Free Pattern Guide: How to Crochet a Granny Square

From sweaters to blankets, you can learn to crochet your own cozy pieces using the traditional granny square style

As winter draws in and temperatures start to drop, there’s nothing quite like the comfort of a cozy sweater or blanket. British knitwear designer Katie Jones (@katiejonesknit) is a pro when it comes to using yarn to craft all kinds of statement pieces.

Running her own crochet brand, she sells patterns for vibrant colored crocheted garments online, and her designs have been featured at the V&A Museum as well as in publications including The Telegraph and The Guardian.

Here, Katie shares her pattern guide for how to crochet a basic granny square that you can then use to create all sorts of winter warmers. But first, let’s find out a bit more about the granny square technique.

What is a granny square?

A crochet square motif made using a simple amount of stitches, the granny square actually dates back to the 19th century—it was first seen in The Art of Crocheting as an etching back in 1891.

The name granny square is said to come from the style’s popularity among grannys. Traditional granny squares feature a very simple motif that, when joined together, can be used to make all kinds of variations. The easy-to-feel gaps in the pattern when stitching meant that ailing eyesight also wasn’t a barrier.

Traditionally, granny squares use different colors of yarn for each row (as a way to use up odds and ends) and are edged in a black border.

Following a boom in the 1960s and ‘70s, today there are all kinds of adaptations on the granny square that’s seen everywhere from fast fashion brands to catwalks—including collections by Christopher Kane, Ashish, and more.

Free Download: Basic Granny Square Pattern

In the resource below, Katie shares a step-by-step visual instruction guide to the basic granny square with images and written instructions. You’ll also find longhand pattern instructions along with their shorthand abbreviations to help you get used to pattern reading.

After clicking on the button below, you’ll find a PDF file in your Downloads folder titled, Basic Granny Square Crochet Pattern by Katie Jones.

If you want to learn more, you can sign up for Katie Jones’ online course, Granny Square Crochet: Make Your Own Sweater, in which you’ll learn how to crochet the iconic granny square and assemble your stitches to create a bold statement piece packed with color.

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