Who loves a granny square? ME!

But what can you make with them? Turns out the answer to that question is lots of things!

Whenever I teach anyone to crochet I always begin with a granny square as they are such a great place to start.

There are lots of different types and styles, we can talk about them another day, but today I’m concentrating on the basic granny square.

Why make granny squares?

Granny squares are a classic design: vintage, retro, old fashioned… whatever you call it they come in and out of fashion but never go away.

Granny squares make a fantastic stash buster, you can make them all one colour or change colour each round. They can be used for big projects and small ones.

They are perfect for beginners. No worrying about keeping the edges straight and it’s easy to see when they’ve gone wrong.

They are quick, so you get almost instant satisfaction.

They are portable. Their small size makes them perfect for crafting on the go, when you are waiting for a hospital appointment or for the kids to finish their activities etc.

How to make Granny Squares

I’ve never made a tutorial as there are already so many great ones online. My favourite is this You Tube Video from Bella Coco. Eye Love Knots has a great photo tutorial written in US crochet terms and Cherry Heart Crochet has a lovely photo tutorial in UK crochet terms.

You can use any yarn, but if you use different yarns from your stash just make sure they are all the same weight.

Choose a hook size that suits your yarn, and I always recommend taking a photo of the hook and yarn together. That way if you put your project down for a while when you come back to it you know what size hook you were using.

What to make with Granny Squares

And now the fun bit, what to make with your granny squares. They are SO versatile so I’ve found loads of ideas to get you started, and the best bit - these are all ideas for a simple basic granny square pattern:

1) Pencil case

2) Dolly Mixtures blanket from Cherry Heart

3) Fingerless mittens from Lullaby Lodge

4) French Press/Cafetiere cover from A Bit of Sunshine

5) The Mabel Blanket from Meghan makes do

6) Granny Square dishcloth from Skip to my Lou

7) Mug Cosy from Life Made Creations

8) Granny Square scarf

9) Bookmark from Rich Textures Crochet

10) Slippers from Purl Soho

11) Pencil case from Annemarie’s Haak Blog

12) Camera Case from Red Haired Amazona

13) Drawstring pouch from Sew Happy Creative (this is a pattern to purchase on Etsy)

14) Tote bag from The Purple Poncho

15) Cushion cover from Merino and Tomatoes

16) Garland from Love the Blue Bird

17) Retro Cushion cover from BHooked

18) Kids Sweater from Craft and a Cuppa (another pattern to purchase from Etsy)

19) Hot Water Bottle Cover from Foxs lane

20) Vest Pattern from Gathered

21) Market Bag from Gathered

22) Purse from Petals to Picots

23) Hattie Tee from Holly Woodward Design (another pattern available to purchase as a download on Etsy)

24) Clutch Bag from Fair Isle Yarns at Love Crafts

25) Plant hanger from Crafty Ghoul

26) Pot Holder from Mama in a Stitch

27 & 28) Lampshade and Jar cover by Lori Holt - both on the same You Tube Video. Lori has lots more info about granny squares, rounds, colours etc which is very helpful too

29) Bucket Hat from Carroway Crochet

30) Pin Cushion from Stitch of Love

31) Bracelet from Jembelish

32) Denim and Crochet Scarf from Sew Crafty Crochet

33) Garden Slippers from Drops Design

34) Dilly Bag from Groovy Textiles

35) Colour Block Headband from My Poppet

36) Tea Cosy from Meet Me At Mikes

37) Wall Hanging from The Crochet Swirl

38) Cropped Jacket from Theodora Goes Wild UK on Etsy

39) Crochet Belt from My Rose Valley

40) Headscarf from Annie Design Crochet

41) Wall Hanging from Juniper and Oakes

42) Vest PDF Pattern from TS Crochet Design on Etsy

43) Notions Pouch from Sew Happy Creative

44) Brooch - this is one from my Etsy shop, I have plans to make a proper tutorial so you can make your own soon. I’ll update here when that is done.

45) Cowl Pattern from Little Doolally on Etsy

46) Earrings from Sun Sand Stitch

47) Hairband from Brunaticality on You Tube

48) Baby Cubes from Gracious Rain

Can you enjoy the Granny Square aesthetic if you don’t crochet? Sure you can!

How about a print for your craft space?

Send your friends some Granny Love with these Greeting cards:

How about sewing with a Granny Square print fabric?

This gorgeous print is coming in 2 different print sizes from Fabric Godmother.

Hopefully you are feeling inspired to dig around the bottom of your crochet project bags to see if you have any lonely granny squares that are just waiting to fulfil their destiny and be made into something - I surely can’t be the only person who has at least a couple of odd granny squares in almost every bag?

Julie

I’ll be sharing this collection at some of these link ups