by That’s a fantastic request! The Popcorn Stitch is one of the most delightful textural stitches, and incorporating it into a simple motif is a perfect way for beginners to learn a special technique while making something beautiful.
Here is a detailed, beginner-friendly tutorial for a Popcorn Lovely Square Motif, which is built like a granny square but features a central popcorn pattern.
🍿 Popcorn Lovely Square Motif Tutorial (Beginner Friendly)
This motif is worked in rounds and uses simple color changes to make the textured popcorn stitch stand out.
Materials You’ll Need
- Yarn: Medium-weight yarn (worsted/size 4).
- Color A (Center/Popcorn): A bright color (e.g., Yellow or Pink).
- Color B (Background/Square): A contrasting color (e.g., White or Grey).
- Crochet Hook: The size appropriate for your yarn (e.g., 5.0 mm).
- Scissors, Tapestry Needle.
Key Crochet Terms
| Abbreviation | Stitch Name |
| ch | Chain |
| sl st | Slip Stitch |
| dc | Double Crochet |
| st(s) | Stitch(es) |
| PC | Popcorn Stitch (Special Stitch) |
Special Stitch: Popcorn Stitch (PC)
The Popcorn Stitch creates a highly textured, bobble-like element.
- Work 5 dc into the specified stitch or space.
- Drop the loop from your hook.
- Insert your hook into the top of the first dc of the 5-dc cluster.
- Insert the hook back into the dropped loop.
- Yarn over and pull through both the stitch and the loop.
- Ch 1 to secure the popcorn (this closing chain is often counted as part of the stitch).
Step-by-Step Instructions
Round 1: The Center (Color A)
- Start: With Color A, make a Magic Ring.
- Base: ch 3 (counts as first dc). Work 11 dc into the Magic Ring.
- Finish: Pull the tail tight to close the center hole. Join with a sl st to the top of the ch 3. (12 sts).
Round 2: The Popcorn Petals (Color A)
This round creates the textured center using the Popcorn Stitch.
- First PC: ch 3 (counts as the first dc of the cluster). Work 4 dc into the same stitch.
- Form Popcorn: Drop the loop. Insert hook into the top of the starting ch 3. Hook the dropped loop and pull through. ch 1 to secure the popcorn.
- Repeat: [PC in the next st, ch 1] 11 more times. (You will have 12 popcorn stitches).
- Finish: Join with a sl st to the closing ch 1 of the first PC. Fasten off Color A.
Round 3: Squaring Up (Color B)
This crucial round defines the four corners, transforming the circle into a square. We will work into the ch-1 spaces between the popcorns.
- Join: Join Color B into any ch-1 space with a sl st.
- First Corner: ch 3 (counts as dc). Work [2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc] into the same ch-1 space.
- Side 1 (Side Cluster): Work 3 dc into the next ch-1 space.
- Side 2 (Side Cluster): Work 3 dc into the next ch-1 space.
- Next Corner: Work [3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc] into the next ch-1 space.
- Repeat: Continue the sequence: [Corner Shell, 3 dc cluster, 3 dc cluster] two more times. (You should have 4 corners and 8 side clusters).
- Finish: Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 3.
Round 4: Final Edge
This round cleans up the sides and sets up the square for joining to other motifs.
- Move to Corner: sl st over to the ch-2 corner space.
- Corner: ch 3. Work [2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc] into the corner space.
- Side: ch 1. Work 3 dc into the space between the first two 3-dc clusters. ch 1. Work 3 dc into the space between the next two 3-dc clusters. ch 1.
- Repeat: Continue the sequence: [Corner Shell, (ch 1, 3 dc in next space) two times, ch 1] around the square.
- Finish: Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 3. Fasten off Color B.
Finishing the Motif
- Weave in Ends: Use your tapestry needle to securely weave in all yarn tails on the back of the square.
- Blocking: A light blocking (wetting and pinning the square) is highly recommended. It will ensure the square is flat, the corners are sharp, and the popcorns puff out nicely, ready for joining into a larger project!
Your “Popcorn Lovely” square is complete! This motif is excellent for colorful blankets or textured cushions.
Video tutorial:
