Burgundy & Gold Circular Yarn Tester Crochet Free Pattern

Burgundy & Gold Circular Yarn Tester Crochet Free Pattern

Introduction

This little circular swatch is the perfect project for an advanced beginner who wants to get more out of their yarn. Worked in joined rounds, it alternates burgundy and gold stripes, and each stripe shows off a different stitch pattern — single crochet, half double crochet, and double crochet — so you can see exactly how much yarn each stitch eats up. The finished disc is about 4.5 inches across, flat and tidy, with a visible seam line where each round joins and a small gold hanging loop at the rim. It looks like a cheerful, space-age medallion, and it feels sturdy and practical in worsted acrylic — a handy tool you'll actually reach for when planning your next project.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Worsted weight (category 4) acrylic yarn — approximately 30 yards burgundy (Color A) and 20 yards gold (Color B).
• Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook.
• Notions: Stitch marker (optional, for the first stitch of each round), yarn needle for weaving in ends, scissors.
• Finished size: Approximately 4.5 inches (11.5 cm) in diameter, excluding the hanging loop.

Abbreviations

• ch — chain: make a loop of yarn and pull it through the loop on your hook.
• sc — single crochet: insert hook, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops.
• hdc — half double crochet: yarn over, insert hook, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through all three loops.
• dc — double crochet: yarn over, insert hook, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through two loops, yarn over and pull through the last two loops.
• sl st — slip stitch: insert hook, yarn over, pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook.
• st(s) — stitch(es).
• inc — increase: work 2 stitches into the same stitch.
• A — burgundy; B — gold.

Gauge

In single crochet: 16 sts and 18 rows = 4 inches (10 cm). In half double crochet: 14 sts and 12 rows = 4 inches (10 cm). In double crochet: 12 sts and 8 rows = 4 inches (10 cm). Check your gauge by working a small flat swatch in each stitch and measuring the center of it with a ruler before you begin.

Tips Before You Start

• Keep your tension even across the color changes so the disc stays flat rather than doming or ruffling.
• Count your stitches at the end of every round — the counts are small and easy to check as you go.
• Join each round with a slip stitch into the first stitch of that round (or the top of the starting chain), and don't count the joining slip stitch as a stitch.
• Carry the unused color loosely up the back of the work, or fasten off and rejoin, so the seam line stays neat and the disc lies flat.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Swatch (worked in joined rounds)

With burgundy (A), make a magic ring.

R1 (A): 6 sc in ring, join with sl st to first sc. (6 sts)

R2 (A): ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, join with sl st. (12 sts)

R3 (A): ch 1, [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] around, join with sl st. (18 sts)

Change to gold (B).

R4 (B): ch 1, [sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st] around, join with sl st. (24 sts)

R5 (B): ch 1, [sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st] around, join with sl st. (30 sts)

Change to A.

R6 (A): ch 2 (counts as first hdc), hdc in each st around, join with sl st to top of ch-2. (30 sts)

R7 (A): ch 2, hdc in each st around, join with sl st. (30 sts)

Change to B.

R8 (B): ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in each st around, join with sl st to top of ch-3. (30 sts)

R9 (B): ch 3, dc in each st around, join with sl st. (30 sts)

Change to A.

R10 (A): ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st. (30 sts)

R11 (A): ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st. (30 sts)

Fasten off A.

Hanging Loop

Loop (B): With B, join yarn to any st of R11, ch 10, sl st in same st to form loop, fasten off.

Assembly and Finishing

There are no pieces to seam — the swatch is worked in one continuous disc. Weave in all ends on the wrong side, working each tail through a few stitches in its own color so it doesn't show through the front. Block the disc lightly by misting it with water and pinning it flat to a towel or blocking mat; let it dry completely so the circle holds its shape and the stitch bands lie flat.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Swap in any two contrasting worsted colors to match your stash — the tester works in any palette.
• Make a set of testers in different yarn weights (using a hook to match) to compare yarn usage side by side.
• Add a second hanging loop opposite the first, or lengthen the chain to 15 for a larger loop that fits over a hook or peg.