Perfect Squares Square

MooglyCAL 2024 - Square #18

Read the Story:

Or feel free to skip straight to the pattern. It won’t hurt my feelings!

Last year was my first time designing a square for the MooglyCAL, and I’m excited to get to make another one for the 2024 version.

I present to you the “Perfect Squares” Square - or is it the Perfect2 Square? Ha ha!

If you can’t tell, I’m a big math nerd (which makes sense considering I taught middle-school mathematics for 13 years). One of my favorite things to do with my students was use visual models to help them see patterns in the different mathematical concepts we’d study.

One such pattern that always fascinated us was the relationship of the perfect squares: 12, 22, 32, 42… = 1, 4, 9, 16, etc. At first, it’s just a random list of ever-growing numbers. But when you arrange them, you find that there’s a couple of things going on.

1. The jump between the squares is just the next odd number (e.g., 1+3=4, 4+5=9, 9+7=16).

2. Because of this, you can calculate a perfect square without any multiplication. Instead, you just add up all the odd numbers up to that point (like 72 is just 1+3+5+7+9+11+13, the first 7 odd numbers, and get 49).

3. And most importantly since it’s the inspiration for this design, each new row of blocks/stitches you add not only creates the next square in the series by adding the next odd number… the stitch count will be the same number as if you just double the previous row number and add 1. So Row 7 will just be 6x2 + 1 = 12 + 1 = 13 while Row 28 will be 27x2 + 1 = 54 + 1 = 55! Isn’t that the neatest way to keep track of stitch counts?!

Anyway, I’m sure you’re ready to take a break from all this math and dive into the crochet, so go onto the next page and start working on your very own “Perfect Squares” Square!

Oh, one more thing. Since this square grows infinitely, regardless of your gauge, yarn weight, or hook size, you can make it any size you want. Simply continue adding the next pair of rows until you reach the desired size - no pressure to meet a particular gauge!

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	Materials & Pattern Information
Yarn	Caron One Pound, “Royalty” (MC) and “Sunflower” (CC) 100% acrylic CYC 4 (Worsted) weight, 9 wpi 812yd/16oz (742m/454g) per skein (1 skein each color)
Hook	US J/10 (6mm) Recommended hooks: Furls Odyssey, Furls Streamline Wood, Clover Amour, Leither Co.
Notions	Yarn needle, scissors,  stitch marker (optional to mark corner stitch for increases)
Challenge Level	Confident experience with crochet. Techniques include half double crochet, single crochet, working in back loops and third loops, magic ring, color work, and increasing.
Finished Size	12 x 12 in (30.5 x 30.5 cm) - blocked
Gauge	4” (10cm) worked in pattern: 12 sts, 12 rows

Check out the tutorial video for pattern support:

Stitch Information

Abbreviations Used Abbreviations Used BLO Back loop only CC Contrasting color Ch(s) Chain(s) Ea Each Hdc Half double crochet Hk Hook *Inc Increase Lp(s) Loop(s) MC Main color Rem Remaining RS Right side Sc Single crochet Sk(d) Skip(ped) Sl st Slip stitch St(s) Stitch(es) *TLO Third loop only WS Wrong side YO Yarn over

*Special stitch instructions: Inc Work an extra stitch “between” two stitches as follows: Insert hk through BLO/TLO of previous st and next st at the same time. YO, pull up lp through both sts. Complete st like normal. See video tutorial for help with working this type of increase. If you find this type of increase too challenging, just work 3 sts into the same st; this will create a slightly looser gap in the corners. Half double crochets will have an extra third loop. Use the image below to help you identify the different loops.

Notes (definitely don’t skip)

• This square is constructed diagonally starting with a corner, increasing in an opposite corner as the square grows.

• Stitch counts are only given after increase rounds and are presented inside <> brackets. If no stitch count is given, the stitch count is the same as the previous row.

• When changing colors, draw the new color through the final lp of the stitch (for example, work a double crochet until you have 2 loops remaining, drop the current color, yarn over with the next color and draw through those final two loops)

  • This will create clean transitions between your colors.

Pattern Instructions

Notes	Use stitch marker to mark the corner stitch where increases will happen. Keep the magic ring loose until you’ve established the first few rows.
Setup	With MC create a magic ring - watch the video tutorial [0:37]for help with magic ring. *Alternative setup: You can also ch 3, work a hdc in first ch, and sk Row 1 instructions.
Row 1 (RS)	Ch 1, hdc in ring, turn. <1 st>
Row 2 (WS)	Ch 1, 3 sc TLO changing to CC at end, turn. <3 sts>
Row 3	Ch 1, hdc BLO in first st, hdc BLO inc next st, hdc BLO next st, hdc BLO inc next st, hdc BLO in last st, turn. <5 sts>
Row 4	Ch 1, sc TLO to corner st, sc TLO inc, sc TLO, sc TLO inc, sc TLO to end changing to next color at end, turn. <7 sts>
Row 5	Ch 1, hdc BLO in first st and across to corner st, hdc BLO inc, hdc BLO, hdc BLO inc, hdc BLO to end, turn. <9 sts>
Row 6	Rep Row 4.
Rows 7 to the End	Rep Rows 5-6 until square measures 12 in (30 cm) - between 36-40 rows depending on your tension. End on a WS row. *Note: This will be blocked and have a small border, so measure with the square slightly stretched as if you’re wet blocking it to determine how many rows you need.
Border	With RS facing you, ch 1, sc in ea st to corner, 3 sc in corner st, sc across to last st, 3 sc in last st, work 1 sc in side of ea row, 3 sc in magic ring, sc in sides of rows, 2 sc in first st (should already have 1 sc worked in it), join with sl st into first st, fasten off. Weave in ends.

Copyright, Selling Finished Projects, and Pattern Support

This pattern is designed and copyrighted by Cocky Crocheter LLC as a free pattern for part of the Moogly CAL 2024. No part of this pattern – including images, charts, and instructions – may be shared or reproduced.

Items created using this pattern are allowed to be sold with credit given to Kelly Baum-Sehon (The Cocky Crocheter) as the original designer of the pattern. Feel free to share on Instagram and tag me @cocky_crocheter; I love seeing your beautiful work! Additionally, feel free to tag Tamara @mooglyblog and use hashtag #mooglyCAL2024.

The designer has made every effort to make instructions clear, but confusion can still arise. The designer is always willing to offer pattern support if you have questions about any of the instructions.

Contact the designer with any questions regarding copyright, selling finished projects, and pattern support at kbaumsehon@gmail.com.