Catherine’s Wheel

This beautiful stitch pattern is often used for blankets and afghans, but it can be used for all kinds of projects! There are many different variations on the Catherine’s Wheel stitch; some begin with a different number of starting chains or use slightly different stitches. In this video, Jen Lucas shows us her favorite way to work in this lovely stitch pattern, with plenty of helpful tips along the way!

Usually the Catherine’s Wheel is done in two colors, which results in the distinctive, beautiful wheel-shaped sections of color, but you can change the look of this stitch by adding more colors if you want. Jen notes that this stitch pattern is known as a yarn-eater, meaning that it uses up a lot of yarn, and makes a thick, heavy fabric.

This version begins with a multiple of 10 + 4 sts.

Catherine’s Wheel Stitch Pattern

COLOR A = PINK
COLOR B = GREEN

With Color A, ch a multiple of 10 plus 4 sts
(In Jen’s sample she begins with 34 chains).

Row 1 (WS): Continuing with Color A, 3 dc in fourth ch from hk (first 3 chs counts as dc), sk next 3 chs, *1 sc in each of next 3 chs, sk next 3 chs, 7 dc in next ch, sk next 3 chs; rep from * until 7 chs remain, 1 sc in each of next 3 chs, sk next 3 chs, 4 dc in last ch, changing to Color B on last yo, turn.

Row 2 (RS): With Color B, ch 1, sc in first dc, sc in next dc, ch 3, dc7tog using next 7 sts, ch 3, *1 sc in each of next 3 sts, ch 3, dc7tog using next 7 sts, ch 3; rep from * until 2 sts remain, 1 sc in each of the last 2 sts, turn.

Note: when the dc decrease sts (or clusters) are made, it isn’t until the following st (the first ch of the ch-3), that it appears to close off the dc decrease. This ch-1 after the decrease is where the dc fans will be worked on the next row.

Row 3: Continuing with Color B, ch 1, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sc, sk ch-3, sp, 7 dc into next st, sk ch-3 sp, *1 sc in each of the next 3 sc, sk ch-3 sp, 7 dc into next st, sk ch-3 sp; rep from * to last 2 sts, 1 sc in each of last 2 sc changing to Color A on last yo of last sc, turn.

Note: as Jen points out, in Round 3, the 7 dc sts are actually worked into the first chain of the ch-3 from previous row, and not into the top of the dc7tog (although it does appear to be at the top of where all of those stitches come together).

Row 4: With Color A, ch 3 (counts as dc- remember to skip first st), dc3tog using next 3 sts, ch 3, sc in each of the next 3 sts, ch 3, dc7tog using next 7 sts, *ch 3, 1 sc in each of next 3 sts, ch 3, dc7tog using next 7 sts; rep from * until 4 sts remain, ch 3, dc4tog using last 4 sts, ch 1, turn.

Row 5: Continuing with Color A, ch 3 (counts as dc), 3 dc in ch 1 from end of previous row, sk dc4tog, sk ch-3 sp, 1 sc in each of next 3 sc, * sk ch-3 sp, 7 dc into next st (see note below), sk ch-3 sp, 1 sc in each of the next 3 sc; rep from * to last ch-3 sp, sk ch-3 sp, 4 dc in last st, turn.

Note: Again, in Row 5, the 7 dc are actually worked into the 1st st of the ch-3 that was made in previous row (right after the dc7tog st was made). It appears as though you are working these 7 dc into the top of the dc7tog because all of the stitches come together here, but technically, the location for the 7-dc fan in the chain stitch that is made right after the dc7tog was made.

Rep Rows 2–5 for pattern, ending with Row 4.

At the end of the video, Jen discusses why she added a sc border around all of the edges of one of her swatches. She also explains that you can carry your unused color up the side edge of your crochet until you need it again. The floats that are created by carrying your yarn can be covered by crocheting over them when making a sc border.