Free Crochet Pattern: Casablanca Crochet Square
There is something deeply satisfying about a crochet square that feels like it could have been plucked from a Moroccan tile market, pressed flat, and worked in yarn. The Casablanca Crochet Square does exactly that — it brings the romance of geometric Moroccan design into a format that works beautifully for blankets, pillows, bags, wall hangings, and virtually any project that calls for a bold, structured motif. Whether you are a confident beginner looking to push your skills a little further or an experienced crocheter in search of a fresh pattern to add to your rotation, this design has something genuinely special to offer.
This post gives you everything you need to make the Casablanca Crochet Square completely free, including materials, stitch abbreviations, written instructions, helpful notes, and ideas for putting your finished squares to use. Grab your hook, pour yourself something warm, and let’s get into it.
Why the Casablanca Square?
Before we dive into the pattern itself, it is worth talking about what makes this motif stand out from the many, many crochet squares out there. The granny square is a classic for good reason, but after a while, most crocheters start craving something with a little more architectural interest.
The Casablanca Square takes its inspiration from the geometric zellige tilework found throughout North Africa and the Moorish architectural tradition — interlocking stars, angular petals, and bold lines that create the illusion of depth even in a flat surface. When translated into crochet, these elements become a combination of clusters, chains, and corner construction that feels intricate without actually being all that complicated once you have the rhythm of the round.
The finished square has a lovely raised texture in the center and lies flat beautifully, making it ideal for joining into larger projects. It also photographs exceptionally well, which matters if you plan to share your work on Instagram or in Ravelry project pages.
Materials
You can make this square in almost any yarn weight, but the pattern as written is designed for worsted weight yarn, which gives you a satisfying, substantial square that works up quickly.
Yarn: Worsted weight yarn in up to three colors (referred to as Color A, Color B, and Color C). Approximately 25–30 yards per color per square. Any fiber works — cotton gives crisp stitch definition, acrylic is wonderfully easy to care for, and wool has a beautiful drape and warmth.
Hook: US Size J / 6.0mm crochet hook, or the size needed to achieve your gauge.
Notions: Scissors, yarn needle for weaving in ends, stitch marker (optional but helpful for marking the beginning of rounds).
Gauge: One finished square measures approximately 6 inches x 6 inches after light blocking with the recommended hook and yarn. Gauge is not critical for a single decorative square, but if you are joining many squares together into a blanket, it is worth taking a moment to check that your squares are consistent in size.
Stitch Abbreviations
This pattern uses standard US crochet terminology.
ch — chain
sl st — slip stitch
sc — single crochet
hdc — half double crochet
dc — double crochet
tr — treble crochet (also called triple crochet)
ch-sp — chain space (the space created by one or more chain stitches in a previous round)
sk — skip
sp — space
rep — repeat
pm — place marker
BLO — back loop only
[…] × 4 — work the instructions inside the brackets four times total
MR — magic ring (also called magic circle or adjustable ring)
Special Stitches
Cluster (cl): Yarn over, insert hook into indicated stitch or space, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through two loops (leaving two loops on hook). Yarn over again, insert hook into the same stitch or space, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through two loops (leaving three loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through all three loops to close. This is a two-dc cluster.
Petal: [3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc] all worked into the same stitch or space. This creates one petal of the central star motif.
Standing sc: Begin with a slip knot on your hook. Insert hook into the indicated stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through both loops. This creates a single crochet without a joining chain, giving a cleaner join when starting a new color.
Pattern Notes
This square is worked in continuous rounds that are joined at the end of each round with a slip stitch into the beginning chain or stitch. Each new round can be started in the same color or a new color — the colorwork is entirely up to you. The pattern notes which round is best for introducing a color change if you want to follow the traditional look of the Casablanca Square.
Read through the entire pattern once before beginning so you have a sense of how the rounds build on each other. The first three rounds create the central star. Rounds four and five build out the geometric frame. Round six completes the square shape and adds the corner detail.
Do not turn your work between rounds. All rounds are worked on the right side.
Fasten off and weave in ends at the end of each round when changing colors, or carry your yarn up the side if you prefer.
The Pattern
Round 1 — Color A
Make a magic ring.
Ch 3 (counts as first dc), work 11 dc into the magic ring, join with sl st to top of beginning ch-3. Pull the tail of the magic ring tight to close the center hole. — 12 dc total.
The magic ring ensures you have no hole in the center of your work. If you prefer, you can chain 4 and join to form a ring, then work your 12 dc into the ring instead.
Round 2 — Color A
Ch 1, sc in same st. [Ch 3, sk 1 st, sc in next st] × 5, ch 3, sl st to first sc to join. — 6 sc and 6 ch-3 spaces.
Fasten off Color A if you are changing colors for Round 3. If staying with Color A, do not fasten off.
Round 3 — Color B (or continue Color A)
This round creates the six-pointed star that is the signature of the Casablanca Square.
Join Color B with a standing sc (or sl st and ch 1) into any ch-3 space from the previous round.
Work a Petal [3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc] into the same ch-3 space. Sc in the next ch-3 space. [Work a Petal into next ch-3 space, sc in next ch-3 space] × 2. Join with sl st to first sc. — 3 Petals, 3 sc.
Fasten off Color B.
Note: You are working petals into alternating spaces, which is what creates the staggered star shape. Make sure your sc stitches fall into the correct spaces — the ones between your petals — before continuing.
Round 4 — Color C (or Color A)
This round begins building the square frame around the star.
Join your yarn with a standing sc to the ch-2 space at the top of any Petal.
Ch 3, sc in same ch-2 sp. [Ch 2, sc in the BLO of the sc between Petals, ch 2, (sc, ch 3, sc) in the ch-2 sp at the top of next Petal] × 2, ch 2, sc in the BLO of the last sc between Petals, ch 2, join with sl st to first sc. — 6 sc, 3 corner ch-3 spaces, 6 ch-2 spaces.
Working into the back loop of the between-Petal sc helps your Round 4 stitches sit cleanly without distorting the petal beneath.
Fasten off Color C if changing for Round 5.
Round 5 — Color A (or Color B)
Join yarn with a standing sc into any corner ch-3 space.
Work (sc, ch 3, sc) into the same corner sp — this establishes your corner. [Ch 2, cl into the next ch-2 sp, ch 2, cl into the next ch-2 sp, ch 2, (sc, ch 3, sc) into the corner ch-3 sp] × 2, ch 2, cl into next ch-2 sp, ch 2, cl into next ch-2 sp, ch 2, join with sl st to first sc. — 4 corner ch-3 spaces (you now have 4 corners, since we are transitioning the hexagonal star shape into a square), 2 clusters per side.
This is the round where the shape truly becomes a square. Take a moment after completing this round to gently ease the fabric into a square shape with your fingers before continuing.
Fasten off if changing colors.
Round 6 — Color C (or any color)
This is the border round that gives your square its crisp, finished edge.
Join yarn with a standing sc into any corner ch-3 space.
Work (sc, ch 3, sc) into the same corner sp.
Work along one side: Ch 1, sc in each of the next 3 ch-2 spaces and each cluster across the side, placing a ch 1 between each sc group. (This keeps the side stitches even and open.)
More specifically: [Ch 1, sc in ch-2 sp, ch 1, sc in top of cl, ch 1, sc in ch-2 sp] — this completes one side section.
Work (sc, ch 3, sc) into the next corner ch-3 sp.
Repeat the side section and corner instructions three more times to complete all four sides.
Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off and weave in all ends.
Round 7 (Optional Finishing Round) — Any Color
If you want a more substantial edge before joining squares together, this optional round adds a simple single crochet border.
Join yarn with a standing sc into any corner ch-3 sp.
Work 3 sc into the same corner sp (corner made). Sc evenly across each side of the square, working 3 sc into each corner ch-3 sp as you go. The number of sc across each side will depend slightly on your tension, but aim for the edges to lie flat without puckering or ruffling. If your edge is ruffling, you have too many stitches. If it is pulling inward, add a few more.
Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Block lightly if desired.
Color Combinations to Try
One of the great joys of the Casablanca Square is how dramatically different it can look with different color combinations. Here are a few approaches worth trying.
Monochromatic: Work the entire square in a single color and let the stitch texture do all the visual work. This is gorgeous in a rich jewel tone like deep teal or burnt sienna.
Traditional Moroccan palette: Think terracotta, cobalt blue, ivory, and warm gold. Use Color A for ivory, Color B for cobalt, and Color C for terracotta. The result feels genuinely like zellige tile come to life.
Soft and modern: Try pale sage, dusty rose, and warm white for a palette that feels contemporary and fresh. These squares look beautiful assembled into a baby blanket or lap throw.
High contrast graphic: Black and white with a single pop of mustard yellow creates a bold, graphic effect that is stunning as a pillow cover or wall hanging.
Joining Your Squares
If you are making multiple Casablanca Squares for a larger project, you have several joining options depending on the look you want.
The flat slip stitch join is clean and nearly invisible. Hold two squares with right sides together, insert your hook through both corner stitches, and work a slip stitch join along the edge. This creates a subtle ridge on the wrong side.
The join-as-you-go method works beautifully if you want to avoid sewing entirely. When working your final border round on each new square, replace the center chain of each corner ch-3 space with a slip stitch into the corresponding corner of the adjacent square. Do the same along the sides, joining at regular intervals as you go.
The chain mesh join creates a decorative gap between squares that actually highlights the geometric design beautifully. Work a row of single crochets and chain spaces along the edges of two squares, connecting them at regular intervals. This works especially well with the Casablanca Square because the open chains echo the internal geometry of the motif itself.
Project Ideas
Blanket: The Casablanca Square assembles into a stunning throw. For a standard lap blanket measuring approximately 48 × 60 inches, you would need approximately 80 squares worked at the gauge given above. That sounds like a lot, but these squares work up quickly once you have the pattern memorized — many crocheters report completing one square in under 30 minutes once they hit their stride.
Pillow cover: Nine squares arranged in a 3 × 3 grid make a gorgeous 18-inch pillow cover. This is a wonderful way to use up yarn scraps if you work each square in different colors.
Tote bag: Work two panels of four squares each (a 2 × 2 arrangement) for the front and back of a simple market tote. Add a crochet handle or use sturdy cotton cord handles for a finished, practical bag.
Wall hanging: A single row of five or six squares hung on a wooden dowel makes a stunning piece of fiber art. This is an especially good use for your showiest yarn — a hand-dyed skein or a yarn with beautiful color variations really shines in the geometric structure of this motif.
Table runner: A long single row of Casablanca Squares in coordinating colors looks beautiful on a dining table or sideboard. Use cotton yarn for easy laundering.
Tips for Success
Tension consistency is the single most important factor in getting uniform squares. If you tend to crochet tightly, go up a hook size. If you crochet loosely, go down a size. The goal is a square that lies flat and measures consistently.
Blocking makes a noticeable difference with this motif. Even a light steam block or wet block will open up the lace elements in the design and help your squares lie perfectly flat. For cotton or linen yarn, wet blocking works beautifully. For acrylic, steam blocking or the “killing” method with a damp cloth and iron (keeping the iron above the fabric, not resting on it) gives excellent results.
Weaving in ends neatly is especially important when you are using multiple colors per square. Take the time to weave each end through several stitches in different directions to ensure they stay secure even with washing and use.
If your center star feels too tight or puckered, your Round 2 chains may be too short. Try adding an extra chain to each ch-3 space (making them ch-4 spaces) to give the petals more room to open up in Round 3.
Sharing Your Casablanca Squares
If you make this pattern, please share your finished squares! Seeing how different crocheters interpret the colorwork and yarn choices is one of the greatest joys of the crochet community. You can find fellow makers on Ravelry, where you can save this as a project and browse others’ versions for inspiration, and on Instagram under hashtags like #casablancasquare, #crochetmotif, #freecrochetpattern, and #grannysquarealternative.
This pattern is free for personal use. You are welcome to sell items made from this pattern. Please do not reproduce or redistribute the written pattern itself without permission.
Final Thoughts
The Casablanca Crochet Square is one of those patterns that earns a permanent place in your rotation. It is complex enough to stay interesting through a large project but repetitive enough that you can eventually work rounds without looking at the instructions — the kind of productive, meditative crochet that makes an afternoon pass in the most pleasant way imaginable.
Whether you make one square as a standalone piece of art or a hundred of them for an heirloom blanket, the geometric elegance of this motif will reward every stitch. Happy crocheting.
