You can make granny squares big, small, tight, loose, from a single color or many colors. The only guidelines are to find a beautiful, natural yarn you'll really want to cuddle, and have a fun time inventing each unique square.

MATERIALS

natural fiber yarn
For a warm coverlet, try merino wool, cashmere, or alpaca.  For a light summer throw, try cotton and silk or bamboo. 

crochet hook in a size appropriate for your yarn.
For bulky weight yarn, try a 8 - 10 mm hook.
For worsted weight yarn, try a 4.5 - 5.5 mm hook.
For sport weight yarn, try a 4 mm hook.
For lace weight yarn, try a 2 - 5 mm hook.  

 
NOTES

Visit our Crochet Basics Tutorial for help with the techniques used in this project. 

 
ABBREVIATIONS

dc     double crochet

sc     single crochet

sl st    slip stitch 

Update on April 30, 2007 by purl bee

FINDING THE RIGHT CROCHET HOOK

A reader asks how to figure out which crochet hook goes with which yarn.  We turn to Yarnstandards.com for the definitive guide to size.  The standard yarn weight chart indicates different yarn types, gauges, and recommended needles and hooks in both millimeters and standard US sizes. 

When we come across antique or well-worn needles or hooks and the size is no longer legible, we rely on Skacel's handy needlegauge to solve the size mystery.

Remember, you can add as many rounds as you like to your square.  Here is a pattern for up to 4 rounds.  You may want to make squares that are all one color, or a different color for each round.

FOUNDATION CHAIN: Chain 4; join into a ring with a slip stitch.

ROUND 1: Ch 4, (3 dc into center of ring, ch 1) 3 times; 2 dc into center of ring; join to third chain of beginning chain with a slip stitch. 

IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THE SAME COLOR:
Slip stitch from the end of the round until you reach the ch1 stitch at a corner.  Continue with the next round. 

IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE COLORS:
Cut yarn, leaving a tail, and draw it all the way through the slip stitch to secure it.  Join the new color at a corner by drawing a stitch through a ch1 stitch. Continue with the next round.

ROUND 2: Ch 3, work corner (dc2, ch1, dc3) into the same stitch, work remaining corners: *ch1, skip over the 3 dc from the previous round, (dc3, ch1, dc3) into the same stitch; repeat from * two more times, ch1, join to third chain of beginning chain with a slip stitch.

ROUND 3: Ch 3,  work corner (dc2, ch1, dc3) into the same stitch, work remaining sides:* ch1, skip over the 3 dc from the previous round, dc3, ch1, work corner (dc3, ch1, dc3); repeat from * two more times, ch1, join to third chain of beginning chain with a slip stitch.

ROUND 4: Ch 3,  work corner (dc2, ch1, dc3) into the same stitch, work remaining sides: *ch1, skip over the 3 dc from the previous round, dc3, ch1, skip over the 3 dc from previous round, dc3, ch1, work corner (dc3, ch1, dc3); repeat from * two more times, ch1, join to third chain of beginning chain with a slip stitch.