space, work (double crochet, chain 2, double crochet) in the corner space, double crochet in each single crochet to the next double crochet 2 together, double crochet 2 together over the next 2 stitches; repeat from * around, ending with a double crochet in the last stitch. Join with a slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain-3. Turn. (96 dc, 4 ch-2 corner sps)

Round 9 (terracotta): Chain 1, single crochet in the same stitch. *Single crochet in each double crochet to the next chain-2 corner space, work (single crochet, chain 2, single crochet) in the corner space, single crochet in each double crochet to the next double crochet 2 together, double crochet 2 together over the next 2 stitches; repeat from * around, ending with a single crochet in the last stitch. Join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet. Turn. (100 sc, 4 dc2tog, 4 ch-2 corner sps)

Round 10 (mustard): Chain 1, single crochet in the same stitch. *Single crochet in each single crochet to the next chain-2 corner space, work (single crochet, chain 2, single crochet) in the corner space, single crochet in each single crochet to the next double crochet 2 together, double crochet 2 together over the next 2 stitches; repeat from * around, ending with a single crochet in the last stitch. Join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet. Do not turn. (104 sc, 4 dc2tog, 4 ch-2 corner sps)

Border

Border Round 1: Chain 1, single crochet evenly around the entire square, working 3 single crochet in each corner chain-2 space. Join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet. Fasten off and weave in all ends.

Assembly and Finishing

This square is a single piece, so there is no seaming. To weave in ends, thread each yarn tail onto your tapestry needle and run it through the back of several stitches, changing direction once so it cannot work loose, then trim close to the fabric. To block, mist the square lightly with water (or use a steam iron held just above the surface, never pressing down), then pin each corner to a true 90-degree angle and pin the sides straight on a towel or blocking mat. Allow the chevron peaks to relax into even zigzags. Let the square dry completely before removing the pins. If you are joining squares into a blanket, block each one first, then whipstitch or single crochet them together along the edges.

Pro Tips and Variations

Change the colorway. Swap terracotta and mustard for forest green and cream, or navy and oatmeal, to match any room. Keep two rounds per color band for the same striped look.
Adjust the size. For a smaller 6-inch square, stop after Round 5 and work the border. For a larger square, continue the Round 5/6 and Round 7/8 pattern repeats once more before the border.
Substitute yarn. Any worsted weight (CYC 4) yarn works. If you use cotton, expect a firmer, heavier square; if you use a fluffy wool blend, expect a softer, fuzzier one. Always check gauge first.
Add texture. Work the border in the contrast color, or add a second border round of single crochet for a thicker, more defined edge.

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