Year of Color 2026 — Month 2 of 12

Welcome to Year of Color!

This month’s granny square uses puff stitches to create soft, rounded texture in our Soft Pastels palette. The puffs cluster in gentle rings, giving the square an almost cloud-like quality, perfect for February’s softer mood.

Materials

• Yarn: Cascade Heritage Fingering in Butter (A), Pale Peach (B), and Thistle (C)
• Hook: E/4 (3.5mm) or size needed to obtain gauge
• Gauge: 24 sts and 20 rows = 4″
• Notions: Tapestry needle, scissors
• Finished size: 8″ × 8″ blocked

Abbreviations

ch chain • sc single crochet • hdc half double crochet • dc double crochet • sl st slip stitch • sp space • BLO back loop only • FLO front loop only

Special Stitches

dc inc: Work 2 dc’s in the stitch.

Starting Puff: Pull up the slipped stitch to be the height that you’ll want your puff stitches to be, *yo, insert hook, yo, pull through to that same height* a total of 2 times, yo, pull through all 5 sts on hook, lock the stitches by working a chain, but it doesn’t count as an actual chain. IMPORTANT: the ch 1 that you see after each puff IS NOT the locking stitch that you work at the end of a Puff Stitch.

Pattern

Foundation: With A (Butter), make a magic ring.

Rnd 1 (A): Ch3 (counts as first dc now and throughout), 11 dc, join with sl st in 3rd ch Using C

Rnd 2 (C): Ch 3, 2 dc in same st, *ch 2, sk 1 st, 3 dc in next dc* rep until 1 dc rem, ch 2, join to ch 3 Using B

Rnd 3 (B): Ch 3, 2 dc in next st, dc in next st, 3 dc in ch-2 sp, *dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, dc in next st, 3 dc in ch-2 sp* until end of rnd, join to ch 3 using A.

Rnd 4 (A) : Work Starting Puff (counts as st), ch 1, sk 1, *puff, ch1, sk 1* until end of rnd. Join to top of first puff with C.

Rnd 5 (C): Ch 2 (counts at st now and throughout), 2 dc in ch-sp, *1 dc in puff, 2 dc in ch sp* until end of rnd. Join to top of ch 2. Cont with C. 

Rnd 6 (C): Ch 1 (does NOT count as st), work in FLO for this rnd, sc in same st, 1 sc, ch 2, sk 1, *2 sc, ch 2, sk 1* until end of rnd. Fasten off. 

We’ve received feedback that some people are having trouble with understanding this round, so we’re changing how it’s written. There’s no change to how the round should be worked, but we hope this makes it clearer.

Rnd 7 (A): Join A in the BL of any stitch from Rnd 5. Work entire rnd in BLO. Ch 2, 5 dc, dc inc, *6 dc, dc inc* until end of rnd. Join to top of first st with B

Rnd 8 (B): Work Starting Puff, ch 1, sk 1, *puff, ch 1, sk 1* until end of rnd. Join to top of first puff with C.

Rnd 9 (C): Ch 2 (does NOT count as st), 2 dc in ch-sp, *(1 dc in puff, 1 dc in ch sp) twice, 1 dc in puff, 2 dc in ch sp* until 2 puffs and 2 ch-sp rem. (1 dc in puff, 1 dc in ch sp,) twice. Join to top of 1st dc of the rnd. Cont with C. 

Rnd 10 (C): Ch 1, work in FLO for this rnd, sc in same st, 1 sc, ch 2, sk 1, *2 sc, ch 2, sk 1* until end of rnd. Join to first sc with ss. Fasten off. 

Rnd 11 (B): Join B in the BL of any stitch from Rnd 9. Work entire rnd in BLO. Ch 2, 5 dc, dc inc, *6 dc, dc inc* until end of rnd. Join to top of first st with A.

Rnd 12 (A): Work Starting Puff, ch 1, sk 1, *puff, ch 1, sk 1* until end of rnd. Join to top of first puff with C.

Make It a Square

We’re adding a new abbreviation – corner = 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc

Rnd 13 (C): Side 1 – (Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc), 3 dc, 2 hdc, 13 sc, 2 hdc, 1 dc, dc2, corner

Side 2 – 3 dc, 2 hdc, 13 sc, 2 hdc, 3 dc, corner

Side 3 – 3 dc, 2 hdc, 13 sc, 2 hdc, 3 dc, corner

Side 4 – 3 dc, 2 hdc, 13 sc, 2 hdc, 3 dc

Rnd 14 (C): End of Side 4 and Side 1 – Ch 2, 2 dc, (corner), 8 dc, 3 hdc, 7 sc, 3 hdc, 8 dc

Side 2 – (corner), 8 dc, 3 hdc, 7 sc, 3 hdc, 8 dc

Side 3 – (corner), 8 dc, 3 hdc, 7 sc, 3 hdc, 8 dc

Side 4 – (corner), 8 dc, 3 hdc, 7 sc, 3 hdc, 8 dc

Finishing: Weave in ends.

About Year of Color

This square is part of Year of Color 2026. It’s a free year-long program that combines fiber arts education with color theory. Each month features a new color palette, technique focus, and both a crochet and knit pattern. By December, you’ll have 12 squares to join together, documenting your year of color exploration.