Free Pattern: Natural Undyed Wool Puff Stitch Crochet Circle Seat Pad

A Cozy, Rustic Seat Pad You Can Actually Make

If you have never held a crochet hook before, this is the perfect first big project for you. This Natural Undyed Wool Puff Stitch Circle Seat Pad is worked in one continuous spiral, so there is no joining, no seaming, and no complicated shaping to worry about. The finished pad is a plump, perfectly round cushion about 16 inches (40.5 cm) across, covered in raised, honeycomb-like puff stitches that feel soft and springy under you. Made from natural undyed wool in a warm cream-oatmeal color, it brings soft, rustic Western texture to a chair, stool, or bench. It is forgiving, repetitive, and deeply satisfying to watch grow round and round from the center outward.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Worsted weight (category 4) natural undyed wool, approximately 380–420 yards (350–385 m), about 7 oz (200 g). One large skein is usually enough.
• Crochet hook: I/9 (5.5 mm), or the size needed to match gauge.
• Stitch marker: 1 removable stitch marker (a safety pin or scrap of contrasting yarn works too).
• Tapestry needle: A blunt-tipped yarn needle for weaving in ends.
• Scissors: Any sharp pair for cutting yarn.
• Finished size: Approximately 16 inches (40.5 cm) in diameter, fitting a standard chair or stool seat.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• ch – chain: yarn over the hook, pull the hook through the loop on your hook. This makes one chain.
• sc – single crochet: insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops. One single crochet made.
• sl st – slip stitch: insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull the loop straight through the loop on your hook. This joins without adding height.
• puff – puff stitch: [yarn over, insert hook in the indicated stitch or space, yarn over, pull up a loop] 3 times (you will have 7 loops on your hook), then yarn over and pull through all 7 loops at once, then ch 1 to close and lock the puff.
• st(s) – stitch(es): one completed loop or unit of crochet.
• magic ring – an adjustable loop of yarn you crochet into, then pull tight to close the center hole completely.
• ch-1 space – the little gap made by the single chain that closes each puff. You work your next puffs into these spaces.
• yarn over – wrap the yarn from back to front over your hook.
• fasten off – cut the yarn leaving a tail, then pull the tail all the way through the last loop to lock it.
• weave in ends – thread a yarn tail onto a tapestry needle and sew it back and forth through the fabric so it disappears and stays put.

Gauge

Gauge: 4 rounds of puff stitches = 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter; 4 single crochet rounds = 1 inch (2.5 cm).

Gauge means how big your stitches come out. It matters because it controls the finished size: if your puffs are too loose, your pad will be much bigger than 16 inches; if they are too tight, it will be smaller. To check, work Rounds 1–4 of the pattern below and measure straight across the circle. It should be about 4 inches (10 cm) wide. If it is bigger, switch to a smaller hook; if smaller, switch to a larger hook. Puff stitches are forgiving, so a small difference is fine.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Use your stitch marker every round. Because you never join rounds, the spiral can drift. Move the marker up into the first puff of each new round so you always know where a round begins.
• Do not pull the yarn too tight. Puffs need room to be plump. Keep your loops relaxed and even, and pull up each loop to about the height of your hook.
• Count your puffs out loud. Each round's stitch count is in parentheses. If you lose your place, count the puffs in the round you just finished before starting the next.
• The ch 1 that closes each puff is not a stitch. Never work into it as if it were a puff; always work into the ch-1 space between puffs.
• Keep the center flat. After Round 1, pull the magic ring tail tight so the middle closes. If the pad starts to cup or ruffle in the first few rounds, your increases are uneven — check your counts.
• Relax and enjoy the rhythm. Rounds 13–40 are all identical, so this is a wonderful project to work while listening to a podcast.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Note: The pad is worked in a continuous spiral. Do not join rounds unless instructed. Move the stitch marker up as you work to mark the beginning of each round. The ch 1 that closes each puff does not count as a stitch.

Center and Increase Rounds (Rounds 1–12)

Round 1: Make a magic ring. Ch 1. Work 8 puff stitches into the ring. Pull the ring tail tight to close the center. Do not join. Place a stitch marker in the first puff. (8 puffs)

Round 2: Work 2 puff stitches into the ch-1 space of each puff from Round 1. (16 puffs)

Round 3: *Work 1 puff in the next ch-1 space, 2 puffs in the following ch-1 space; repeat from * around. (24 puffs)

Round 4: *Work 1 puff in each of the next 2 ch-1 spaces, 2 puffs in the following ch-1 space; repeat from * around. (32 puffs)

Round 5: *Work 1 puff in each of the next 3 ch-1 spaces, 2 puffs in the following ch-1 space; repeat from * around. (40 puffs)

Round 6: *Work 1 puff in each of the next 4 ch-1 spaces, 2 puffs in the following ch-1 space; repeat from * around. (48 puffs)

Round 7: *Work 1 puff in each of the next 5 ch-1 spaces, 2 puffs in the following ch-1 space; repeat from * around. (56 puffs)

Round 8: *Work 1 puff in each of the next 6 ch-1 spaces, 2 puffs in the following ch-1 space; repeat from * around. (64 puffs)

Round 9: *Work 1 puff in each of the next 7 ch-1 spaces, 2 puffs in the following ch-1 space; repeat from * around. (72 puffs)

Round 10: *Work 1 puff in each of the next 8 ch-1 spaces, 2 puffs in the following ch-1 space; repeat from * around. (80 puffs)

Round 11: *Work 1 puff in each of the next 9 ch-1 spaces, 2 puffs in the following ch-1 space; repeat from * around. (88 puffs)

Round 12: *Work 1 puff in each of the next 10 ch-1 spaces, 2 puffs in the following ch-1 space; repeat from * around. (96 puffs)

Straight Sides (Rounds 13–40)

Rounds 13–40: Work 1 puff in each ch-1 space around. (96 puffs) This is 28 identical rounds; repeat the same instruction 28 times, ending on Round 40.

Edging

Edging Round: Ch 1, then work 1 sc in each puff and in each ch-1 space around the entire outer edge, working approximately 96 sc evenly. Join with a sl st to the first sc. Fasten off, leaving a 6-inch tail.

Tie Loop

Tie Loop: Join yarn at any point on the outer edge. Ch 12, sl st back into the same stitch to form a loop. Fasten off and weave in ends securely.

Assembly and Finishing

There is no seaming in this project — the whole pad is one piece. To finish: thread each yarn tail onto your tapestry needle and weave it in by sewing back and forth through the back of the stitches for about 2 inches, then trim close to the fabric. Weave the magic ring tail into the center the same way. Next, block the pad: mist it lightly with water until damp but not soaking, lay it flat on a towel, and gently pat and stretch it into a perfect circle about 16 inches across. You can pin the edge in place if it wants to curl. Let it dry completely, which usually takes a day, then fluff the puffs with your fingers.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change colors: Work the center in one natural shade and switch to a second undyed tone at Round 13 for a two-tone look — simply change yarn on the last pull-through of a puff.
• Adjust the size: For a smaller stool pad, stop the increase rounds at Round 10 (80 puffs) and work fewer straight rounds. For a larger bench pad, add one more increase round (Round 13: *1 puff in each of the next 11 ch-1 spaces, 2 puffs in the next; repeat around = 104 puffs) before the straight rounds.
• Substitute yarn: Any worsted weight (category 4) wool or wool-blend works; just check your gauge swatch, since fiber content changes how plump the puffs sit.
• Add a non-slip backing: Cut a circle of shelf liner slightly smaller than the pad and tack it to the wrong side with a few stitches for grip on smooth chairs.