You’ve seen them in boutiques, in your grandmother’s living room, and even on your friend’s Instagram feed: the iconic and timeless granny square. Now, you’ve decided it’s time to take up the challenge and learn how to crochet a granny square of your very own.
You’re excited, maybe a little nervous, and filled with questions. But don’t worry! This guide will walk you through every twist and turn to help you make your first granny square.
Table Of Contents
- What Is A Granny Square?
- Supplies For Crocheting A Granny Square
- How To Crochet A Granny Square: Basic Steps
- How To Crochet A Granny Square: Final Steps
What Is A Granny Square?
A granny square is a simple yet versatile crocheted motif recognized for its intricate patterns and vibrant colors. The typical granny square has a central design that’s expanded upon as the stitches go around.
The granny square has been a cornerstone of crochet since the Victorian era due to its simplistic design and the infinite number of ways it can be customized and combined to create larger projects.
Since it only uses a small amount of fiber, it’s the perfect project for using up scraps, which helps to keep your yarn organized.
And a little goes a long way when it comes to crocheting. By connecting multiple granny squares, you can create things like:
The possibilities truly are endless.
Best of all, you don’t have to be an expert crocheter to tackle this project. With a few basic supplies and stitches, you’ll be well on your way to making your own granny square.
Supplies For Crocheting A Granny Square
You won’t need much for this project. You’ll want to gather:
- Yarn (GANXXET Cotton Rope Zero Waste 2mm - 3 ply is an excellent choice with many color options!)
- A crochet hook sized for your yarn
- Sharp scissors
- A darning needle
That’s it. Once you have everything, you’re ready to get started.
How To Crochet A Granny Square: Basic Steps
To make a granny square, you must know how to make a crochet chain and do the single-crochet, double-crochet, and slip stitches.
You’ll use a set of three double crochet stitches to create what’s called a granny cluster. This granny cluster forms the iconic shape you recognize in these fun squares.
To start, you’ll need to develop a center ring. Working your stitches into this ring will create the hole at the center of your granny square.
First, chain four. Then, use a slip stitch to form a circle. This video shows you how to make your granny square foundation:
Once your ring is done, it’s time to work some new stitches into it. Be sure to get your hook through the center and not off to the side. Otherwise, your square won’t be a square.
Round One Stitches
First, chain three. Then, do two double crochet stitches.
Note: While most granny clusters have three double crochet stitches, the first one in each round of this project is different. You’ll combine some initial chain stitches with a set of two double crochet to make these. It sounds a little confusing, but you’ll see how it works as we get into it.
Now, chain three again. Then, form three double crochet stitches into the center ring to make the second granny cluster.
Repeat this process of chain three, and work three double crochet stitches two more times. You need four granny clusters, one for each side of your granny square.
When you finish repeating, slip stitch to the top of your first chain of three. Then, step back to look. You should recognize this as the center of all those granny squares you’ve seen. Congratulations!
But don’t stop yet; you’re not done with your square. It’s time to make the next round of stitches, so pick your hook back up and keep going.
Round Two Stitches
Chain four to start. Then, in the first corner space, do three double-crochet stitches. Then, chain three and work in another granny cluster. Follow this up by chaining one more.
You’re going to repeat the process of granny cluster, chain three, granny cluster, chain one three more times as you work your way around the square.
On the final corner, do a granny cluster, chain three, and only two double crochets. Then, use a slip stitch to connect it to the beginning chain stitches you made. They act as the final double crochet for your granny cluster.
Round Three Stitches
Your granny square is taking shape; nice work! Now, it’s time to add a chain of three.
Next, work into the chain one space between the previous round’s clusters. You’ll need to do two double crochet and chain one.
Into the next corner space where you chained three last time, do the following:
- Three double crochet
- Chain three
- Three double crochet
- Chain one
When you get to the next chain one space, do this:
- Three double crochet
- Chain one
As you work your way around the square, repeat the previous two steps. When you reach the beginning chain again, use a slip stitch to connect.
Round Four Stitches
It’s time for the final round of this first granny square.
Start by chaining four. Then, at every chain one space from round three, you’ll need to:
- Three double crochet
- Chain one
And at every chain three corner space from round three, work the following:
- Three double crochet
- Chain three
- Three double crochet
- Chain one
You’ll repeat those two steps several times, so keep going. When you return to your starting chain, use a slip stitch to connect everything.
How To Crochet A Granny Square: Final Steps
After you finish round four, you have two options:
- Complete the square and weave in the ends before cutting the yarn.
- Repeat rounds three and four to make your square bigger, then weave in the ends before cutting the yarn.
If you like your granny square the size it is now, take option one. Go with option two if you’d prefer it to be slightly larger.
Either way, once you’re happy with the size of your granny square, it’s time to finish it.
Leave a six-inch tail and cut your working yarn. Then, pull the yarn through that final stitch and use a darning needle to weave in the ends. This process keeps the stitches from unraveling later and undoing all your hard work.
Now that you’ve completed your first granny square, you might want to mix it up for the next time.
Here are some suggestions:
- Change colors for every round by using a slip stitch to add the new yarn
- Try a different granny square pattern
- Make it larger
- Use yarn of a different weight or texture
- Combine yarns for a unique project
With so many options, you’ll want to experiment and see what you can create.
Thankfully, once you get the hang of it, you’ll only spend about thirty minutes making a granny square. This means you can try lots of different combinations to see which is your favorite.
Beautiful Granny Squares With GANXXET
It’s fun to learn how to crochet a granny square when you use GANXXET fibers. Our eco-friendly manufacturing techniques mean you’re upcycling as you create. And our vibrant color selections will make your granny squares stand out from the crowd.
So pick up some Zero Waste Cotton Rope and a crochet hook, and try your hand at a granny square. We can’t wait to see your creations on Instagram!
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