Burgundy Brick Road Square Free Crochet Pattern

Burgundy Brick Road Square — Free Beginner Crochet Pattern

Introduction

Welcome! If you have never held a crochet hook before, you are in exactly the right place. The Burgundy Brick Road Square is a 12-inch afghan square worked flat in simple single crochet, with bold stripes of deep burgundy and gold and a raised gold "brick road" line running straight down the center. It is perfect for total beginners because it uses only the most basic stitches, and every row is short enough to finish in a few minutes. The finished square is dense, squishy, and wonderfully textured — the raised center line feels bumpy and bricklike under your fingers, and the gold stripes catch the light. Make one as a coaster-sized sampler, or make many and stitch them into a throw blanket.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Worsted weight (category 4) acrylic yarn, approximately 180–200 yards total: about 120 yards burgundy (Color A) and 60–80 yards gold (Color B).
• Hook: US H-8 / 5.0 mm crochet hook.
• Stitch markers: At least 2 (to mark the center stitch and your corners).
• Tapestry needle: A blunt-tipped needle with a large eye, for weaving in ends.
• Scissors: Any sharp pair for cutting yarn.
• Measuring tape or ruler: For checking gauge and blocking to size.
• Blocking supplies: Pins and a spray bottle of water (or a blocking mat).
• Finished size: 12 x 12 inches (30.5 x 30.5 cm) after blocking.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• ch — chain: wrap the yarn over your hook and pull it through the loop already on your hook. This makes one chain stitch.
• sc — single crochet: insert your hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over again, pull through both loops. One loop remains.
• dc — double crochet: yarn over, insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through 2 loops, yarn over, pull through the last 2 loops.
• sl st — slip stitch: insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull the yarn straight through both the stitch and the loop on your hook at the same time. It joins without adding height.
• st(s) — stitch(es): one completed stitch, or several.
• sp — space: the little gap between stitches, usually under a chain.
• FLO — front loop only: work into just the loop of the stitch closest to you.
• BLO — back loop only: work into just the loop of the stitch farthest from you.
• RS — right side: the "pretty" front face of your work.
• FPdc — raised front post double crochet: instead of going into the top of a stitch, you push your hook from front to back to front around the vertical body (the "post") of the stitch below, then work a normal double crochet. This makes the stitch pop up toward you.
• X-dc — crossed double crochet: skip the next stitch, double crochet into the following stitch, then double crochet into the skipped stitch, so the second stitch crosses over the first.
• Yarn over — wrap the working yarn over your hook from back to front.
• Turn — flip your work over so you can crochet back the other way.

Gauge

Gauge: 14 single crochet stitches x 16 rows = 4 x 4 inches (10 x 10 cm).

Why gauge matters: Gauge is how many stitches and rows fit into 4 inches. If your stitches are bigger than the pattern's, your square will come out too large; if smaller, too small. Matching gauge is what makes your finished square measure 12 x 12 inches.

How to make a gauge swatch: With Color A, chain 22. Single crochet in the second chain from the hook and in each chain across (21 sc). Work 18 rows of single crochet, turning with a chain 1 at the start of each row. Lay the swatch flat and measure the middle 4 inches across and 4 inches up. Count the stitches and rows inside that area. If you have more than 14 stitches, try a larger hook; if fewer, try a smaller hook. Repeat until it matches.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Count every row. Each row of this square has exactly 42 stitches. Count before you turn — it takes ten seconds and saves you from a wobbly edge.
• Use a stitch marker on the center stitch. The raised line sits on stitch 21. Place a marker there so you never have to guess where the FPdc goes.
• Do not pull your yarn too tight. Tension should feel relaxed. Tight stitches make the raised post-stitch very hard to work into.
• Carry the unused color loosely up the side edge. Leave a little slack so the edge does not pucker. If you prefer, cut the yarn and rejoin each stripe instead.
• Always start each row with a chain 1. This little chain gives your row height and keeps the edge straight. It does not count as a stitch.
• Work your first stitch into the very first stitch (not the chain 1). Missing it is the most common beginner mistake and makes your square shrink row by row.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Note: Work flat in rows, turning at the end of every row. The raised gold line is worked as a front post double crochet on every 4th row, always on the center stitch (stitch 21).

Setup and Body

Setup: With Color A (burgundy), ch 43.

Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (42 sc)

Row 2: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (42 sc)

Row 3: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (42 sc)

Row 4 (gold stripe + raised line): Change to Color B. Ch 1, turn. Sc in first 20 sts. Work FPdc around the post of the next st (center st). Sc in each remaining 21 sts. (42 sts)

Row 5: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across, working the FPdc st as a regular sc. (42 sc)

Row 6: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (42 sc)

Row 7: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (42 sc)

Row 8 (burgundy stripe): Change to Color A. Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (42 sc)

Rows 9–11: Repeat Row 8. (42 sc)

Row 12 (gold stripe + raised line): Change to Color B. Ch 1, turn. Sc in first 20 sts. Work FPdc around the post of the next st (center st). Sc in each remaining 21 sts. (42 sts)

Rows 13–15: Repeat Rows 5–7. (42 sc)

Rows 16–19: Repeat Rows 8–11 (burgundy stripe). (42 sc)

Rows 20–23: Repeat Rows 12–15 (gold stripe with raised line on Row 20). (42 sts)

Rows 24–27: Repeat Rows 8–11 (burgundy stripe). (42 sc)

Rows 28–31: Repeat Rows 12–15 (gold stripe with raised line on Row 28). (42 sts)

Rows 32–35: Repeat Rows 8–11 (burgundy stripe). (42 sc)

Rows 36–39: Repeat Rows 12–15 (gold stripe with raised line on Row 36). (42 sts)

Rows 40–43: Repeat Rows 8–11 (burgundy stripe). (42 sc)

Row 44 (gold stripe + raised line): Change to Color B. Ch 1, turn. Sc in first 20 sts. Work FPdc around the post of the next st (center st). Sc in each remaining 21 sts. (42 sts)

Rows 45–47: Repeat Rows 5–7. (42 sc)

Row 48: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (42 sc) Do not fasten off.

Body check: 48 rows total. At 16 rows per 4 inches, 48 rows = 12 inches tall. 42 stitches at 14 stitches per 4 inches = 12 inches wide. You now have a 12 x 12 inch body.

Border

Round 1: Ch 1, turn to work along the side edge. Work 48 sc evenly along the side edge (1 sc per row). Ch 1, turn the corner, work 42 sc along the top edge. Ch 1, turn the corner, work 48 sc along the opposite side edge. Ch 1, turn the corner, work 42 sc along the bottom edge. Join with sl st to the first sc. (180 sc)

Round 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc around, working 3 sc in each corner ch-1 sp. Join with sl st to the first sc. Fasten off. (180 sc + 8 extra corner sts = 188 sc)

Assembly and Finishing

Weaving in ends: Thread each yarn tail onto your tapestry needle. Turn the square to the wrong side and weave the tail in and out through the backs of about 2 inches of stitches, changing direction once so it cannot work loose. Trim close to the fabric. Do this for every tail, including the carried color changes.

Blocking: Lightly mist the square with water until damp but not soaking. Lay it flat on a blocking mat or towel. Pin each corner out to exactly 12 x 12 inches, using your measuring tape to check both the width and the height, and pin the sides straight. This is what squares up the edges and makes the raised line stand out. Leave it to dry completely — usually 12 to 24 hours — then remove the pins.

Joining squares (optional): To make a blanket, lay finished squares right sides together and whipstitch or single crochet the edges together, matching stitch for stitch. Join all squares into strips first, then join the strips.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colorway: Swap burgundy and gold for any two colors you love — navy and cream, charcoal and mustard, or forest green and copper. Keep one color dominant (about 120 yards) and one as the accent (60–80 yards).
• Make it bigger or smaller: Chain any multiple of 2 plus 1 (43, 55, 67...) to change the width, keeping the center stitch marked for the raised line. Add or remove 4-row stripe repeats to change the height, ending on a plain sc row.
• Try a different yarn: A cotton worsted will give crisper stitch definition and a more matte, streetwear look; a soft acrylic-blend will be squishier and easier on beginner hands. Always re-check gauge when you change yarn.
• Add more texture: Work the raised line on every 4th row as written, or add a crossed double crochet (X-dc) in place of the FPdc for a bolder, more graphic brick effect.