An Africa flower granny square is a round motif with a dense center and openwork petal points formed by chain spaces. It comes from traditional African textile patterns, and joined into a blanket or bag it gives a bold, graphic look. Tip: block the finished square, pin it flat and steam it gently, to open up the petals and crisp up the shape.
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It’s a striking motif. The bold center, the open petals, and the contrast between the dense and airy rounds make it stand out in anything you put it in, a blanket, a pillow, a tote bag.
The pattern is just five rounds, but it looks far more complex than that. Each round builds on the last: a dense center, then petal clusters, then dramatic chain spaces, then border rounds for definition. If you’ve already got the traditional granny square and the granny square pattern down, this is a good next step.
The Craft Yarn Council is a great resource for yarn weight standards and hook size guidelines. You can also explore hundreds of flower granny square variations on Ravelry.
What Makes the Africa Flower Granny Square Special
It draws on traditional African textile art, where bold geometric shapes and rich color do the talking. Where a standard granny square is all cluster-and-chain, this one mixes dense double-crochet rounds, half-double petal rounds, and wide chain-space openwork, so it reads more like a flower than a square.
What makes it work is the contrast: solid, tight center rounds against airy, open petals further out. That gives each motif real depth, almost like a little piece of art. Join several together and the fabric turns lacy, light, but eye-catching.
Materials and Tools
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Crochet hook: 3.00 mm (US size C/2), a smaller hook gives crisp stitch definition
- Yarn: Weight 3 Light (DK/Light Worsted), cotton yarn is ideal because it holds its shape and shows stitch detail clearly
- Tapestry needle: for weaving in ends and joining motifs
- Stitch markers: to mark the start of each round
- Blocking mat and pins: essential for shaping the finished Africa flower granny square
Choosing the right hook size matters a lot for this pattern. A hook that is too large will make the petal points floppy, while a hook that is too small will make the center too tight. Refer to our crochet hook sizes guide for a complete sizing reference, or read about the best crochet hooks for beginners if you need equipment recommendations.
Stitch Abbreviations (US Terminology)
- MR: Magic Ring (see our magic circle guide)
- Sl.st: Slip Stitch
- Ch: Chain Stitch
- Dc: Double Crochet (review in our double crochet tutorial)
- Hdc: Half Double Crochet (see our half double crochet guide)
If you are unfamiliar with any of these stitches or need a refresher, our beginner crochet guide covers all the fundamentals, and our crochet abbreviations guide explains every term you will encounter in patterns.
Africa Flower Granny Square Pattern: Round by Round
Round 1: The Center Circle (16 stitches)
Start with a magic ring. Chain 3 (counts as first Dc), then work 15 Dc into the ring. Join with a slip stitch to the top of the starting chain 3. You should have 16 stitches total. This creates a solid, dense center circle that forms the heart of your motif.
Round 2: First Petal Division (24 stitches)
Chain 3 and work 2 Dc in the same stitch, then chain 2. Repeat [3 Dc, chain 2] seven times. Join with a slip stitch. You should have 24 stitches total. This round creates eight clusters of double crochet separated by chain-2 spaces, forming the foundation for the petal points in later rounds.
Round 3: Petal Shaping (56 stitches)
Chain 2 (counts as first Hdc), then work [1 Hdc, 5 Dc, 1 Hdc] seven times, followed by 1 Hdc and 5 Dc. Join with a slip stitch. You should have 56 stitches total. The half double crochet stitches at the edges of each cluster create a subtle shell shape that hints at the flower petals taking form. This round uses the half double crochet stitch to create a gentle curved texture.
Round 4: Openwork Petals
Chain 2, chain 5, work (1 Dc, chain 5, 1 Dc), chain 5. Repeat [1 Dc, chain 5, (1 Dc, chain 5, 1 Dc), chain 5] three times. Join with a slip stitch. This is the round that creates the dramatic openwork petal points. The chain-5 spaces form large, airy loops that radiate outward like flower petals. This is the most visually distinctive round of the pattern.
Round 5: Final Border (64 stitches)
Chain 3 (counts as first Dc), work 4 Dc, chain 1, then work (3 Dc, chain 3, 3 Dc), chain 1, 5 Dc, chain 1. Repeat [5 Dc, chain 1, (3 Dc, chain 3, 3 Dc), chain 1, 5 Dc, chain 1] three times. Join with a slip stitch and fasten off. You should have 64 stitches total. The chain-3 spaces create defined corner points, while the chain-1 spaces between Dc groups add subtle openwork detail. Weave in all ends with your tapestry needle.
Blocking Your Africa Flower Granny Square
Blocking really matters here. Skip it and the petals curl in and the whole thing looks ruffled. Pin the square right-side up on a blocking mat, stretch each petal point outward until it lies flat, then mist it with water or hold a steam iron just above it (don’t press down on the yarn). Let it dry fully before unpinning.
It’s a big difference, blocking takes the motif from a rumpled circle to a clean, symmetrical one with open petals. Worth the few minutes.
Color Schemes for Africa Flower Granny Squares
The Africa flower looks best in bold, high-contrast colors. A few combinations to try:
- Sunset Africa: Golden yellow center, orange inner petals, red outer ring, cream border
- Ocean Africa: Turquoise center, navy petals, white openwork, aquamarine border
- Safari Africa: Burnt orange center, olive green petals, cream openwork, terracotta border
- Jewel tones: Deep purple center, magenta petals, gold openwork, emerald border
- Monochrome Africa: Three shades of one color family, like light, medium, and dark blue, for a sophisticated ombre effect
The trick is contrast: pick colors that are clearly different so each round reads on its own. Too similar, and the layered effect disappears.
Project Ideas for Your Africa Flower Motifs
It’s a versatile motif. Some ways to use your finished squares:
- Statement blanket: Join 20 to 40 Africa flower granny squares for a show-stopping bedspread or throw
- Cushion cover: A single large Africa flower granny square makes a stunning decorative pillow front
- Market bag: Join Africa flower granny squares into a circular base with side panels for a trendy bag
- Wall art: Mount a single Africa flower granny square in an embroidery hoop or frame for instant crochet wall decor
- Table centerpiece: Make a set of Africa flower coasters in coordinating colors
For more joining techniques and blanket layout ideas, explore our solid granny square pattern guide and learn about fixing common issues in our article on crooked granny squares.
5 Free Africa Flower Patterns
1. KnotToYarn Africa Flower Granny Square
This in-house five-round motif starts with a 16-double-crochet center, develops petal clusters and open chain-five loops, then uses corner clusters to create a 64-stitch final border. It uses DK/light-worsted yarn and a 3 mm hook, making it a compact, structured flower square for a coordinated motif project. View the pattern.
2. African Flower Granny Square by Annie Design Crochet
Carmen Heffernan works an eight-petal African flower in the round, squares it in round 5, and offers an optional sixth round. Hobbii Friends DK Cotton 8/6 with a 4 mm hook produces a 4-inch square; shell petals, long single crochet, and treble-crochet corners give the motif its clear geometry. View the pattern.
3. African Flower Hexagon by B.Hooked
Brittany’s classic six-round hexagon is designed as a joinable motif for blankets, pillows, and garments. It uses medium-weight yarn, a 5 mm hook, and three or four contrasting colors; seven-double-crochet petals appear in round 4, long single crochet follows, and round 6 establishes the six corners. View the pattern.
4. African Flower Hexagon by Joy of Motion Crochet
Janne Kleivset’s photo tutorial builds a six-petal hexagon from the center outward in five rounds. Four colors make the flower definition easy to see, while the final round uses nine double crochets per edge with chain-two spaces between them. The designer estimates about 15 minutes for one motif. View the pattern.
5. Crochet African Flower by Crochet 365 Knit Too
Cheryl Bennett’s traditional version is a four-color, five-round hexagon that measures about 6 inches point to point. It uses worsted-weight scraps and a US H/8 (5 mm) hook; long single crochet separates the petal groups before a double-crochet and chain-two sequence defines the outer hexagon. View the pattern.
