How to crochet the Lotus shell granny square (beginner friendly step-by-step tutorial)

A delicate floral-inspired granny square for blankets, cushions, and cosy crochet projects

The Lotus Shell Granny Square is a soft and graceful crochet motif inspired by the layered shape of blooming lotus petals. With delicate shell stitches and a balanced square structure, it creates a beautiful design that feels both classic and fresh.

In this beginner-friendly step-by-step tutorial, you’ll learn how to crochet the Lotus Shell Granny Square from start to finish. It is a lovely motif for blankets, cushions, bags, table décor, or any project where you want a gentle floral-inspired texture.

Step by step instructions

Materials you’ll need

• Yarn: DK (light worsted) cotton yarn
  I recommend using a smooth, light-coloured cotton yarn when learning this stitch, as it allows the ribbed texture and stitch definition to stand out clearly. A DK weight yarn works particularly well for practice swatches, scarves, blankets, and decorative home projects. Why not try the Sirdar Loveful 100% Bio Blend.
• Crochet hook: 4.0 mm
  I used a 4.0 mm hook for this tutorial. Ergonomic hooks like Tulip Etimo Murasaki crochet hook are especially helpful for textured stitches like this one, as they keep your tension even and reduce hand fatigue during longer sessions.
• Scissors
  For cutting yarn neatly at the end of your work.
• Yarn needle
  To weave in your ends once your swatch or project is complete.

Tip: If you tend to crochet tightly or loosely, don’t be afraid to adjust your hook size slightly to achieve a fabric you’re happy with.

To crochet the Lotus shell granny square, you don’t need a specific brand of yarn. A smooth DK yarn works best, as it helps the texture and stitch definition stand out clearly.

Yarn options:

• UK gentle readers: A beginner-friendly DK yarn from Laughing Hen
• International readers: A wide colour selection of DK yarns from LoveCrafts

Crochet skills required

Crochet stitches standard: I am using the US / International standard crochet terms.

This stitch is suitable for confident beginners and above. Before starting, it helps to be comfortable with the following basic crochet skills:

• How to make a slipknot (youtube video)
• How to crochet a foundation chains
• How to crochet the single crochet stitch
• How to crochet the half-double crochet
• How to crochet the double crochet stitch 

Let’s get started

Tension is very important. The yarn must glide smoothly from your tension hand to your working hand — not too tight, not too loose — and follow the gauge of your hook.

Featured stitch:

Puff stitch: Make 3 half-double crochet together into a specified stitch, that’s [yarn over, insert your hook into the stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop] 3 times, then yarn over and pull through all 7 loops on the hook.

Lotus shell stitch: Make a puff stitch into specified stitch, chain 2, make another puff stitch into the same stitch, chain 2, and make 1 last puff stitch into the same stitch.

Foundation ring

Make a slipknot and make it lose for the meantime, then chain 4. Make a slip stitch into the lose slipknot, then pull the yarn end tight to steady the ring.

Round 1

With Colour A, chain 3, this will be counted as a double crochet. Make 2 more double crochet into the ring. Chain 2, * [make 3 double crochet into the ring, then chain 2]. Repeat 2 more times. Make a slip stitch into the 3rd chain at the beginning of the round. You can choose to take the top 2 loops of that chain if you prefer. Then tidy up

Round 2

With Colour B, to attach the yarn, while holding the yarn and granny square facing the back, choose a corner space where you didn’t make a slipknot from round 1, with Colour B, yarn over, insert your hook into the chosen corner space, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over, an pull through all the 3 loops on the hook (half-double crochet).

*[Straight into the second double crochet of the previous round, make a Lotus shell stitch]. Chain 1, **[make a half-double crochet, chain 2, and another half-double crochet into the next corner space]. Repeat * and ** 2 more times. Repeat * ones more.

Chain 1, and into the beginning corner space, complete the corner stitches with 1 half-double crochet, chain 2, and make a slip stitch into the first half-double crochet made. Then tidy up.

Round 3

With Colour C, attach the same as round 2, but this time proceed with a double crochet, making sure you are working at the back of the previous round. Make 2 more double crochet into the same corner space.

*[Chain 2, make a single crochet into the middle puff stitch of the next lotus shell stitch]. Chain 2, **[make 3 double crochet, chain 2 and another 3 double crochet] into the next corner space. Repeat * and ** 2 more times. Repeat * ones more.

Chain 2, and into the beginning corner space, complete the corner stitches with 3 more double crochet, chain 2, and make a slip stitch into the first double crochet made. Then tidy up.

Round 4

With Colour D, attach the yarn the same way as round 2, as a half-double crochet, making sure you are working at the back of the previous round. For this round, we’ll be making 2 Lotus shell stitch for each side of the square.

*[Straight into the second double crochet of the previous round, make a Lotus shell stitch. Chain 1, skip the next chain 2 space, and make a single crochet into the next stitch. Chain 1, straight into the second double crochet of the next cluster stitch, make a Lotus shell stitch]. Chain 1, **[make a half-double crochet, chain 2, and another half-double crochet into the next corner space]. Repeat * and ** 2 more times. Repeat * ones more.

Chain 1, and into the beginning corner space, complete the corner stitches with 1 half-double crochet, chain 2, and make a slip stitch into the first half-double crochet made. Then tidy up.

Round 5

With Colour E, attach the same as round 2, but this time proceed with a double crochet, making sure you are working at the back of the previous round. Make 2 more double crochet into the same corner space.

*[Chain 2, make a single crochet into the middle puff stitch of the next lotus shell stitch. Chain 2, make 3 double crochet into the next stitch. Chain 2, make a single crochet into the middle puff stitch of the next lotus shell stitch]. Chain 2, **[make 3 double crochet, chain 2 and another 3 double crochet] into the next corner space. Repeat * and ** 2 more times. Repeat * ones more.

Chain 2, and into the beginning corner space, complete the corner stitches with 3 more double crochet, chain 2, and make a slip stitch into the first double crochet made. Then tidy up.

And there you have it, you’ve got yourself a Lotus shell granny square. Continue making multiples of the square and attach them to whichever method you’d like.

Apart from using 5 yarn colourways, you can also choose only 1 colour, and grow it to whichever number of rounds you would like. for this stitch, sky is the limit.