Cozy Autumn Tent Hide: Free Crochet Pattern

Introduction

This cozy autumn tent hide is a beginner-friendly crochet project that gives your medium dog a snug little retreat of their own. The panel is a simple single-crochet triangle worked top-down in three calm ocean blues, so the color changes do all the visual work while you practice easy stitches. Draped over a basic wooden frame, it becomes a striped tent with an open front that your pup can slip into whenever they want a quiet corner. It looks crisp and Scandinavian, feels soft and warm in bulky wool, and comes together faster than you might expect.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Bulky weight (weight category 5) wool, 100g/80yd per skein:
  • Color A (deep navy): 2 skeins (160 yd)
  • Color B (medium blue): 2 skeins (160 yd)
  • Color C (pale blue): 2 skeins (160 yd)
• Hook: 6.5 mm (K-10.5) crochet hook
• Notions: Tapestry needle, scissors, tape measure, stitch markers
• Frame materials: Four 24-inch lengths of 1x2 wood, two 20-inch uprights, wood screws and a screwdriver
• Finished size: Approximately 24 inches wide x 18 inches deep x 20 inches tall

Abbreviations

• ch – chain: make a loop of yarn and pull it through the loop on your hook.
• sc – single crochet: insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops.
• st(s) – stitch(es): the loops you work into.
• inc – increase: work 2 single crochet stitches into the same stitch.
• turn – flip your work so you can crochet back across the row.

Gauge

12 stitches x 12 rows = 4 inches in single crochet. Work a small swatch and measure a 4-inch section in the middle to check that your stitches match this gauge before starting the panel.

Tips Before You Start

• Keep your color changes tidy by carrying the unused color along the edge of the work rather than cutting it each time.
• Count your stitches at the end of every increase row; the panel should grow by exactly 2 stitches each row.
• Use a stitch marker in the first and last stitch of each row so the edges stay easy to find.
• Build and check the wooden frame before you finish the panel, so you can confirm the drape and fit.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Panel (worked flat in single crochet, changing colors as indicated)

Row 1: With Color A, ch 2, work 3 sc in the 2nd ch from hook. (3 sts)

Row 2: Ch 1, turn, 2 sc in first st, sc in next st, 2 sc in last st. (5 sts)

Row 3: Ch 1, turn, 2 sc in first st, sc in each st across, 2 sc in last st. (7 sts)

Rows 4-10: Repeat Row 3, increasing 2 sts every row, in Color A. (21 sts at end of Row 10)

Rows 11-20: Continue repeating Row 3, increasing 2 sts every row, changing to Color B. (41 sts at end of Row 20)

Rows 21-30: Continue repeating Row 3, increasing 2 sts every row, changing to Color C. (63 sts at end of Row 30)

Rows 31-40: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across, working even in Color C. (63 sts)

Fasten off.

Frame

Cut four 24-inch lengths of 1x2 wood. Form a rectangular base 24 inches wide x 18 inches deep. Attach two 20-inch uprights at the back corners. Secure with screws.

Assembly

Drape the panel over the frame so that the point is at the top back and the open front is at the bottom front. Sew or tie the panel to the frame at the top and sides, leaving the front open.

Edging

Edging round: With Color A, sc evenly around the open front edge, working 1 sc in each st or row end. Fasten off.

Assembly and Finishing

Sew or tie the panel securely to the frame at the top point and along both sides, leaving the front open as a doorway. Weave in all yarn ends on the wrong side of the panel with your tapestry needle. Block the panel lightly by misting it with water and smoothing it flat to even out the stitches and color changes, then let it dry fully before draping it back over the frame.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Swap the blues for rust, mustard, and cream for a warmer autumn palette.
• Add a small crocheted cushion or blanket inside the tent for extra coziness.
• Work the panel in half double crochet for a faster, slightly denser fabric (adjust your gauge swatch first).