I’m excited to share this Retro Daisy Granny Square pattern, which I’m using for a special commission: a 70s-style blanket! The color theme is centered around classic 70s vibes with warm oranges and browns, and I’ve added yellow to brighten it up and keep the design feeling fresh. The retro daisy motif brings in that nostalgic charm, but with a few tweaks, I’ve aimed to create a look that’s vintage yet modern, avoiding the sometimes “granny square blues” that can make a project feel a bit dated.

I wanted to document a version of this pattern that’s easy to follow and all in one place, as I found other patterns were a bit too complex or scattered for my liking. For added clarity and ease, I’ll also link a helpful YouTube video that complements the instructions and supports visual learners in tackling this pattern.

For this project, I started with 200g of each color in 8-ply yarn, but since the squares are turning out larger than expected, I may need to go yarn shopping again soon! I’m looking forward to seeing how many squares I can get from this initial batch and piecing them together into a bold, updated take on a 70s classic.

Materials:

Pattern instructions:

In this pattern, we’ll be using color-coded sections to help guide you through the color changes for each round, making it easier to achieve the iconic daisy look. This pattern may look effortless, but it requires careful attention to color changes to make the daisy motif pop!

Each round will have a specific color suggestion, but feel free to customize it with your own color choices. Here’s a guide to help you understand when to switch colors and how the color-coded instructions work.

Color Suggestions:

Pattern – Let’s Begin!

[Row 1, Colour A]: Make a Magic Circle. CH 1 (does not count as a stitch), work 8 SC inside the magic circle. Pull the yarn tail to close the circle. SL ST into the first SC to close the circle.

• Stitch count at end of Row 1: 8 SC (inside the magic circle).

[Row 2, Colour A]: CH 3 (counts as the first DC), make 1 more DC into the first stitch. Work 2 DC into each stitch around. SL ST into the top of the CH 3. Fasten off.

• Stitch count at end of Row 2: 16 DC (2 DC in each stitch around).

[Row 3, Colour B]: Attach a new colour (this will be the colour of the petals). Pull the yarn into any stitch of the previous round, tie a knot, CH 3 (counts as the first DC). Make 2 more DC into the same stitch. [CH 1, skip the next stitch, work 3 DC in the next stitch]* Repeat from *. End with CH 1, skip 1, and SL ST into the top of CH 3. Do not fasten off.

• Stitch count at end of Row 3: 24 stitches (8 clusters of 3 DC separated by 8 CH 1 spaces – each cluster counts as 3 stitches).

[Row 4, Colour C]: Attach a new colour to your first colour, the centre of the flower (any of the DCs you skipped from the previous round). Work in the skipped stitches of Row 2. Insert hook in the stitch, CH 3 (counts as first DC). [CH 4, skip to the next skipped stitch of Row 2 and work a DC]* Repeat from *. SL ST into the top of CH 3. Do not fasten off.

• Stitch count at end of Row 4: 16 stitches ( 8 DC separated by 8 CH 4 spaces).

[Row 5], Colour B]: Switch back to the colour from Row 3. Insert hook through the CH spaces of Row 4 (make sure you’re on the left of the DC post), pull the loop from Row 3 to the front, CH 3 (counts as DC). Work 2 DC in the next stitch.  Work 1 DC in the last ST of the cluster. [CH 2, skip DC from Row 4, work 1 DC in next stitch, 2 DC in the next stitch, 1 DC in the next stitch]* Repeat from*. End with CH 2, SL ST into the top of CH 3.

• Stitch count at end of Row 5: 32 stitches (8 clusters of 4 DC separated by 8 CH 2 spaces).

[Row 6, Colour C]: Switch back to the colour from Row 4. Pull the loop to the front in one of the CH2 spaces made in row 5. CH 3 (counts as DC), make one more DC into the same (first) ST. [CH 5, skip 4 DC, work 2 DC in the DC stitch from Row 4]* Repeat from *. End with CH 5, SL ST into the top of CH 3.

• Stitch count at end of Row 6: 24 stitches (8 clusters of 2 DC separated by 8 CH 5 spaces).

Tip: I like to crochet over the CH spaces made from Row 5 to make the back of the square neater. Be careful not the crochet over the other live working yarn (petal colour).

[Row 7, Colour B]: Switch back to the colour from Row 5. Insert hook through the CH spaces of Row 6, pull the loop from Row 5 to the front, CH 3 (counts as DC).

Attention: Do not crochet over Row 6 – we will do that later in Row 9. Make sure you are working in front always after starting Row 7 CH3.

Work 2 DC in the next stitch. Work 1 DC in the next 2 STs of the cluster.  [CH 2, skip 2 DC from Row 6, work 1 DC in the next stitch, 2 DC in the next stitch, 1 DC in the next 2 stitches* Repeat from*. End with CH 2, SL ST into the top of CH 3.

• Stitch count at end of Row 7: 40 stitches (8 clusters of 5 DC separated by 8 CH 2 spaces).

[Row 8, Colour B]: Working with the same colour. CH 1, SC in the same (first) stitch, skip 1 DC, work 5 DC in the next stitch, skip 1 DC, SC in the next stitch. [CH 2, skip CH 2 of Row 7, SC in the first stitch of next DC cluster, skip 1 stitch, work 5 DC in the next stitch, skip 1 stitch, SC in the last stitch of the DC cluster]* Repeat from*. End with CH 2, SL ST into the SC stitch. Fasten off the yarn. You have finished making the petals.

• Stitch count at end of Row 8: 48 stitches ( 8 clusters of (SC, 5 DC, SC) separated by 8 CH 2 spaces).

[Row 9, Colour C]: Switch back to the colour from Row 7. Pull the yarn to the front, insert hook through CH spaces of Row 6, CH 3 (counts as DC).

Tip: Crochet over both CH spaces made in Row 8 and Row 7, to keep the back of the square neat.

2 DC in next stitch. [Fold flower petal from Row 8 down towards you, work 5 DC in CH space from Row 7 behind the petal, flip petal back up, work 1 DC in first DC stitch, 2 DC in the next DC stitch]* Repeat from*. End with SL ST into CH 3.

• Stitch count at end of Row 9: 64 stitches (8 sections of 3 DC -in front of each petal – and 8 sections of 5 DC, behind each petal).

[Row 10, Colour C]: CH 1, SC in the same (first) stitch and next 5 stitches (6SC), HDC in next stitch, DC in next stitch. (For first corner) work (2 DC, CH 2, 2 DC) in the same stitch. DC in next stitch, HDC in next stitch. SC in next 11 stitches, HDC in next stitch, DC in next stitch. (For second corner) work (2 DC, CH 2, 2 DC) in same stitch. Repeat pattern for remaining two corners. SL ST into first SC.

• Stitch count at end of Row 10: 84 stitches (4 sides with 15 stitches each (11 SC, 1 HDC, 1 DC before the corner, 1 DC, 1 HDC after the corner) and 4 corners with 6 stitches each (2 DC, CH 2, 2 DC)).

[Row 11, Colour C]: CH 1, HDC in same (first) stitch and next 9 stitches (10HDC). In corner CH 2 space, work (2 DC, CH 2, 2 DC). Repeat pattern for each side and corner. End with SL ST into the first stitch. Fasten off and weave in ends.

• Stitch count at end of Row 11: 92 stitches ( 4 sides with 19 HDC each and 4 corners with 6 stitches each (2 DC, CH 2, 2 DC)).

Here’s a step-by-step video that I found really helpful while working on this pattern. Watching it gave me the clarity I needed to write my own version of the pattern, making it easier to follow along. I think you’ll find it a great visual aid as you crochet!

🎉 Congratulations 🎉 on finishing your Retro Daisy Granny Square! I hope you enjoyed making this vintage-inspired yet modern pattern as much as I did. If you share your creations, I’d love to see them—please tag me on Pinterest @audtracreations so I can admire your work!

Your feedback means a lot, so feel free to leave a comment if you have suggestions or if any part of the pattern could be clearer. One day, I’d love to grow a community where we can test patterns together—though I haven’t done this yet, it’s something I’m excited to explore in the future. Thanks for crocheting with me, and happy crafting!