by Starting your crochet journey with the classic granny square is a fantastic choice! It is a fundamental building block of crochet, easy to master, and highly versatile. This guide is designed to be as clear and straightforward as possible, using only the basic stitches you need to succeed.
Easy Granny Square Tutorial for Beginners
A classic granny square is worked in rounds from the center outward, primarily using the double crochet (dc) stitch.
Materials You’ll Need
- Yarn: Medium-weight yarn (often labeled as worsted or size 4). Choose a light color to easily see your stitches.
- Crochet Hook: The size recommended for your yarn (check the yarn label).
- Scissors: For cutting yarn.
- Tapestry Needle: For weaving in the ends.
- Stitch Marker (Optional): To mark the corner spaces, if you find them confusing at first.
Quick Crochet Terms
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- dc: double crochet
- sp: space
- st(s): stitch(es)
- Cluster: A group of 3 dc stitches.
Step-by-Step Guide
Round 1: Creating the Center and First Clusters
- Start the Ring: Make a slip knot, then ch 4. Join with a sl st into the first chain to form a ring. (This small ring will be the center hole of your square.)
- First Side and Corner:
- ch 3 (This counts as your first dc).
- Work 2 dc into the center ring. (This forms your first 3-dc “cluster”.)
- ch 2 (This creates your first corner space).
- Repeat Three Times:
- Work 3 dc into the ring.
- ch 2.
- Finish the Round: You should have four 3-dc clusters and four ch-2 corner spaces. Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 3.
- (Tip: Gently pull the tail of your starting ring to cinch the center hole tight.)
Round 2: Building the Square Shape
In this round, you work into the spaces from the previous round, not into the stitches themselves.
- Move to the Corner: sl st into the next two dc’s, and then sl st into the first ch-2 corner space. This positions you correctly to begin the round.
- First Full Corner:
- ch 3 (counts as first dc), work 2 dc into the same corner space.
- ch 2.
- Work 3 dc into the same corner space. (Your first complete corner is: (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc).)
- First Side Space:
- ch 1 (This is the chain that separates the clusters along the sides).
- Repeat Three Times: Move to the next ch-2 corner space (the next corner).
- Work (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) into that space.
- ch 1.
- Finish the Round: Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 3.
Round 3 and Beyond: Making it Bigger
This is the repeating pattern that makes the square grow. You always work the full corner cluster into the corner spaces and the simple cluster (3 dc) into the side spaces.
- Move to the Corner: sl st over to the next ch-2 corner space.
- Corner: Work the full corner cluster: (ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) into the corner space.
- Sides:
- ch 1.
- Work the simple cluster: 3 dc into the next ch-1 side space.
- ch 1.
- (On this round, you only have one side space, but on future rounds, you would repeat the (3 dc, ch 1) sequence for every side space you encounter.)
- Next Corner: Work (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) into the next ch-2 corner space.
- Repeat the side and corner sequence around the square.
- Finish the Round: Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 3.
Continue repeating Round 3 until your granny square is the size you want!
Finishing Your Square
- Weave in Ends: Cut your yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail. Thread this tail onto your tapestry needle and weave it securely into the stitches on the back of your square.
- Blocking (Optional): If your square looks a bit uneven, wetting it and pinning it flat until it dries (blocking) will make the edges straight and the square perfectly defined.
Now that you’ve mastered the basic granny square, would you like to try making a colorful one or joining them together for a blanket?
Video tutorial:
