Granny Circle Placemats
As hot weather settles over the city I can feel my summer appetite kicking in. Winter may be all about heavy red sauces and rich, maple drizzled squashes, but, for me, summer is a whole different story. Everything lightens up, and the operative word becomes “fresh”, fresh salads, fresh fruit, fresh everything! And, so, to recognize this culinary shift, I decided that my tabletop would definitely need a summer overhaul.
These Granny Circle Placemats fit right into the mood of summer: bright, casual and as fresh as this morning! I took the classic design of the granny square, spun it into a circle and added a colorful edge. The result is a simple and cheerful set of placemats that will be perfectly at home under a bowl of salted cucumber slices!
For a no-fuss look I used Cascade’s Ultra Pima. One hundred percent Pima Cotton, this yarn does durable duty with elegance. It’s machine washable and ready for wear, but has a pretty, subtle shine and classic cotton simplicity.
There are so many sunny colors of Ultra Pima to choose from, you can really have good time personalizing your placemats. Go for white with royal and navy blues for a fun, nautical take, or stick to naturals and peaches for a breezy, beachy look. To reflect my seasonal mood, I chose four colors with the zesty flavors of citrus and melon. -Whitney
Materials
- Main Color: 4 skeins of Cascade’s Ultra Pima, 100% Pima Cotton. I used Natural #3718
- Contrast Colors: 1 skein each of four colors of Cascade’s Ultra Pima. I used, from the top, Yellow Roses #3743, Gold #3747, Marigold #3749, and Ice Peach #3753.
- A size E (3.5 mm) crochet hook
This is enough yarn to make four placemats.
Gauge
6 1/2 single crochets = 1 inch
Size
14 inches in diameter
Pattern
Round 1: With the Main Color, chain 3 into an adjustable loop (see our Adjustable Loop Tutorial right here for how-to’s!)…
…1 double crochet (dc) into the loop, (chain 1, 2 dc) 5 times, chain 1, join to third chain of beginning chain with a slip stitch.
Round 2: Make 1 slip stitch into next stitch, and 1 slip stitch into space…
…chain 3, 1 dc into same space, chain 1, 2 dc into same space, *chain 1, 2 dc into next space, chain 1, 2 dc into same space, repeat from * to end of round, chain 1, join to third chain of beginning chain with a slip stitch.
Round 3: Make 1 slip stitch into next stitch, and 1 slip stitch into space, chain 3, 2 dc into same space, *chain 1, 3 dc into next space, repeat from * to end of round, chain 1, join to third chain of beginning chain with a slip stitch.
Round 4: Make 1 slip stitch into next two stitches, and 1 slip stitch into space…
…chain 3, 2 dc into same space, *chain 1, 3 dc into next space, repeat from * to end of round, chain 1, join to third chain of beginning chain with a slip stitch.
Round 5: Make 1 slip stitch into next two stitches, and 1 slip stitch into space, chain 3, 2 dc into same space, chain 1, 3 dc into same space, *chain 1, 3 dc into next space, chain 1, 3 dc into same space, repeat from * to end of round, chain 1, join to third chain of beginning chain with a slip stitch.
Rounds 6 and 7: Repeat Round 4.
Round 8: Make 1 slip stitch into next two stitches, and 1 slip stitch into space, chain 3, 2 dc into same space, chain 1, 3 dc into next space, chain 1, 3 dc into same space, *chain 1, 3 dc into next space, chain 1, 3 dc into next space, chain 1, 3 dc into same space, repeat from * to end of round, chain 1, join to third chain of beginning chain with a slip stitch.
Rounds 9, 10 and 11: Repeat Round 4.
Round 12: Make 1 slip stitch into next two stitches, and 1 slip stitch into space, chain 3, 2 dc into same space, chain 1, 3 dc into next space, chain 1, 3 dc into next space, chain 1, 3 dc into same space, *chain 1, 3 dc into next space, chain 1, 3 dc into next space, chain 1, 3 dc into next space, chain 1, 3 dc into same space, repeat from * to end of round, chain 1, join to third chain of beginning chain with a slip stitch.
Rounds 13, 14, and 15: Repeat Round 4.
Round 16: Repeat Round 12.
Rounds 17 and 18: Repeat Round 4.
Cut the yarn and pull the yarn through the last stitch.
Here’s a visual of all 18 rounds:
Trim
With the Contrast Color, join to any stitch or space and chain 2. Make a half double crochet into each stitch and space around the edge of the placemat. Join to second chain of beginning chain with a slip stitch.
Cut the yarn and pull it through the last stitch.
Make three more and you’ll have a set!
I just made this and used three colors instead of two and it came out BEAUTIFUL. Thank you so much for this pattern. It is one of the BEST written pattern I’ve come across in awhile AND the pictures are amazingly helpful. Thank you SO much. PS. In response to Judy Stites, I used yarn other than what was suggested and it needed to be blocked. Thank you! 🙂
I just finished using this pattern to make a circular stool/chair cover for an art teacher in the order of the colors of the rainbow. It turned out so pretty. She will love it. It was easy to follow.
This tutorial would benefit from a video demonstration. One count off can wreak havoc, and repeated ripping back weakens the yarn. Thank you.
Hi Ame,
Thanks for writing in. Unfortunately we don’t have the resources at the moment to do a video tutorial of this. We will keep your request in mind though for the future! Thanks!
Best,
Julianna
This is just what I am looking for the whole day. It looks stunning and thanks for the pattern.
Enjoyed this pattern for my ombré yarn only made it to round 12 for 14”. Did sc on edge.
Using the same yarn and E hook, I don’t have enough yarn to go all rounds. What’s the problem? Thank you
Hi Leslie,
Thanks for reaching out! Did you check your gauge prior to beginning? That is my best guess for what could be causing you to be short on yarn! For this pattern we used 4 skeins of Cascade’s Ultra Pima for the main color, each skein is 219yds. 876 yards total was used to make 4 Granny Circle Placemats!
Warmly,
Gianna
How many yards did it take to make this product?
Hello,
I don’t understand the direction “Make 1 slip stitch into next stitch, and 1 slip stitch into space”. When I slip stitch into the next stitch it is also into the next space. It seems as if it’s the same thing.
Thank you,
Jane
Hi Jane,
Thanks for reaching out. It’s likely that you worked the previous slip stitch (the one you made to join the first round) into the wrong stitch! This slip stitch must be worked into the 3rd chain stitch from the 3 chains you worked at the very beginning of the pattern. This way, the following stitch (from the first dc) will be available for this slip stitch. I hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
Hello there! I am up to row 13 and mine is waving and curling up… as though there’s too many stitches. I’ve double checked my stitches and all seems to be right as per instructions. Is there any reason / or anything you can think of for me to check on, that could be causing this? Could it be that I did a slip knot at the beginning instead of the adjustable loop you said to use?
I really appreciate your help!
Hi Adrienne!
Thank you so much for your comment. There are a few things you can check, but I definitely suggest using the Adjustable Loop method for the beginning of your placemat to see if that improves your tension for the next one! We have a tutorial for the Adjustable Loop if you’re interested. I also suggest checking out your gauge, to see that the yarn and hook you’re using agree with the pattern’s gauge. We have a tutorial for gauge as well. Although it is for knitting, the same principles apply! And finally, if all of these check out and you are still experiencing rolling or curled edges, I know that blocking your placemats will help tremendously, to encourage the fibers to lay flat and feel at home in their new lace design!
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Margaret
Thank you for this tutorial. I have made four placemats and am very happy with the results – they look amazing. Your instructions are spot on and easy to follow which is something I always appreciate. I am now making some coasters using your instructions of the placemats, ending with row 5 and they are perfect!