A crochet wind spinner pattern built on one simple idea

This crochet wind spinner pattern gives you a colourful ruffled spiral with a hanging loop at the top and a tassel at the bottom. It starts as one long chain and takes only four rows. Every row has two or three times as many stitches as the row before, and that extra fabric has nowhere to go, so the strip twists into a spiral all by itself.

You do not need to shape anything or count increases across a round. You work along a straight line, and the twist does the rest. That is what makes this project satisfying: for most of the time it looks like a plain strip, then it suddenly curls up in your hands.

What makes this crochet wind spinner pattern easy to follow

The PDF runs to 16 pages with 33 numbered steps and 37 photos. You see the chain, every row, the hanging loop and the tassel, so there is always a picture to check your work against. Every row has its stitch count, which matters here because the numbers grow quickly and one miscount is hard to spot by eye.

You only need four basic stitches, all explained in the stitch guide at the front:

• Chain
• Single crochet
• Double crochet
• Slip stitch

If a row goes wrong, the troubleshooting page covers it, and the quick reference page keeps the counts in one place once you know the method. The pattern uses US crochet terms throughout.

Choose your length before you start

Most spiral patterns give you a single size. This crochet wind spinner pattern includes a table with the stitch counts for 70, 80, 90 and 100 chains, so you can make a short one for a small window or a longer one for a balcony rail. The counts are worked out for you, and you pick a row in the table and follow it.

With 80 chains, light worsted cotton and a 3.5 mm hook, the spiral hangs roughly 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 in) long. Treat that as a guide, because your chain count, yarn and tension all change the result.

Yarn, hook and colour choices

Use light worsted yarn, anywhere from DK to worsted, in cotton or acrylic. The Craft Yarn Council yarn weight chart is a handy check if your label uses a different name for the weight. You will also need:

• 4 yarn colours
• A 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
• A piece of stiff card about 8 cm (3 in) wide for the tassel
• A yarn needle and scissors

Four colours give the ruffles their bright striped edge, and this is the fun part of the project. A hot pink edge over greens and yellows reads like a summer garden, while soft creams and sages suit a calmer room. Cotton holds the ruffle crisply, and acrylic is a little softer and lighter. Both work with the same counts.

Where to hang your wind spinner

Hang it in a window where the light catches the ruffles, from a balcony rail, under a porch roof or in a sheltered corner of the garden. It moves gently in a breeze and spins slowly, which is the whole charm of it. It is still yarn, so bring it inside in heavy rain.

Because the project uses so little of each colour, it is also a good way to use up leftover yarn. It makes an easy handmade gift for someone with a porch or a sunny window.

Who this pattern suits

If you can chain, single crochet and double crochet, you can make this. We rate it easy. It suits a confident beginner who wants a quick, striking project, and it suits an experienced maker who wants something relaxing between larger pieces. If you enjoy small makes, our free crochet pinecone tutorial is another good one to try.

Inside the PDF

This crochet wind spinner pattern opens with the materials list and the stitch guide, then moves straight into the steps. The chain comes first, then each of the four rows with its own count. After that you add the hanging loop and make the tassel, which has its own step-by-step section using the piece of card as a template. The table of four lengths and the quick reference page are there for your second spiral, when you no longer need every photo.

If you have never followed a crochet wind spinner pattern before, the main thing to watch is your chain. Keep it even and not too tight, because every later row has to be worked into it. The step photos show how the first row should look, so you can compare yours before you go on.

What happens after you buy

This crochet wind spinner pattern is a digital PDF, so you receive the file and not a finished spiral. You download it after checkout, then print it or keep it on a phone or tablet beside you while you work. Nothing is shipped, and you can start the same day with the yarn you already have.

On the blog: Free Crochet Pinecone Pattern: 19 Easy Photo Steps