How to Crochet Corner to Corner (C2C Crochet) for Beginners

Corner to corner crochet, often called C2C crochet, is a technique worked diagonally from one corner to the opposite corner using small crochet tiles. C2C crochet is popular for blankets, scarves, cushions, and colorful pixel-style crochet designs. Although C2C crochet may look complicated at first, it only uses basic stitches, including chain stitch, slip stitch, and double crochet. This tutorial will show you how to crochet corner to corner step-by-step, including increases, decreases, rectangles, and color changes.

What Is Corner To Corner Crochet?

Most crochet projects require you to work horizontally across the rows of the pattern. With corner to corner crochet (C2C), you will be starting in one corner, increasing across your project until the midpoint, then decreasing until you run out of stitches on the opposite corner. As with conventional crochet, you can choose to create many small blocks which you will later stitch together, or you can work it as one large project.

If you love to crochet different stitches, read the full article on 55 types of crochet stitches

Although this method of crocheting has been trending recently, it is actually not a new technique; it has been around for decades. C2C crochet is great for putting a graphed pattern or image into a project because it makes little squares. These little squares are called “tiles” in C2C lingo!

How to Crochet Corner to Corner Stitch (Step by Step)

If you are just learning corner to corner crochet, double crochet stitch is the easiest to work. Most C2C patterns are written for double crochet. You will also need to be able to work chain stitch and slip stitch.  Firstly you need to know that the stitch you are using in corner to corner crochet is called “Diagonal Box Stitch“. And each diagonal piece makes a “tile”. The tiles are the squares on your graph. For a C2C square or rectangle, you need to know how to use the tile to both increase and decrease stitches. By putting these two skills together, you can make your square or rectangle any size you want.

Best yarn for C2C crochet? Any yarn can be used as long as you have a suitable crochet hook for that yarn. However, most C2C patterns are designed for DK yarn or worsted weight yarn.

In the first tile of every row of C2C crochet, you either add or take away. There is no such thing as a first stitch that doesn’t increase or decrease.

Here is the C2C crochet pattern:

1. Crochet the First Tile

• Create a slip knot and crochet a foundation chain of 6.
• Double crochet into the 4th chain (abbreviated 4th ch) from the hook.
• Double crochet in the next 2 chains.

This is the first row, containing 1 tile. Optional – change to a different color.

2. Second Row with Increase

(How to Increase in Corner to Corner Crochet)

• Chain 6. Turn your work.

• Double crochet in the 4th chain from the hook. Double crochet into the next 2 chains.

• Skip the next 3 double crochet stitches and identify the end chain. See where I have placed the silver hook.

• Slip stitch into the space created by chain 3 at end of the tile. This is the 1st tile of the second row made. Your columns of double crochet stitches will be perpendicular.

• Chain 3. Double crochet 3 in the same space, and turn. The 2nd tile is now made. This row now contains 2 tiles.

3. Third and Subsequent Increase Rows

• Chain 6. Turn.
• Double crochet into the 4th chain.
• Double crochet into the next 2 chains.

• *Slip stitch into the next chain 3 space (abbreviated to ch-3-sp). (See where I have inserted the silver hook.)

• Chain 3. Work 3 double crochets into the same space.
• Repeat from * to the end of the row.

Repeat these steps to begin each row. As the number of rows increases, repeat the steps in each remaining tile of the row.

• Turn your work at the end of each row. 
• Your turning chain will always be 6 chains.
• Your new tiles in each row will be perpendicular to those in the previous row. Continue until the widest point.

If you are making a corner to corner crochet blanket, keep going until the fabric is your required height.

4. Start To Decrease in C2C Crochet

In C2C, the word “decrease” can be a little confusing because it doesn’t mean the same thing as it does in traditional crochet. A decrease section in C2C takes away one tile from each row, making a flat edge.

TIP: Put a stitch marker at the corner where you finished the increased rows on one side of your project. This is a reminder that you should start the next row with a “decrease” tile.

In C2C crochet, there are two steps that show how to decrease at the beginning of a row.

• Chain 1, slip stitch in the next three double crochets. This moves you along and eliminates the first tile.
• Slip stitch into the turning chain of three chains.

If you were changing colors for this decrease row, you would now instead of the beginning of this row. I used the pink color so you could see the slip stitches more clearly.

• Chain 3. Crochet 3 double crochet in the chain 3 turning chain of the previous row.

• Continue across your row, forming the diagonal box stitches across the row. When you turn, decrease along the first stitch again.

• At the end of each decrease row, slip stitch into the last turning chain to anchor the tile down at the edge.
• Skip the last tile before turning.

By following these steps, you will build your C2C masterpiece!

5. Finishing Ends

Leave long tails when changing colors, to have enough yarn to weave in.

• When your whole project is complete, thread the yarn tails into your yarn needle.
• Insert the needle into the base of the dc stitches on that tile. (Same color.)
• Work back and forth on that tile by weaving one way, skipping one strand of yarn, then weaving back along the same tile.
• When your yarn is secure, cut the yarn close to the fabric, and give it a gentle tug to bury the tail completely.

How to Change Colors

To change colors in C2C crochet:

1. Stop before completing the final double crochet
2. Yarn over using the new color
3. Pull through to complete the stitch
4. Continue crocheting with the new yarn color

I find leaving long yarn tails makes weaving in the ends much easier later.

How To Crochet C2C Rectangles

You may decide that you enjoy working C2C, but that you do not want to make a square. A rectangle is often a more desirable shape for a blanket, table runner, scarf, wall hanging or rectangular cushion cover. When making a square, you will increase at the beginning of each row until the halfway point, where you will begin decreasing. When making a rectangle, you will need to begin decreasing on different rows.

In a written pattern for corner-to-corner-technique, the decreases will go like this: (The arrows show in which direction you are working.)  My illustration is simply a small sample. You will make a larger rectangle if you are making something useful!

• ← Row 1 (1 tile)
• → Row 2  (2 tiles)
• ← Row 3  (3 tiles)
• → Row 4 (4 tiles)

Corner (begin decreasing on one side only) Work into last tile to keep that edge straight.

• ← Row 5 (4 tiles)
• → Row6 (4 tiles)
• ← Row 7 (4 tiles)

So for these rows your total number of tiles remains the same. Your sides should be straight. Corner (begin decreasing) Now you are actually decreasing to make the top of the rectangle. shaping the side again.

• Row 8. (3 tiles)
• Row 9 (2 tiles)
• Row 10 (1 tile) Last tile and corner of the rectangle.

You’ll see corner instructions in your pattern in two different places: after row 4 and after row 7. You will add to both sides until row 4, and then you will only add to one side until row 7. After that, you will begin decreasing on both sides. Obviously, if you are making a large rectangle to make something useful, you will have more tiles to make your crochet fabric wider, but the rules for creating the sides remain the same, just with more repeats.

How To Read C2C Patterns (C2C Graphs)

Most corner to corner crochet patterns includes a graph pattern and, sometimes, written instructions. The graph or grid, which is also called a C2C chart, helps you see what the whole corner-to-corner pattern looks like. The graph pattern is like a “map” for crochet.

Line-by-line written instructions tell you exactly how many tiles to crochet next to each other in each diagonal row. This means that you don’t have to count the pixels on the graph pattern anymore.

Not every C2C crochet pattern has written instructions, but many of them do. The fastest way to C2C crochet is often to follow a written pattern and compare it to the graph pattern. When you use both together, you’ll also be less likely to make mistakes. The C2C chart is read in a different way than most crochet charts. It is read diagonally.  You can start reading the chart from any corner, but I’ll show you how to do it from the bottom right.

How to Read Corner to Corner Graph:

1. Row 1: Start at the “1” at the bottom right of the chart and read diagonally up to the “1” at the top right. Work a block in the color that was given. 1 block or tile.
2. Row 2: Start at the “2” on the right side of the chart and read diagonally down to the “2” at the bottom of the chart. Do the blocks in the color shown on the chart. 2 tiles.
3. Row 3: Start at the “3” at the bottom of the chart and read diagonally up to the “3” on the chart’s right side. Do the blocks in the colors that are written on the chart. 3 tiles.

Keep reading the chart back and forth in diagonal rows to make blocks as shown on the chart. My simplified image shows only 4 rows to midpoint, but however big your graph is, just continue in the same manner.  Your work will increase until you reach the widest part of the chart, then it will start to decrease until you are left with only 1 block/tile. It really is helpful to cross off each diagonal row on the chart as you complete it, as this helps you keep your place in the pattern.

s C2C Crochet Beginner-Friendly?

C2C crochet is suitable for beginners because it uses basic crochet stitches and repetitive rows. The diagonal construction may feel unusual at first, but most crocheters become comfortable after a few rows. I find small washcloths or baby blankets are the easiest first C2C projects because the repeating tiles become easier to recognize quickly.

FAQs About C2C Crochet

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In Conclusion

Corner to corner crochet creates textured diagonal crochet fabric using simple repeating tiles and basic crochet stitches. Although the technique may look complicated at first, the repetitive increases and decreases quickly become easier with practice. Once you master C2C crochet, you can create blankets, graphgans, scarves, cushions, and colorful crochet designs in almost any shape or size.