Forest Spiral Bedspread — Free Crochet Pattern
Advanced
For experienced crocheters who enjoy complex shaping, fine detail, and ambitious construction
Multi-Day Project
A rewarding 12+ hour journey — perfect for dedicated crafters who love detailed work.
Handmade Gift
A beautiful keepsake — free forever. Read online or print at home.
About This Forest Spiral Bedspread — Free Crochet Pattern
This forest spiral bedspread free crochet pattern recreates the bold, graphic blanket in the photo: dozens of spiral motifs in deep forest green and warm cream, each one coiling from a tight centre into an open, lacy shell that reads like a stylized wave or a curling fern frond. What makes this piece special is the hypnotic spiral construction — the motif starts as a dense, solid coil in one colour and gradually opens into long chain-loop petals in the contrast shade, creating a three-dimensional swirl that seems to move even when the blanket is still. The two-tone palette of rich green and ivory keeps the dramatic geometry crisp and modern, while the openwork edges of each motif interlock visually when joined, giving the bedspread a continuous, flowing texture that is impossible to ignore. Despite its complex appearance, each motif is built from the same repeatable rounds, making the work rhythmic once you master the spiral increase.
The bedspread is constructed entirely from identical spiral motifs worked in rounds from the centre out, then blocked and joined in an offset layout that emphasizes the swirling movement. The skill level is advanced: the spiral technique requires careful attention to increase placement, the long chain loops demand consistent tension, and the final look depends on blocking every motif to open the lace fully. If you have made doilies, mandalas, or garment motifs and are ready for a project that combines sculptural shaping with delicate openwork, this bedspread will reward your patience many times over.
Materials
- Deep forest green worsted cotton or cotton-acrylic, approx 1.8 kg (about 18 x 100 g balls, roughly 3,600 m) — used for the spiral centres and the solid portions of the motifs
- Warm cream worsted cotton or cotton-acrylic, approx 1.6 kg (about 16 x 100 g balls, roughly 3,200 m) — used for the openwork petals, edges, and joining
- 5.0 mm (US H/8) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle for joining and weaving ends
- Scissors
- Blocking mats and plenty of rust-proof T-pins — with openwork motifs this size, blocking is not optional
- Stitch markers for marking the start of rounds and holding motifs together
Abbreviations
chchainscsingle crochethdchalf double crochetdcdouble crochettrtreble crochetsl stslip stitchskskipsp(s)space(s)st(s)stitch(es)reprepeatMRmagic ringpicotch 3, sl st into first chshell5 dc in same st or spInstructions
Before you begin: Work one complete spiral motif and block it. It should measure roughly 21 cm across. If it is smaller, go up to a 5.5 mm hook; if it is larger, drop to a 4.5 mm hook. The blanket is laid out in offset rows of motifs — approximately 10 motifs across and 12 rows deep, about 120 motifs in total for a queen-size bedspread with a generous drape. Your exact motif count will follow your gauge and your preferred overhang, so confirm the plan with your test motif before buying yarn.
Spiral shell motif — two-tone (make approx 120)
- Round 1 (green — centre coil): With green, make a MR. Ch 3 (counts as dc here and throughout), 11 dc in ring, sl st into top of beg ch-3, pull the ring tight. Do not turn; the spiral is worked continuously. (12 dc)
- Round 2 (green): Ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in each st around. At the end of the round, do not join — continue working in a spiral, placing a stitch marker in the first st of the round. (24 dc)
- Round 3 (green): *2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next st; rep from * around, moving the marker up as you go. (36 dc)
- Round 4 (green): *2 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts; rep from * around. (48 dc)
- Round 5 (green): *2 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of next 3 sts; rep from * around. (60 dc)
- Round 6 (green): *2 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of next 4 sts; rep from * around. (72 dc)
- Round 7 (green — last solid round): *2 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of next 5 sts; rep from * around. (84 dc) Remove the marker; the solid spiral centre is complete.
- Round 8 (cream — first openwork round): Join cream with sl st in any st. Ch 4 (counts as dc, ch 1), *sk 1, dc in next st, ch 1; rep from * around, sl st into 3rd ch of beg ch-4. (42 dc, 42 ch-1 sps)
- Round 9 (cream): Sl st into first ch-1 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, ch 2, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 2; rep from * around, sl st into top of beg ch-3. (126 dc, 42 ch-2 sps)
- Round 10 (cream): Sl st into next 2 dc and into first ch-2 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, ch 3, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 3; rep from * around, sl st into top of beg ch-3. (126 dc, 42 ch-3 sps)
- Round 11 (cream): Sl st into next 2 dc and into first ch-3 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, ch 4, 3 dc in next ch-3 sp, ch 4; rep from * around, sl st into top of beg ch-3. (126 dc, 42 ch-4 sps)
- Round 12 (cream): Sl st into next 2 dc and into first ch-4 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, ch 5, 3 dc in next ch-4 sp, ch 5; rep from * around, sl st into top of beg ch-3. (126 dc, 42 ch-5 sps)
- Round 13 (cream): Sl st into next 2 dc and into first ch-5 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, ch 6, 3 dc in next ch-5 sp, ch 6; rep from * around, sl st into top of beg ch-3. (126 dc, 42 ch-6 sps)
- Round 14 (cream — long petal round): Sl st into next 2 dc and into first ch-6 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, ch 8, 3 dc in next ch-6 sp, ch 8; rep from * around, sl st into top of beg ch-3. (126 dc, 42 ch-8 sps)
- Round 15 (cream — picot edge): Sl st into next 2 dc and into first ch-8 sp, ch 1, sc in same sp, *ch 5, sc in next ch-8 sp, picot, ch 5, sc in same sp; rep from * around, sl st into first sc. Fasten off, leaving a 20 cm tail for joining. (84 sc, 42 picots)
Block every motif aggressively to 21 cm, pinning each long petal open and the picot edge flat. The openwork rounds relax enormously with blocking — an unblocked motif is typically 4-5 cm too small and looks nothing like the photo.
Joining the motifs
- Lay the blocked motifs on a large flat surface in an offset grid: rows of motifs with each row shifted half a motif to the side, all spiralling in the same direction for maximum visual movement. Aim for about 10 motifs per row and 12 rows; adjust to your bed and your gauge.
- Whip stitch the motifs together with the cream yarn tail through the back loops of the edge stitches, seam by seam. The picot edges should just touch; do not overlap them. Lace-to-lace seams should sit nearly invisible; keep the tension relaxed so the blanket keeps its drape.
- Alternatively, join as you go: on the final round of each motif, work the picot edge as normal but slip-stitch into the matching picot edge of the neighbouring motif every few stitches. This halves the finishing time — but practise the rhythm on a pair of spare motifs first.
- When the blanket is fully joined, weave in every tail on the wrong side, running each through at least 5-6 stitches in different directions before trimming.
Finishing
- Evening border round (cream): Join cream yarn at any outer point. Work a round of sc evenly around the entire blanket, working 2 sc into the valleys and (sc, ch 3 picot, sc) into each outer picot point, so the scalloped edge becomes a continuous lace trim.
- Final wet-block: Wet-block the finished bedspread flat on towels or mats, opening every spiral and every picot. Cotton lace takes one to two days to dry fully. Once dry, the seams disappear and the spirals pop in dimensional relief, exactly as in the photo.
Tips for Success
- Count the spiral increases religiously. The solid centre must grow by 12 stitches per round (12, 24, 36… 84). If your count is off, the spiral will tighten into a cone or loosen into a ruffle — the mistake is always a missed or extra increase.
- Do not join the spiral rounds. The centre is worked continuously, with a marker moved up each round. Joining creates a visible seam line that breaks the spiral flow.
- Keep the chain spaces loose. Tight chains make the petals pucker and the motif cup. If your chains are hard to work into, go up a hook size or consciously relax your tension.
- Block motifs in batches, not all at the end. Pinning and drying 120 motifs in one weekend is misery; pinning ten while the next ten dry is painless.
- Weave the centre tail in immediately after Round 1 — in a magic ring worked with 12 stitches it tends to loosen later if left hanging.
- Buy the cream in a single dye lot. At 16-plus balls, a lot mismatch will show as subtle striping across the blanket. Green matters less since it sits in the centres.
- Safety-pin your layout rows. A locking marker on the first motif of each row stops the offset grid from drifting half a motif out of alignment as you seam.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the test motif — it happens when the maker trusts the hook size on the ball band. Lace gauges vary wildly between hands; a 1 cm difference per motif becomes 12 cm across the bed. Make one, block it, measure it.
- Joining the spiral rounds — if you slip stitch at the end of each round, you create a seam that breaks the continuous swirl. The centre must be worked in a spiral with a marker.
- Inconsistent chain space sizes — alternating accidentally between ch 6 and ch 7 makes some petals tall and others squat. Every space in a round is the same size, no exceptions.
- Joining unblocked motifs — they differ by several centimetres and the seams will pucker no matter how carefully you sew. Block first, always.
- Over-tight seams — pulled-tight whip stitches turn the openwork into a stiff net. The seam should feel like a row of crochet, not a drawstring.
- Losing track of the spiral direction — all motifs must spiral the same way (clockwise or counter-clockwise, depending on whether you are right- or left-handed) for the visual effect to work. Check your first motif against the photo before making 119 more.
Ways to Customize This Forest Spiral Bedspread Crochet Pattern
- Size it down: a 5 x 6 motif layout (30 spirals) makes a beautiful sofa or pram throw of roughly 110 x 130 cm, and a single motif makes a stunning trivet or coaster.
- Swap the palette: navy and white reads coastal; charcoal and mustard reads mid-century modern; burgundy and cream reads romantic; black and gold reads art deco. Keep the centre colour slightly darker than the petals for the spiral to show.
- Go brighter: make the centres in a gradient — three shades of one colour, one shade per third of the motifs — for an ombre blanket that fades across the bed.
- DK weight version: with a 4.5 mm hook and DK cotton, each motif finishes around 17-18 cm; a 12 x 14 layout covers a queen bed with 168 motifs, at the cost of a lighter, drapier blanket.
- Reverse the roles: work the spiral centres in cream and the openwork petals in green for the same blanket with the colour emphasis flipped.
Frequently asked questions
For a queen-size bedspread with a drape like the photo, plan on roughly 120 motifs at the written gauge (21 cm each) — about 10 across and 12 rows in the offset grid. The honest way to know is to join your first six motifs and measure the little patch; spiral maths is far kinder when measured than when calculated. For a throw, 30 to 36 motifs are plenty.
Most advanced makers spend about 60 to 80 minutes per motif once in a rhythm, plus blocking and joining, bringing the total to roughly 150 to 200 hours spread over 10 to 14 weeks. Crocheting one or two motifs an evening and seaming once a week makes steady, pleasant progress without burnout.
Can an intermediate crocheter make this?
Yes, if you have made doilies or mandalas and are comfortable with continuous spiral work. The only truly new technique is the spiral increase, and it appears in exactly six rounds. The openwork rounds teach you to read spaces instead of stitches, which is a genuinely valuable skill. Make two or three practice motifs before counting any of them toward the blanket.
Cupping means the spiral increases are too tight — go up a hook size or consciously loosen the stitches. Ruffling means too many increases per round; recount that each round gains exactly 12 stitches. And if the fabric looks right but slightly wavy, it simply needs blocking — wet cotton lace transforms.
Yes — on Round 15, slip-stitch into the matching picot edge of the neighbouring motif every few stitches instead of working free picots. It is faster and the seam is flatter, but the rhythm takes a couple of practice motifs to learn, and you must plan the layout before you start. Traditional whip stitching afterwards gives you more freedom to rearrange.
Cotton or cotton-acrylic versions machine wash cold on a gentle cycle; dry flat. Because of the dimensional spirals, reshape the petals with your fingers while damp and let it dry flat so the centres keep their shape. A quick steam with an iron held above the fabric refreshes the lace between washes.
Can I sell finished items made from this pattern?
Yes — finished items may be sold, with credit given to the pattern source. The written pattern itself may not be resold, republished or redistributed, in full or in part, in any form.
The finished Forest Spiral Bedspread — Free Crochet Pattern
