- Made this
- 0 crocheters
- Skill level
- Easy
- Yarn weight
- Worsted
- Hook size
- 5 mm
- Finished size
- 9.5" x 9.5" (24 x 24 cm), about 1 hour including the ruby center.
On this page
- Skill level
Easy
Simple stitches with a little shaping or colour change.
- Use
9.5" x 9.5" (24 x 24 cm), about 1 hour including the ruby center.
About this pattern
This free crochet bedspread pattern is pure calm in yarn form. Each cream square bursts outward from a magic ring of tall stitches, then a tiny ruby tile is stitched over the center like a ribbon knot. Join them up and the whole bed sparkles with little red stars. The squares are quick, portable and easy enough for confident beginners. Make a snuggly throw, a full bedspread or a matching cushion. In red and white, it's also a beautiful holiday gift or Christmas heirloom.
Skill level: Easy. You'll use basic stitches, a few tall stitches, back-loop-only rounds and simple sewing. If you've made one granny square, you're ready.
Common mistakes & how to fix them
- Tame a ruffly starburst
- 24 dtr in a ring can wave a little at first. Pull the magic ring fully closed, keep your dtr loops snug (don't let the first loop grow tall), and Rnd 2 will flatten it. If it still ruffles after Rnd 3, try 20 dtr in Rnd 1 and work Rnd 2's "2 hdc in each of next 2 sts" as "2 hdc in next st" (10 sts per side), then subtract 2 from every side count after.
- Keep the BLO ridges neat at the seam
- The beg ch-3 can leave a gap in the ridge line. Work the first dc BLO firmly, and when you reach the end of the side, make sure you also work into the back loop of the beg ch-3 top. Count to 16, 20, 24 or 28 on each side before turning a corner.
- Protect the cream from the red
- Wash a small swatch of your red yarn with a scrap of cream before you start. If any color runs, choose another red. Weave red tails only behind the red tile, never through cream stitches, so nothing shows through on the RS.
Materials needed
Yarn
- Yarn: cream keeps the bedspread light, washable and brightWorsted weight · One square: 70 yd (64 m) · 3 yd (2.7 m)
- Color A (main): Cream, ivory or antique whiteWorsted weight
- Color B (centers): Ruby, cherry or true redWorsted weight
Tools
- Crochet hook: 5.0 mm (US H-8).
- Tapestry (yarn) needle
- 4 stitch markers (to mark corners)
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- Blocking mats and rust-proof pins (or a steamer)
- 18" or 20" (45 or 50 cm) pillow insert, for the cushion
- No safety eyes or stuffing needed
Gauge & finished measurements
Gauge: Gauge is important, because every square must be the same size for a flat, even join. 14 dc and 8 rows = 4" (10 cm) with a 5.0 mm hook. Quick check: Rnds 1 to 3 measure about 4.5" (11.5 cm) from side to side. Finished square: 9.5" x 9.5" (24 cm) after Rnd 8.
| One square | 9.5" x 9.5" (24 x 24 cm), about 1 hour including the ruby center. |
|---|---|
| Throw | Layout: 5 x 6 · Finished size (with border): 49" x 58" (124 x 147 cm) · Squares: 30 · Estimated time: 35 to 40 hours |
| Twin coverlet | Layout: 7 x 10 · Finished size (with border): 68" x 96" (173 x 244 cm) · Squares: 70 · Estimated time: 80 to 90 hours |
| Queen bedspread | 10 x 11 · 96" x 106" (244 x 269 cm) · 110 · 125 to 140 hours |
| Cushion cover | 2 x 2 front + 2 x 2 back · 19" x 19" (48 x 48 cm) · 8 · 9 to 11 hours |
Row counter
Row 0
Tap the circle after each row
The pattern
The starburst center
Work in rounds with the RS facing you. Don't turn. Stitch counts in brackets are the total for the round. The beg ch counts as a st; the joining hdc does not.
Info: The tall tr meet at each corner, so the rays stretch right out into the corners while the shorter hdc flatten each side.
Textured frame
Rnds 4 to 7 are worked in back loops only (BLO) along the sides, which makes soft horizontal ridges around the burst. Always work the corners into the ch-2 sps.
The ruby center tile
Make one tile per square in Color B.
Info: Fasten off, leaving an 18" (45 cm) tail. The BLO ridges look like wrapped ribbon.
Block the squares
Block every square to 9.5" x 9.5" before joining (see Care Instructions). Attach the ruby tiles before or after blocking, whichever you prefer.
Join the squares
Info: The front loops left unworked form a neat, flat line that frames each square, just like a quilt.
Rope border
Info: No stitch multiple is needed, so this border works for any size.
Matching cushion cover (19" / 48 cm)
Important notes
- Tip: Amounts include joining and border. Buy about 10% extra and keep Color A in one dye lot, since cream shades vary a lot between lots.
- Tip: Abbreviations (US terms): MR = magic ring, ch = chain, sl st = slip stitch, sc = single crochet, hdc = half double crochet, dc = double crochet, tr = treble crochet, dtr = double treble crochet (see below), rev sc = reverse single crochet, also called crab stitch (see below), BLO = back loop only, st(s) = stitch(es), sp(s) = space(s), beg = beginning, rep = repeat, Rnd(s) / Row(s) = round(s) / row(s), RS / WS = right side / wrong side.
- Tip: Double treble (dtr): Yo 3 times, insert hook, pull up a loop (5 loops on hook). *Yo, draw through 2 loops; rep from * 3 more times.
- Tip: Reverse single crochet (rev sc): Working from left to right (right-handed), insert hook in the next st to the right, pull up a loop, yo and draw through both loops. It makes a twisted, rope-like edge.
- Tip: Hdc join: At the end of a round, an hdc into the top of the beg ch replaces the last ch-2 corner. It leaves your hook sitting in the corner, ready for the next round.
- Tip: Washing: Follow your yarn label first. For acrylic or acrylic-cotton blends, machine wash cold on a gentle cycle in a large mesh bag. Add one or two color-catcher sheets every time, because of the red centers. Use mild detergent and no bleach, even on the cream.
- Tip: Drying: Roll the bedspread in towels to remove water, then dry it flat across a bed or drying rack. Don't hang it while wet, as the weight will stretch it. Tumble dry on low only if the label allows.
- Tip: Blocking squares: Acrylic: Pin each square to 9.5" x 9.5". Hover a steamer or steam iron about 1" above it without touching, then let it cool and dry before unpinning. Cotton or wool: Soak in cool water for 15 minutes, gently squeeze out water, roll in a towel, pin to size and let dry completely.
- Tip: Storage: Store folded in a breathable cotton bag, away from sunlight, which can yellow cream yarn over time.
- Tip: Yarn: Worsted weight (#4 Medium), smooth and plied. A soft acrylic or acrylic-cotton blend in cream keeps the bedspread light, washable and bright. For the ruby centers, choose a colorfast red (acrylic is safest; see Care Instructions).
- Tip: Yarn amounts: One square: 70 yd (64 m) · 3 yd (2.7 m); Throw: 2,250 yd (2,060 m), about 12 skeins of 200 yd · 100 yd (91 m), 1 skein; Twin coverlet: 5,200 yd (4,755 m), about 26 skeins · 225 yd (206 m), 2 skeins; Queen bedspread: 8,100 yd (7,405 m), about 41 skeins · 350 yd (320 m), 2 skeins; Cushion cover: 600 yd (550 m), about 3 skeins · 25 yd (23 m).
- Tip: Gauge: Square too big? Go down a hook size. Too small? Go up one. Block your first square before you measure it.
Pattern FAQ
How many granny squares do I need for a queen size bedspread?
With 9.5" squares, a queen bedspread that drapes over the sides needs 110 squares in a 10 x 11 layout, for about 96" x 106" with the border. For a coverlet that sits just on top of a queen bed, 7 x 8 (56 squares) is enough.
How much yarn does a crochet bedspread take?
Each square uses about 70 yards of worsted yarn. With joining and border, plan on about 2,250 yards for a throw, 5,200 yards for a twin and 8,100 yards for a queen. Add 10% extra, all from one dye lot.
What is the easiest way to join granny squares?
Whip stitching through the back loops is the easiest for beginners and gives a flat seam. If you'd rather crochet the seam, a slip stitch join through back loops is just as neat and a little faster.
Will red yarn bleed onto a white crochet blanket?
It can, especially with cotton or some budget reds. Test a swatch before you start, choose acrylic for the red if you can, and always wash with color-catcher sheets in cold water.
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Ruby Knot Starburst Squares: Free Crochet Bedspread Pattern (Easy), © 2026 Mandy’s Crochet Studio. Source: https://mandyshealthylife.com/patterns/ruby-knot-starburst-squares-free-crochet-bedspread-pattern-easy/. Please do not redistribute this pattern.
