Pocket Prayer Square

A Pocket Prayer Square is the perfect quick gift to give to someone who is going through a rough time. They are small and soft and a reminder that someone cares and is praying for you. I enjoy crocheting and giving prayer squares and like to think of them as a special “crochet hug”. Can you think of someone today who could use a “crochet hug”?

Fits in Your Pocket and Has a Pocket!

Many prayer squares are called “Pocket Prayer Squares” because they can fit in your pocket and you can take them with you. This square can fit in your pocket but it also has its own pocket! I designed this Pocket Prayer Square to have a simple pocket on the back to hold various messages, words of encouragement and uplifting quotes and scripture. You’ll see that the square is just a little bit bigger than a standard index card – I love index cards! They are great for so many things and since they are “cards” they are sturdy and do well inside this Pocket Prayer Square’s pocket. 🙂

I also thought that whoever receives one of these squares could add their own index cards of other quotes and sayings that they come across and want to remember to encourage them.

Stitches You Need to Know to Make the Pocket Prayer Square

To make this small project you will need to know how to do the chain, single crochet and double crochet – that’s it! By putting a certain combination of these stitches together, you can get some neat texture very easily. You can leave your square plain on the front but I like to add a charm and sometimes a little “bling”. 🙂 I found all kinds of fun charms at my local craft store! (But in case you don’t have access to a craft store, I also included some links below to some fun charms you can purchase on-line)

So, let’s get to making the Pocket Prayer Square!

Skill Level: Easy

Measurements: 6″ x 4″

Supplies:

(Please note this post contains affiliate links which earns this blog a small commission at no extra cost to you – it’s a win-win! Thank you for your support so I can continue to offer free patterns like this one)

Wander yarn by Furlscrochet (100% acrylic; medium weight; 100g, 109 m/120 yds)  – You can make several Pocket Prayer Squares with one skein of yarn

(Colors shown in photos: Sunrise (coral), Laguna (blue), Meadow (green) and Fawn (tan) – this yarn has a very pretty sheen and is easy to crochet with)

5mm (H) Odyssey hook

(This hook is great if you have a lot of hand cramping – the larger shape and weighted handle help you hold the hook more loosely and have less pain; Plus, the metal end simply glides through the yarn making for even and fast stitching!)

Jumbo Tapestry Needle

Jewelry Charm

Small rectangle (slightly smaller than finished size of prayer square) of fleece (or felt)

Matching sewing thread and sewing needle

Get Access:

Did you know that subscribers to our newsletter get notified of new patterns each week and get access to our Crochet Resource Library full of FREE pattern PDF’s, diagrams and other useful printables? Click the image below to get access and become part of our community – it’s FREE!

Special Stitches and Abbreviations:

Back bar of the Chain = When looking at the right side of a chain, you see many “V’s” and the chain looks like a braid. Turn the chain over and you see a series of bumps – it is in these bumps that you will work across the chain to produce a cord with even edges along both sides

Click here to watch a short video tutorial on this technique

Sl st (slip stitch) = Insert hook into stitch, YO, pull through stitch and loop on hook

Sc (single crochet) = Insert hook into stitch, YO, pull draw up a loop; YO, pull through 2 loops on hook

Dc (double crochet) = YO, insert hook into stitch, YO, draw up a loop, (YO, pull through 2 loops on hook) twice

Ch = chain

Sp = space

St = stitch

Hk = hook

Lp = loop

Sk = skip

YO = yarn over

RS = Right Side

Notes:

Square is worked back and forth in rows

Then a simple edging is worked around all edges of the square

Instructions for the Pocket Prayer Square:

Square:

Ch 22

Row 1:

Working in the back bar of the chain, sc in 2^nd ch from hk and in each ch across. Turn. (21 scs)

Row 2: 

Ch 1, 2 dc in 1^st st; [sk each of next 2 sts, (sc, 2 dc) in next st] across up to last 2 sts; sk next st, sc in last st. Turn. (7 “shells” – Shell = (sc, 2 dc))

Row 3: 

Ch 1, 2 dc in 1^st sc; [sk each of next 2 dcs; (sc, 2 dc) in next sc] across; sc in turning chain. Turn.

Rows 4- 10:

Repeat Row 3

Row 11 (Right Side): 

Ch 1, sc in each st across. (21 scs) Do not fasten off.

Edging:

Now working down side of rows, work sc evenly across until next corner;

**Work 2 scs in each corner**

Then sc along bottom edge of Row 1 to next corner;

Sc evenly up side of rows to next corner;

Sc across Row 11; join with sl st to 1^st st of edging. Fasten off.

Finishing for the Pocket Prayer Square:

Optional:  Wet block square and let dry completely

(To wet block your crochet project, simply wet it thoroughly with cold water and gently press out the excess water with a towel; Lay square on dry towel and gently form into rectangle shape – you can use pins to keep corners and sides in place – then let dry overnight)

Optional:  Using matching yarn or sewing thread and needle, attach charm to center of Right Side of square

Cut fleece fabric so slightly smaller than square

Sew fabric to Wrong Side with matching thread and sewing needle

Write your message and words of encouragement on index cards

**There are many resources on-line that can help you know what to write on your cards – You can easily find a wide variety of uplifting quotes, as well. I also found this page on Hallmark’s website that had a great categorized list of encouraging things to include in a card: https://ideas.hallmark.com/articles/encouragement-ideas/encouragement-messages-what-to-write-in-an-encouragement-card/

Place cards inside “pocket” of square

And there you have it – your Pocket Prayer Square is complete and ready to give to someone you care about! How did yours turn out? I found that I could make mine very quickly and have a nice stack of squares ready to give out when a need arises. I also had fun looking for various charms to embellish my prayer squares – there are so many options available that it is easy to make each square personalized for the recipient!

Make sure to pin the image below so you don’t forget where you found this pattern!

If you like this prayer square pattern, you might like this one, too: The Heartfelt Prayer Square.

And, remember, you can find all of my free crochet patterns here.

Thank you for visiting – Happy crocheting!

Jennifer

Copyright – Jennifer E Ryan- www.celticknotcrochet.com- all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher but please do link to this page to share this pattern with others.

If you wish to make items for sale from this pattern, please see our About page for details.