Esme’s Winter Cottage has a busy center, surrounded by less and less ‘busy’.  It is like the calm after the storm for me and I wanted something that was busy but also quiet and peaceful, if that makes sense.

I would like to thank Andrea Andres Schultz and Amanda Nelson Bush  for providing me with a name for this square.  I received so many brilliant suggestions that I now have an arsenal of names clamouring for patterns.  In fact, one of the names has already inspired my next big project…well, the big project AFTER my next big project.

Photo tutorials are provided for the tricky rounds, so although this pattern is Intermediate, I am going out on a limb and saying that it is suitable for Adventurous Beginners.

This square is equivalent to four of my 6″ Two-Colour Linen Stitch Squares, so you can use it as the center for a Linen Stitch Manghan, or you can create a chequer-board design by alternating this square with Linen Stitch Foursquares.

If you would like to use this square as the center for the Around the Bases CAL, you will need to add one dc round at the end to get to the correct stitch count.  To do this, simply repeat Round 17 so that you end up with 46 dc’s per side.

Enjoy!

Esme’s Winter Cottage Square

© Dedri Uys 2015.  All Rights Reserved

Resources

• Printing/PDF:  There is a Print-friendly button in the bottom right-hand corner after every post.  Please use this print-friendly button to print/save this pattern.  Take a look at THIS TUTORIAL if you don’t know how to use the print-friendly button.
• Ravelry:  Add this pattern to your Ravelry Queue
• Dutch Translation by Esther Dijkstra from It’s All in a Nutshell
• Video Tutorial:  This square was featured as the first square of the Nuts About Squares CAL 2017.  You can find the video tutorial by Esther Dijkstra HERE.

Size

12”

Materials

• 120 – 130 meters of Worted Weight Yarn (#4) – I have used Stonewashed XL Yarn
• 5.5 mm Clover Amour crochet hook (US 9/I  UK 5)

Colours

• A:  Blue Apatite
• B:  Moonstone
• C:  Lemon Quartz

For the photo tutorial I have used different colours.

• Garnet:  Rounds 1, 9, and 12
• Crystal Quartz:  Rounds 2, 4, and 6
• Corrundum Ruby:  Rounds 3, 15, 16, and 17
• Deep Amathyst:  Round 5
• Moonstone:  Rounds 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, and 14

Gauge

At the end of Round 6 your square should measure 12.5 cm (5”).

Abbreviations

• Blo – Back loop only
• Bpdc – Back post double crochet
• Bphdc – Back post half-double crochet
• Ch – Chain
• Dc – Double crochet
• Fpdc – Front post double crochet
• Fpsc – Front post single crochet
• Hdc – Half-double crochet
• Sc – Single crochet
• Tr – Treble crochet
• Sl st – Slip stitch
• St/st’s – Stitch/stitches
• () – Repeat instructions between parentheses the amount of times specified
• *  – Repeat instructions between asterisks the amount of times specified (hard-core repeat)

Special Stitches

• Tr Bobble: Yarn over twice and insert your hook into the indicated stitch.  Yarn over and pull up a loop.  (Yarn over and pull through 2 loops) twice – 2 loops on your hook.  Yarn over twice and insert your hook into the same stitch.  Yarn over and pull up a loop – 5 loops on your hook.  (Yarn over and pull through 2 loops) twice – 3 loops on your hook.  Yarn over twice and insert your hook into the same stitch.  Yarn over and pull up a loop – 6 loops on your hook.  (Yarn over and pull through 2 loops) twice – 4 loops on your hook.  Yarn over and pull through all 4 loops.
• Puff Stitch: Yarn over and insert your hook into the specified stitch/space.  Yarn over again and pull up a long loop.  (Yarn over and insert your hook into the same stitch/space.  Yarn over again and pull up a long loop) three more times.  Yarn over and pull through all 9 loops on your hook.  Ch 1 to close the Puff Stitch.  See this tutorial.

Helpful Tutorials

• Corners and the Elusive Hidden Stitch
• Invisible Join

Notes

Starting Each Round

When changing colour, start with a standing stitch equivalent to the first stitch in the pattern.

Example:  If the round starts (Sc, ch 2, sc), use a standing single crochet for the first sc.

Here are the links to the standing stitches:

• Standing Single Crochet
• Standing Half-double Crochet
• Standing Double Crochet

If you prefer to join your yarn with a sl st and an initial chain instead, see THIS DIAGRAM by Oombawka Design if you don’t know how many turning chains to make for a specific stitch.

Instructions

Round 1 – Colour A

Into a magic ring:  ch 2 (counts as your first hdc).  (Dc, Tr, Ch 2, Tr, Dc, Hdc) 4 times, omitting the last hdc on the last repeat.  Join to the top of the beginning ch-2 with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your tails of yarn.  Alternatively, use the Invisible Join (here and throughout when changing colours).

Stitch Count:  20 st’s and 4 ch-2 corners  {2 tr, 2 dc, and 1 hdc per side}

Round 2 – Colour B

*(Dc, ch 4, dc) in ch-2 corner space.  Skip the first 2 st’s.  (Tr, ch 3, tr) in the next st.  Skip the last 2 st’s.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first dc with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your tails of yarn.

Stitch Count:  16 st’s, 4 ch-3 spaces,  and 4 ch-4 corners  {2 tr, 2 dc, and 1 ch-3 space per side}

Round 3 – Colour A

*(Make 3 sc’s into the ch-4 corner space from Round 2 – Photo 1.  Make a Tr Bobble in the ch-2 corner space from Round 1, working in front of the ch-4 corner space from Round 2, and between the 2 dc’s from Round 2 – Photos 2 and 3.  Make 3 sc’s into the same ch-4 corner space from Round 2 – Photo 4).   This is your corner made. Skip the first 2 stitches.  Ch 2 – Photo 5.  (Tr, ch 2, tr) into the hdc from Round 1 that already contains the (tr, ch 3, tr), making sure to work between the posts of the tr’s and in front of the ch-3 space from Round 2.  See Photos 6 and 7.  Ch 2.  Skip the last 2 stitches – Photo 8. *

Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first sc with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your tails of yarn.

Stitch Count:  36 st’s, and 12 ch-2 spaces  {6 sc, 2 tr, and 3 ch-2 spaces per side, not including corner Tr Bobble }

Round 4 – Colour B

(Sc, ch 2, sc) into any corner  Tr Bobble – Photo 1.  *Fpdc around the dc from Round 2 directly after the Tr Bobble – Photo 2.  Skip the first sc of Round 3 and sc in the next 2 st’s – Photo 3.  Fpdc around the next st from Round 2, which will be the tr – Photo 4.  Ch 2 – Photo 5.  Skip the next ch 2 space and the next tr from Round 3.  Pull the ch-3 space from Round 2 through the ch-2 space from Round 3.  Working in front of the ch-2 space from Round 3, make a Puff Stitch into the loop formed by the pulled-up ch-3 space from Round 2 – Photos 6 and 7.  Ch 2 – Photo 8.  Fpdc around the tr from Round 2 – Photo 9.  Skip the next tr and ch-2 space from Round 3.  Sc in the next 2 st’s of Round 3 – Photo 10.  Fpdc around the dc from Round 2 directly in front of the Tr Bobble – Photo 11.  Skip the last sc of Round 3.  (Sc, ch 2, sc) into the next Tr Bobble – Photo 12.*

Repeat from * to * 3 more times, omitting the last corner on the last repeat.  Join to the first sc with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your tails of yarn.

Stitch Count:  44 st’s, and 12 ch-2 spaces  – including ch-2 corner spaces {6 sc, 4 fpdc, 1 Puff Stitch, and 2 ch-2 spaces per side}

 

Round 5 – Colour A

*(Sc, ch 2, sc) into the ch-2 corner space.  Sc in the next 5 st’s.  The last sc should fall in the fpdc.  Sc in the next ch-2 space.  Fpsc around the Puff Stitch.  Sc in the next ch-2 space.  Sc in the next 5 st’s.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first sc with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your tails of yarn.

Stitch Count:  60 st’s, and 4 ch-2 corner spaces {14 sc and 1 fpsc per side}

Round 6 – Colour B

*(Sc, ch 2, sc) into the ch-2 corner space.  Skip the first (hidden) stitch.  Sc in the next 5 st’s.  Fpdc around the fpdc from Round 4 and skip the next sc of Round 5.  Sc in the next 2 st’s of Round 5, which should be the fpsc and the sc.  Fpdc around the next fpdc from Round 4 and skip the next sc of Round 5.  Sc in the last 5 st’s.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first sc with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your tails of yarn.

Stitch Count:  64 st’s, and 4 ch-2 corner spaces {14 sc and 2 fpdc per side}

Round 7 – Colour C

*(2 hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc) into any ch-2 corner space.  Bpdc in each of the 16 st’s across.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first hdc with a sl st.  Sl st into the next hdc and into the ch-2 corner space.

Stitch Count:  80 st’s, and 4 ch-2 corner spaces {4 hdc and 16 bpdc per side}

Round 8 – Colour C

Ch 3 (counts as first dc).  (Dc, ch 2, 2 dc) into the same ch-2 corner space.  This is your first corner made.

*Skip the first (hidden) stitch.  Dc in the next st.    (Dc in the blo of the next stitch, dc in the next 3 st’s) 4 times.  There should now be 2 stitches left before the ch-2 corner space.  Dc in the blo of the next st.  Dc in the last st.  (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) into the ch-2 corner space.*

Repeat from * to * 3 more times, omitting the last corner on the last repeat.  Join to the top of the beginning ch-3 with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your tails of yarn.

Stitch Count:  92 st’s, and 4 ch-2 corner spaces  {23 dc per side, of which 5 are blo – see arrows below}

Round 9 – Colour B

In this round, you will be working primarily around the posts of the stitches from Round 7 that already contain a back-loop-only dc. You will see that the front loops of these stitches form a dotted line across your work, making it easier to identify them – see arrows above.  If you need more help, see Round 107 of Sophie’s Universe HERE.

Join your yarn by making a standing single crochet in the second-to-last dc of any side – Photo 1.

*Ch 3.  Skip the last dc, the ch-2 space, and the first dc of the next side.  Sc in the next st – Photo 2.  Ch 3.  Working in front of the st’s from Round 8, make a sl st around the front post of the first bpdc from Round 7, which already contains a back loop dc – Photo 3.  Ch 3, skip the next 3 st’s of Round 8 and make a sc in the next st, which will be the central of the 3 dc’s between back loop dc’s – Photo 4.

(Ch 3.  Working in front of Round 8, skip the next 3 st’s of Round 7 and make a sl st around the next st, which already contains a back-loop dc.  Ch 3.  Skip the next 3 st’s of Round 8 and make a sc in the next st, which will be the central dc of the 3 dc’s between back-loop dc’s) 4 more times.  There should now be one dc left before the ch-2 corner space.*

Repeat from * to * 3 more times, omitting the last sc on the last repeat.  Join to the first sc with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your tails of yarn.

Flip the corner ch-3’s to the back of your work.  Note that the zigzags look skew.  That is ok.

Stitch Counts: 

• Total: 24 sc’s, 44 ch-3 spaces {including ch-3 corner spaces}
• Per Side: 6 sc’s and 10 ch-3 spaces {not including ch-3 corner spaces}

Round 10 – Colour C

It is important that you work in front of the ch-3 spaces from Round 9 when making your corners.  You will be using these ch-3 spaces when you make the second part of your diamond pattern in Round 12.  If you need more help, see Round 108 of Sophie’s Universe HERE.

Working in front of the ch-3 space from Round 9, join your yarn by making a standing half-double crochet in any ch-2 corner from Round 8.  (Hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc) in the same corner space.

*Still working in front of the ch-3 corner space from Round 9, hdc in the first (hidden) stitch of Round 8 – Photos 1 and 2.  Skip the first sc from Round 9.

(Hdc in the next 3 st’s from Round 8, between the sc’s that form the “zigzag hills”.  Make a bpsc around the next sc from Round 9 – Photo 3) 5 times.

Working in front of the corner ch-3 space from Round 9, hdc in the last dc from Round 8.  Still working in front of the ch-3 corner space from Round 9, (2 hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc) in the next ch-2 space from Round 8.*

Repeat from * to * 3 more times, ending with a hdc in the last dc from Round 8 and omitting the last corner on the last repeat.  Join to the top of the standing half-double crochet with a sl st.  Sl st into the next hdc and into the ch-2 corner space.

Stitch Count:  104 st’s and 4 ch-2 corner spaces  {5 bpsc’s and 21 hdc’s per side}

Round 11 – Colour C

(Ch 2, hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc) in the same ch-2 space.  This is your first corner made.

*Skip the first (hidden) stitch.  Hdc in the remaining 25 st’s across.  (2 hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc) in the next ch-2 corner space)*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times, omitting the last corner on the last repeat.  Join to the top of the beginning ch-2 with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your tails of yarn.

Stitch Count:  116 hdc’s and 4 ch-2 corner spaces  {29 hdc’s  per side}

Round 12 – Colour B

In this round, you will complete the Diamond Pattern by making some more “zigzag hills”. The first and last “hills” on each side are formed differently to the rest.  Pay special attention when making them.  If you need more help, see Round 110 of Sophie’s Universe HERE.

Join your yarn by making a sl st in the eighth hdc at the start of any side.  It will look like this stitch is too far over.  Don’t worry about it – Photo 1.

*Make a tr in the stitch that contains the first sc from Round 9.  To do this, insert your hook from top to bottom into the stitch containing the sc (because this is the easiest way), making sure that you work to the left of the first ch-3 from Round 9 (to the right if you are left-handed) – indicated with an arrow in Photo 1 and illustrated in Photos 2 and 3.  Ch 3.  Make a sl st around the back post of the next sc from Round 9.

(Ch 3, skip the next 3 st’s from Round 11 and make a sc in the next st, which will be the hdc made into the bpsc from Round 10.  Ch 3.  Make a sl st around the front post of the next sc from Round 9) 3 times.  Ch 3.  Make a tr around the top of the last ch-3 from Round 9.  Skip the next 3 st’s from Round 11 and sl st in the next st, which should be the hdc made into the bpsc from Round 10.  Ch 4.  Skip the last 5 hdc’s of Round 11.  Sl st into the ch-3 space from Round 9, which you will find behind your work.  Ch 4.  Skip the first 7 hdc’s of the next side and sl st into the eighth hdc – Photo 4.*

Repeat from * to * 3 more times, omitting the last sl st on the last repeat.  Join to the first sl st with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your tails of yarn.

Stitch Counts: 

• Total: 20 st’s, 32 ch-3 spaces, and 8 ch-4 spaces behind the corners – not including sl st’s
• Per Side: 5 st’s and 8 ch-3 spaces – not including sl st’s  {3 sc’s and 2 tr’s}

Round 13 – Colour C

*(2 hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc) in the next ch-2 corner space. Skip the first (hidden) stitch.  Hdc in the next 6 st’s from Round 11.  Make a bpsc around the top of the first zigzag “hill” from Round 12.  If you need more help, see Round 111 of Sophie’s Universe HERE.

(Hdc in the next 3 st’s from Round 11, between the sc’s that form the “zigzag hills”.  Make a bpsc around the top of the next zigzag “hill” from Round 12) 4 times.  Hdc in the last 5 st’s from Round 11.*

Repeat from * to * 3 more times, omitting the last corner on the last repeat.  Join to the top of the standing half-double crochet with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your tails of yarn.

Stitch Count:  128 st’s and 4 ch-2 corner spaces  {5 bpsc’s and 27 hdc’s per side}

Round 14 – Colour B

*(Sc, ch 2, sc) in any ch-2 corner space.  Skip the first (hidden) stitch.  Sc in each of the 31 st’s across.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first single crochet with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your tail of yarn.

Stitch Count:  132 sc’s and 4 ch-2 corner spaces  {33 sc’s per side}

Round 15 – Colour A

*(Sc, ch 2, sc) in any ch-2 corner space.  Bphdc in each of the 33 st’s across.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first sc with a sl st.  Sl st into the ch-2 corner space.

Stitch Count:  140 st’s and 4 ch-2 corner spaces  {33 bphdc’s and 2 sc’s per side}

Round 16 – Colour A

(Ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc) into the same ch-2 space.  This is your first corner made.

*Skip the first (hidden) stitch.  Dc in each of the remaining 34 st’s across.  (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the next ch-2 corner space.*  Repeat from * to * 3 times, omitting the last corner on the last repeat.  Join to the top of the beginning ch-3 with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your tails of yarn.

Stitch Count:  152 st’s and 4 ch-2 corner spaces  {38 dc’s per side}

Round 17 – Colour B

*(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) into any ch-2 space around.  This is your first corner made.  Dc in each of the 38 st’s across.*  Repeat from * to * 3 more times.  Join to the first dc with a sl st.  Fasten off and work away your tails of yarn.

Stitch Count:  168 st’s and 4 ch-2 corner spaces  {42 dc’s per side}

I quite like the back of this square as well.  It looks like 4 birds flying around a cross…or am I the only one that sees that?

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