Concentric Brights Spiral Circle Free Crochet Pattern

Concentric Brights Spiral Circle: A Free Beginner Crochet Pattern

Introduction

If you have ever wanted to make something colorful, cheerful, and genuinely useful on your very first try, this Concentric Brights Spiral Circle is the perfect place to begin. It is a flat, six-inch rainbow circle worked in one continuous spiral, which means you never have to join rounds or turn your work, so there is nothing to keep track of but your next stitch. The finished piece is smooth and even, with crisp rings of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple that bloom outward from the center, and it finishes with a delicate picot scalloped edge that looks far more complicated than it really is. Because it uses only single crochet and a few simple increases, it is ideal for complete beginners who have just learned to hold a hook. Make one and you have a coaster, a mug rug, or a bag charm; make a dozen and you have the beginnings of a stunning blanket.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Worsted weight (Category 4) acrylic yarn in 6 bright rainbow colors: red, orange, yellow, green, and blue, plus purple for the final rounds and edging. You need approximately 15–20 yards total (about 2–4 yards per color).
• Crochet hook: H/8 (5.0 mm).
• Stitch marker: 1 removable marker (or a scrap of contrasting yarn) to mark the first stitch of each round.
• Tapestry needle: A blunt-tipped yarn needle for weaving in ends.
• Scissors: Any small sharp pair for cutting yarn.
• Finished size: Approximately 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter after Round 12.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• ch – chain. Wrap the yarn over your hook and pull it through the loop on your hook. This creates one chain stitch.
• sc – single crochet. Insert your hook into the stitch, wrap the yarn over the hook, pull up a loop (you now have 2 loops on the hook), wrap the yarn over again, and pull through both loops. One single crochet made.
• hdc – half double crochet. Wrap the yarn over the hook first, insert the hook into the stitch, wrap and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), wrap and pull through all 3 loops at once. (Not used in this pattern, but listed so you recognize it.)
• dc – double crochet. Wrap the yarn over the hook, insert into the stitch, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), wrap and pull through 2 loops, wrap and pull through the last 2 loops. (Not used in this pattern.)
• sl st – slip stitch. Insert your hook into the stitch, wrap the yarn over, and pull it through both the stitch and the loop on your hook in one motion. It makes a nearly invisible joining stitch.
• st(s) – stitch or stitches.
• sp – space. The gap between stitches.
• picot – a tiny pointed bump. Made by chaining 3, then working a slip stitch into the 3rd chain from your hook.
• magic ring – an adjustable loop of yarn that you crochet into, then pull tight to close the center hole. Also called a magic circle.
• 2 sc in next st – work two single crochets into the same stitch. This is an increase and makes the circle grow.
• repeat from * – go back to the asterisk and work the instructions again, all the way around the round.
• fasten off – cut the yarn a few inches from your work and pull the tail through the last loop to secure it.

Gauge

Gauge: The first 3 rounds measure about 2 inches in diameter, 6 rounds measure about 4 inches in diameter, and the finished circle measures 6 inches across after Round 12.

Why gauge matters: Gauge simply means how big your stitches turn out. If your stitches are looser than mine, your circle will be larger than 6 inches; if tighter, it will be smaller. For a coaster or a blanket square, matching the size keeps all your pieces the same.

How to check it: Work Rounds 1–3 exactly as written, lay the piece flat, and measure straight across the middle. If it measures about 2 inches, you are on track. If it is noticeably bigger, switch to a smaller hook (G/6, 4.0 mm); if smaller, switch to a larger hook (I/9, 5.5 mm). You can also simply finish the whole circle and measure it, since this motif is small and quick.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Use your stitch marker every single round. Because you never join rounds, the spiral has no seam to tell you where a round begins. Move the marker into the first stitch of each new round so you always know where you are.
• Do not pull your yarn too tight. Tension is the number one reason beginners get a cupped or ruffled circle. Let the yarn flow smoothly and keep your stitches relaxed and even.
• Count your stitches at the end of every round. The stitch count in parentheses is your safety net. If you are off, fix it before moving on, because errors multiply as the circle grows.
• Change colors on the last stitch of the round. Work the final single crochet of the round until only two loops remain on your hook, then pull the new color through to finish the stitch. This gives a clean color change.
• Keep your center hole small. After Round 1, pull the magic ring tail snug so the red center closes up neatly.
• Work loosely on the picot edge. Picots look best when the little chains are not twisted or tight, so slow down for Round 12.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Note on the Continuous Spiral

Do not join rounds with a slip stitch. Work in a continuous spiral, moving the stitch marker to the first stitch of each round. Change colors by finishing the last stitch of a round with the new color (pull the new color through the final loop). Carry unused colors loosely on the wrong side, or fasten off and weave in ends as you go.

Body (Rounds 1–11)

Round 1 (Red): Make a magic ring. Ch 1 (this does not count as a stitch). Work 8 sc into the ring. Place the marker in the first sc. Do not join. (8 sc)

Round 2 (Red): Work 2 sc in each st around. (16 sc)

Round 3 (Orange): *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around. (24 sc)

Round 4 (Orange): *Sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around. (32 sc)

Round 5 (Yellow): *Sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around. (40 sc)

Round 6 (Yellow): *Sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around. (48 sc)

Round 7 (Green): *Sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around. (56 sc)

Round 8 (Green): *Sc in next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around. (64 sc)

Round 9 (Blue): *Sc in next 7 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around. (72 sc)

Round 10 (Blue): *Sc in next 8 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around. (80 sc)

Round 11 (Purple): *Sc in next 9 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around. (88 sc)

Picot Edging (Round 12)

Round 12 (Purple) – Picot Edge: *Sc in next 10 sts, picot (ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook), sc in next st; repeat from * around, ending with a picot. Sl st to the first sc of the round to join. Fasten off. (88 sc plus 8 picots)

Size check: The finished circle should measure approximately 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter after Round 12. If it is smaller, go up one hook size; if larger, go down one hook size.

Assembly and Finishing

Weaving in ends: Thread each yarn tail onto your tapestry needle. Turn the circle to the wrong side (the back, where the carried yarn lives). Slide the needle under the backs of several stitches, going in one direction, then reverse and go back through a few stitches the other way. This locks the tail so it will not work loose. Trim the yarn close to the fabric, but not so close that it pops out.

Blocking: Lightly dampen the circle with a spray bottle of cool water. Lay it flat on a towel or blocking mat and gently shape it into a perfect 6-inch circle with your fingers. Pin each picot flat with rust-proof pins so the little points stay crisp. Allow it to dry completely, usually several hours or overnight, before removing the pins.

Joining motifs (optional): If you are making a blanket, arrange your circles and whipstitch or single crochet them together along the edges, matching picot to picot for a neat seam.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colorway: Swap the rainbow for a single color with a contrasting edge, or use a self-striping yarn so the color changes happen on their own. Pastels, jewel tones, or a two-color gradient all look beautiful in this spiral.
• Adjust the size: To make a larger circle, keep increasing in the same pattern (add one more sc before each increase on every round) until you reach your desired size, then work the picot edge. To make a smaller coaster, stop after Round 8 or 9 and add the picot edge there.
• Substitute yarn: This pattern works with any yarn weight. Use cotton for sturdy coasters and washcloths, or bulky yarn with a larger hook for a quick trivet. Always check your gauge and adjust your hook to match the finished size you want.
• Make it a square: After Round 12, work a round of sc around, then add corner chains (ch 2 at each corner) to turn the circle into a six-inch afghan square that joins easily into blankets.