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My mother is a crocheter, and she has three things she likes in particular: 

1. Linen stitch (aka moss stitch, granite stitch, sand stitch, etc.)
2. Making squares worked in the round
3. Weaving in as few ends as possible.

So I thought: how can I combine these three things?

And the seamless linen stitch square was born. It’s worked in the round with linen stitch, and the colors are carried up one of the corners, so you only have to weave in ends when you start a new color or new ball of yarn. Because the colors are carried in the corners, the slip stitches for the color change are hidden so there’s no obvious seam. (I’ve seen a few other similar projects, but most are either worked in rows, involve weaving in zillions of ends, or have a noticeable seam — thus the need for the seamless linen stitch.)

You Will Need

Yarn — at least one color (the example pattern uses two, colors A and B)

Crochet hook that’s the right size for your yarn (in this example, I’m using a DK weight yarn and a G hook)

Yarn needle for weaving in ends

You may also want another crochet hook that’s a size down from whatever you plan to use; this style of square sometimes puffs up in the middle so starting your first few rounds with a smaller hook may be helpful. A stitch marker may also be useful in the first few rounds while you establish the pattern.

Techniques to Know

Single crochet, aka “sc”

Chain stitch, aka “ch”

Slip stitch, aka “sl st”

Changing colors when crocheting

Linen stitch: a pattern of single crochet one, chain one. Each single crochet is worked into the hole made by a chain-one space in the previous row/round.

The corners of this pattern are comprised of [sc1, ch2, sc1, ch1] into the ch2 space from the previous round. In other words, you have one linen stitch (sc1 + ch1), one chain, and another linen stitch all in the ch2 space.

Seamless Linen Stitch Pattern

Round 1:

Using color A, start with a magic ring. [Sc, ch2] four times into ring; the ch2 spaces make the corners of the square. Sl st to the first sc to join, then sl st once more into the adjacent ch-2 space.

Switch colors, but DO NOT fasten off. We’re going to carry the yarn so we don’t have to weave in a million ends. (There will be a little line of carries along the corner, but they’re not very noticeable at all.)

Round 2:

Using color B, ch2 (counts as one linen stitch) into corner; sc, ch 2, sc, ch 1 into next three corners to make a corner; sc, ch2 into first corner, sl st into first ch of ch2 to join. Switch colors without fastening off.

Each corner has a sc, ch2, sc, ch1.

Round 3:

Using color A, ch2 (counts as one linen stitch); *one linen stitch into ch space from round 2; make corner into corner* three times; sc into ch space, ch1; sc into original corner, ch2, sl st to first ch of ch2 to join. Switch colors without fastening off.

You have four corners of [sc, ch2, sc, ch1] and four sides with one linen stitch in each (four linen stitches total).

Round 4: 

Using color B, ch2 (counts as one linen stitch); sc into ch2 space from round 3, ch1; linen stitch into ch1 space from round 3; *make corner into corner; linen stitch in both ch1 spaces from round 3* three times; sc, ch1 into original corner, sl st to first ch of ch2 to join. Switch colors without fastening off.

You have four corners and four sides with two linen stitches in each (eight linen stitches total).

Note: I found that from here on, a ch-1 for the joining corner gave me the best results; ch-2 was a bit saggy for me. Feel free to experiment to see which looks best to you, as it may vary based on yarn, hook, tension, etc.

Round 5: 

Using color A, ch2 (counts as one linen stitch); linen stitch into ch2 from round 4; linen stitch into the next two ch1 spaces; *make corner into corner; linen stitch into the next three ch1 spaces* three times. Linen stitch into original corner, sl st to first ch of ch2 to join. Switch colors without fastening off.

You have four corners and four sides with three linen stitches in each (twelve linen stitches total). Are you starting to see the pattern?

Round 6: 

Using color B, ch2 (counts as one linen stitch); linen stitch into ch2 from round 5; linen stitch into the next three ch1 spaces; *make corner into corner; linen stitch into next four ch1 spaces* three times. Sc, ch1 into original corner, sl st to first ch of ch2 to join. Switch colors without fastening off.

You have four corners and four sides with four linen stitches in each (sixteen linen stitches total).

Round 7: 

Using color A, ch2 (counts as one linen stitch); linen stitch into ch2 from round 6; linen stitch into the next four ch1 spaces; *make corner into corner; linen stitch into the next five ch1 spaces* three times. Sc, ch 1 into original corner, sl st to first ch of ch2 to join. Switch colors without fastening off.

You have four corners and four sides with five linen stitches in each (twenty linen stitches total).

The pattern is that each round, the corners stay the same, and the sides increase in size by one stitch. Round 8 will have six linen stitches per side (24 total); round 9 will have seven (28 total); and so on. Continue repeating the pattern until your work is as big as you want it to be. 

 

Have questions about the pattern? Did you give it a try? Let me know in the comments or on Ravelry!