By BJ Murphy
Granny squares are a classic representation of crocheting. They are all over the place, in afghans, lacy tablecloths, as motifs on women's tops. I have several beautiful doilies that my great grandmothers made based on the basic granny square. Learning how to crochet granny squares can be a little tricky, especially if you are a beginner. However, once you learn how, you will be able to turn out many beautiful projects using this simple formula.
A few things will help you figure out a new crocheting pattern. Keep a completed granny square with you while you are crocheting. It helps to touch it, to look at it from several angles, to see a concrete example of your end goal. Also, keep the whole of the project in mind. Instead of getting bogged down with where to place stitches or if you did it right, think about how they look. Knowing what it should look like will help you recognize when you make mistakes.
1. To begin crocheting a granny square, chain (ch) five stitches. Join the ends together with a slip stitch (ss). This makes your base loop. The squares are worked in the round. This means that instead of turning directions at the end of a row, you will connect the ends of your work together and crochet in one continuous circle.
2. Ch three. Make two double crochet (dc) stitches into the loop, but not into an individual chain stitch. This is the first "chunk" section of the square. Ch two. This makes the corner. Dc three into the loop. Repeat the "ch two, dc three" process until you have four sections and four corners. Join the last two chain stitches to the top corner of the first section with a ss. You have completed the first round of your granny square.
3. To make the next round, begin by ch four, three for the part of the section and one for the open space. Crochet three dc, ch two and crochet three more dc in the corner loop (not the individual stitches). This is the corner. Ch one to make a space over the section from the last row. Repeat the corner making process in each loop, with one chain between each corner. Finish with three dc, two ch, two dc, and a ss in the third chain from the beginning of the round.
4. For the next round, begin with four ch, three for the part of the section, and one for the space. Make three dc in every one chain space from the last round. Make three dc, two ch, three dc in every two chain space, creating corners. At the end of the round, make two dc instead of three and ss to the third chain to create the last section. Repeat this round as many times as needed until your granny square is big enough.
With the knowledge of how to crochet granny squares, you can experiment and make all sorts of unique projects. Try using a different colors for each round. Instead of making a granny square, why not make a granny pentagon or hexagon? All sorts of other creative options can be discovered, as the granny square is a simple base to all sorts of flower and geometric shapes.
