Corner to Corner Crochet easy tutorial for beginners

In this corner to corner crochet for beginners tutorial I will show you how to work the basic stitch, change colours, and follow a written pattern and chart so that you can take on any Corner to Corner challenge with confidence.

This tutorial shows how to make a very simple set of cup coasters, that will coordinate with the Irish Harp cushion cover pattern.

Corner to Corner, also often called ‘C2C’ is a very popular crochet stitch. It is a simple stitch, easy to learn, and produces great results. One huge advantage is that it can be used to create complex pictures and images, and is a wonderful introduction to colourwork crochet. 
Because it only uses one stitch, the written patterns for corner to corner designs are also a brilliant introduction to reading patterns and stitch charts. When reading a corner to corner pattern or chart, there is no need to become familiar with many abbreviations and symbols

C2C crochet projects typically result in square or rectangular shapes, which can be a limitation when aiming for more complex forms. However, this technique is perfect for creating items of various sizes, from tiny baby blankets to king-size afghans. It’s also ideal for scarves, cushion covers, tea towels, and washcloths.

Getting started with Corner to Corner

C2C crochet is worked in diagonal rows, starting from one corner—usually the bottom right—and progressing to the opposite corner. The first row consists of a single stitch cluster, often referred to as a “tile” or “square.” In this tutorial, we’ll refer to these clusters as tiles.

In the second row, you’ll work two tiles, each attached to two sides of the first tile.
For each increasing row:
• Work into the top of each tile from the previous row.
• Add an extra tile at the side of the last tile in the row.
Your stitch count will increase by one per row during the increasing section, making it easy to keep track when following a chart or pattern.

How to Crochet C2C: Decreasing

Once your project reaches the desired width, you’ll begin the decreasing section:
• For a Square: Start decreasing on both sides simultaneously, reducing the stitch count by one per row.
• For a Rectangle: Continue increasing on one side while decreasing on the other, maintaining the stitch count to extend the length. When the rectangle reaches the desired length, begin decreasing on both sides, as you would for a square.

How to create the Tiles for Corner to Corner

Corner to corner tiles can be made in two ways. The standard way is to use (US terms) double crochet stitches/(UK terms) treble crochet stitches. However, the tiles can also be made using (US terms) half double crochet stitches/ (UK terms) half treble crochet stitches. The second type is sometimes known as ‘mini corner to corner’.

The Irish Harp cushion cover uses the ‘mini’ style stitch, and the coasters shown here are also made in this stitch. I find it produces neater results, and looks less gappy. You can follow all the instructions here using the taller stitch if you prefer.

How to work the Starting Stitch

For a mini corner to corner project, the first tile is worked with a starting chain of 5. Skip the first 2 chains from the hook, and work half double (half treble) stitches into the remaining 3 chain stitches.

For a standard corner to corner stitch, you are sometimes told to chain 6, and skip the first three chains. You then work a double crochet (UK treble crochet) into each of the remaining chains. I find that this leaves a very visible gap, and chain 5, whichever size stitch I am making. You may wish to experiment, and see which is right for your unique tension.

The Second Row

The first tile of the second row repeats the begining tile. Work a chain, skip the first 2 (or three) and work 3 stitches into the remaining 3 chains.

Join the two tiles together by slip stitching into the top of the chain space of the first tile, as in the picture above.

To work the second tile, chain two. Work 3 stitches into the same chain space as the slip stitch.

You have now worked a beginning/increasing stitch, and a main body stitch. You keep going this way for as many rows as needed until its time to start decreasing. Lets see how that looks for row 3.

The third row, and onwards

By repeating the starting tile, followed by the body tile as many times as required, your work continues to increase by one tile each row. This makes it easy to keep count, if you aren’t sure which row you are on. Just count how many tiles in that row, and I instantly find your place in your pattern.

The next step is to learn a decrease tile, to turn that triangle into a rectangle or square.

Decreasing Corner to Corner crochet.

When decreasing at the top, chain one. Skip one, and slip stitch into the next three.

Chain 2, and work 3 stitches into the turning chain, as normal for the next stitch. Continue row as normal.

When decreasing at the bottom, work to the second last tile. Slip stitch into the last tile, but don’t add a new tile. Chain 1 and turn your work. Now slip stitch across the tile just worked.

When working a square, you will change from increasing every row to working a decrease at both ends every row. Your stitch count will go down by one each row.

If working a rectangle, you will work an increase stitch at one end, but a decrease at the other, and your stitch count will remain unchanged.

Finishing your work

Finish by weaving in ends, and you are done!

Reading a Corner to Corner Pattern

Corner to corner patterns are usually presented in 2 ways. Both as a chart, and as a line by line set of instructions. It is useful to be able to read both. I find a pattern without a chart like doing a jigsaw without a picture. Its very confusing to not be able to see a representation of what I’m doing. But at the same time, for bigger and more complex designs, I mostly use the line by line text. That way, I don’t have to squint and endlessly count little boxes. The designer has done that already. I use the chart to check back afterwards and make sure my row looks right.

The chart for the square we just made would just be a plain grid. It would look like this:

A line by line corner to corner pattern would read like this:

Row 1 (right side): 1 green. [1 tile]

Row 2 (wrong side): 2 green. [2 tiles]

Row 3 (right side): 3 green. [3 tiles]

Row 4 (wrong side): 4 green. [4 tiles]

And so on…

Each row instruction tells you:

1. Which row you are on.

2. If that is a right side or wrong side row. (some patterns might only do this for the first 2 rows, and expect you to remember from then on. Many patterns abbreviate this as ‘RS’ for ‘right side, and ‘WS’ for ‘wrong side’.)

3. The number of tiles in each colour. Some designers use little boxes of the colour with the number inside, or they might put the colour first, so it says ‘green x 3’ instead of ‘3 green’.

4. The total stitch count of tiles in that row.

Corner to corner patterns, as you can see, really are a great place to start, as they have far fewer abbreviations to learn off, and are quite intuitive.

Could you follow this chart, or set of instructions? It is for a square cup coaster, like the one above, but with a border.

Green border cup coaster

Line by line instructions for this pattern:

Row 1 (right side): 1 green. [1 tile]
Row 2 (wrong side): 2 green. [2 tiles]
Row 3 (right side): 1 green, 1 while, 1 green. [3 tiles]
Row 4 (wrong side): 1 green, 2 white, 1 green. [4 tiles]
Row 5 (right side): 1 green, 3 white, 1 green. [5 tiles]
Row 6 (wrong side): 1 green, 4 white, 1 green. [6 tiles]
Row 7 (right side): 1 green, 5 white, 1 green. [7 tiles]
Row 8 (wrong side): 1 green, 6 white, 1 green. [8 tiles]
Row 9 (right side): 1 green, 7 white, 1 green. [9 tiles]
Row 10 (wrong side): 1 green, 8 white, 1 green. [10 tiles]
Corner! Start decreasing from here.
Row 11 (right side): 1 green, 7 white, 1 green. [9 tiles]
Row 12 (wrong side): 1 green, 6 white, 1 green. [8 tiles]
Row 13 (right side): 1 green, 5 white, 1 green. [7 tiles]
Row 14 (wrong side): 1 green, 4 white, 1 green. [6 tiles]
Row 15 (right side): 1 green, 3 white, 1 green. [5 tiles]
Row 16 (wrong side): 1 green, 2 white, 1 green. [4 tiles]
Row 17 (right side): 1 green, 1 white, 1 green. [3 tiles]
Row 18 (wrong side): 2 green. [2 tiles]
Row 19 (right side): 1 green. [1 tile]

Changing colour in Corner to Corner

To make this cup coaster corner to corner pattern you will need to change colours. Making colourful designs easily is why corner to corner crochet is so wonderful. But lets take a look at how to do this.

Step one, mark the back of your work with a stitch marker. Keep all yarn ends and all carried yarn to the back of your work, and make sure you can identify that easily.

Step 2, when starting a new colour, always pull the new colour through as the last part of the stitch before. When making the last stitch of the last tile in the old colour, yarn over and pull through in the new colour when you still have 2 loops on your hook.

Step three, carry your yarn behind your work if you only have one or two tiles in a different colour.

Step four, create bobbins for your yarn if you will need to use the same colour in different places and it will be too far to just strand the yarn behind your work. When I made the Irish Harp cushion cover I stranded over 4 or 5 tiles. I was not concerned about the back being messy, as I knew it would be hidden inside a cushion. If I was making a scarf or blanket, I would not strand across so many tiles.

Hopefully you will now be confident in working corner to corner patterns. If you want a little more practice before moving on, here are 2 more cup coasters, which coordinate with the Irish Harp cushion cover. See if you can follow them. If you get stuck, pop in to my Facebook group to ask for help.

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Cup Coaster 3

Row 1 (right side): 1 green. [1 tile]
Row 2 (wrong side): 2 green. [2 tiles]
Row 3 (right side): 3 green. [3 tiles]
Row 4 (wrong side): 4 green. [4 tiles]
Row 5 (right side): 5 green. [5 tiles]
Row 6 (wrong side): 1 green, 4 white, 1 green. [6 tiles]
Row 7 (right side): 1 green, 5 white, 1 green. [7 tiles]
Row 8 (wrong side): 2 green, 1 white, 2 orange, 1 white, 2 green. [8 tiles]
Row 9 (right side): 2 green, 1 white, 3 orange, 1 white, 2 green. [9 tiles]
Row 10 (wrong side): 3 green, 1 white, 2 orange, 1 white, 3 green. [10 tiles]
Corner! Start decreasing from here.
Row 11 (right side): 2 green, 1 white, 3 orange, 1 white, 2 green. [9 tiles]
Row 12 (wrong side): 2 green, 1 white, 2 orange, 1 white, 2 green. [8 tiles]
Row 13 (right side): 1 green, 5 white, 1 green. [7 tiles]
Row 14 (wrong side): 1 green, 4 white, 1 green. [6 tiles]
Row 15 (right side): 1 green, 3 white, 1 green. [5 tiles]
Row 16 (wrong side): 1 green, 2 white, 1 green. [4 tiles]
Row 17 (right side): 1 green, 1 white, 1 green. [3 tiles]
Row 18 (wrong side): 2 green. [2 tiles]
Row 19 (right side): 1 green. [1 tile]

Cup coaster 4

Row 1 (right side): 1 green. [1 tile]
Row 2 (wrong side): 2 green. [2 tiles]
Row 3 (right side): 1 green, 1 white, 1 green. [3 tiles]
Row 4 (wrong side): 1 green, 1 white, 1 orange, 1 green. [4 tiles]
Row 5 (right side): 1 green, 1 white, 2 orange, 1 green. [5 tiles]
Row 6 (wrong side): 1 green, 1 white, 2 orange, 1 white, 1 green. [6 tiles]
Row 7 (right side): 1 green, 1 white, 2 orange, 2 white, 1 green. [7 tiles]
Row 8 (wrong side): 1 green, 1 white, 2 orange, 2 white, 1 orange, 1 green. [8 tiles]
Row 9 (right side): 1 green, 1 white, 2 orange, 2 white, 2 orange, 1 green. [9 tiles]
Row 10 (wrong side): 1 green, 1 orange, 2 white, 2 orange, 2 white, 1 orange, 1 green. [10 tiles]
Corner! Start decreasing from here.
Row 11 (right side): 1 green, 2 orange, 2 white, 2 orange, 1 white, 1 green. [9 tiles]
Row 12 (wrong side): 1 green, 1 orange, 2 white, 2 orange, 1 white, 1 green. [8 tiles]
Row 13 (right side): 1 green, 2 white, 2 orange, 1 white, 1 green. [7 tiles]
Row 14 (wrong side): 1 green, 1 orange, 2 white, 1 orange, 1 green. [6 tiles]
Row 15 (right side): 1 green, 2 orange, 1 white, 1 green. [5 tiles]
Row 16 (wrong side): 1 green, 1 orange, 1 white, 1 green. [4 tiles]
Row 17 (right side): 1 green, 1 white, 1 green. [3 tiles]
Row 18 (wrong side): 2 green. [2 tiles]
Row 19 (right side): 1 green. [1 tile]