Moss Stitch Orbit Wall Panel Free Crochet Pattern

Moss Stitch Orbit Wall Panel Free Crochet Pattern

Introduction

This wall panel is for anyone who wants a calm, textured piece of crochet art that still has a little personality. Worked in soft lilac macrame cord, the rectangular moss stitch panel has a dense, nubby grid of single crochet bumps and chain gaps that looks woven rather than crocheted. Three plain circles are sewn on in a diagonal line, like planets drifting across a quiet sky. It is sturdy enough to hang on a dowel, quick to block, and simple enough to finish in a weekend once you get into the rhythm of the stitch.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Lilac macrame cord, 3 mm, 100% cotton, approximately 250 yards total (all parts use the same color).
• Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook.
• Notions: Tapestry or blunt sewing needle, scissors, stitch marker, rust-proof pins, blocking mat, spray bottle.
• Dowel: Wooden dowel, 14 inches (35.6 cm) long.
• Finished size: Panel 12 inches (30.5 cm) wide x 18 inches (45.7 cm) long, excluding dowel and hanging loop. Circles measure 2.5 inches (6.4 cm), 2 inches (5.1 cm), and 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) in diameter.

Abbreviations

• ch – chain: make a loop of yarn and pull it through the loop on your hook.
• sc – single crochet: insert hook in stitch, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops.
• sk – skip: leave the next stitch or space unworked.
• sp – space: the gap made by a chain.
• sl st – slip stitch: insert hook, yarn over, pull through everything on the hook.
• st(s) – stitch(es).
• MR – magic ring: an adjustable loop you crochet into, then pull closed.
• RS / WS – right side / wrong side (the front / back of the fabric).

Gauge

14 stitches and 16 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in moss stitch. Make a small swatch in the moss stitch pattern and measure the middle of it; if you have more stitches than 14, go up a hook size, and if you have fewer, go down.

Tips Before You Start

• Macrame cord has little stretch, so keep your chains loose. Tight chain spaces make the moss stitch panel pull in at the edges.
• Always work your single crochet into the single crochet of the row below and your chain over the chain space. This keeps the grid even.
• Count your stitches at the end of every few rows; the panel should stay at 42 stitches the whole way.
• Leave generous tails on the circles. You will use them to sew the circles down, and cord tails are hard to hide later.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Panel (A)

Row 1: Ch 43. Sc in 2nd ch from hook, [ch 1, sk 1, sc in next ch] across, turn (42 sts).

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first sc, [ch 1, sk ch-1 sp, sc in next sc] across, turn (42 sts).

Rows 3–72: Repeat Row 2 (42 sts).

Continue repeating Row 2 until the piece measures 18 inches (45.7 cm), ending on a WS row. Fasten off.

Large Circle (B)

Rnd 1: MR, ch 1, 6 sc in ring, join with sl st (6 sts).

Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, join (12 sts).

Rnd 3: Ch 1, [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] around, join (18 sts).

Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join (18 sts).

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Medium Circle (C)

Rnd 1: MR, ch 1, 6 sc in ring, join with sl st (6 sts).

Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, join (12 sts).

Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join (12 sts).

Fasten off, leaving a long tail.

Small Circle (D)

Rnd 1: MR, ch 1, 6 sc in ring, join with sl st (6 sts).

Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, join (12 sts).

Fasten off, leaving a long tail.

Edging

With RS facing, join A at the top right corner. Work 1 rnd sc evenly around the entire panel, working 3 sc in each corner. Join with sl st. Fasten off.

Hanging

Cut the dowel to 14 inches (35.6 cm). Fold the panel top edge over the dowel and sew in place. Attach a hanging loop of ch 20 at each end of the dowel, or use cord to hang.

Assembly and Finishing

Block the panel to measurements first and let it dry completely. Arrange the circles diagonally from bottom left to top right: place the large circle 3 inches from the left edge and 4 inches from the bottom, the medium circle at the center, and the small circle 3 inches from the right edge and 4 inches from the top. Pin each circle in place and sew around its edge with the long tail, working small stitches through the panel. Weave in all remaining ends on the back of the work. Give the finished panel a light spray of water and press it flat to set the circles and edging, then slide the dowel through the folded top edge.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Swap the lilac cord for a deep navy or charcoal to make the circles read as a night sky.
• Use a smaller hook (4.5 mm) for the circles so they sit crisper and flatter against the panel.
• Add a second row of circles in a lighter shade for a layered, more graphic look.