Crochet Tutorial: How to Make a Granny Square for Beginners

Go back to basics and learn how to crochet the granny square in this step-by-step tutorial with Katie Jones

When you hear the word crochet, you probably think of a granny square. Those squares that, together, create colorful throws, jumpers, teapot cozies, and cushion covers.

There are many different ways to create a granny square, and in this tutorial, crochet artist and business owner Katie Jones (@katiejonesknit) is going to show you one of them. Her colorful work inspires joy in those who see it, and it has been featured in the V&A museum as well as publications such as The Telegraph and The Guardian.

If you want to learn how to make a single-color granny square, then check out this tutorial!

How to Crochet a Granny Square

What you will need:

- Practice yarn
- A hook
- Scissors

1. Crochet the central ring

Set up your hook and yarn. Create your slipknot by making an “e” shape with your yarn and looping it around your hook. Begin by creating four chains: remember that it only counts as a chain when you pull it off your hook (don’t count the loop around your hook). Once you have your four chains, stab the hook through the middle of your first stitch. You should get a semi-circle shape. Loop the yarn around your hook and pull through both stitches. Now you have the central ring of your granny square.

2. Create a treble stitch

Crochet three chain stitches. Wrap the yarn around your hook and go through the middle of the initial ring. Hook the yarn from the back and pull it through to the right side. Now you should have three loops on your hook.

Wrap your yarn over your hook once and pull through two of the three loops. Now you should have two loops left. Wrap the yarn around your hook again, and pull through the final two. You have now completed your first treble stitch.

3. Crochet the first round of the granny square

Work another treble into the loop, and you will have your first “granny cluster”. For the corners, you want two chains and three trebles. Continue doing this until you have done all four corners. Pull your square into shape every so often.

4. Secure the first round with a slip stitch.

To complete your first round, do your final two chains, then create the slip stitch. To do this, count three chains from your first chain of that round, go under the two loops, grab your yarn from the back, and pull through everything.

5. Begin your second round

Turn your square over and begin the second round. Katie Jones recommends doing this to ensure that your granny square will be flat once completed. There should be four gaps in your first round. In each of those corner gaps, you need to crochet three trebles, two chains, and three trebles.

After you have done one corner, go directly to the next corner, and repeat the three trebles, two chains, and three trebles. Once you have completed this round, secure with a slip stitch like you did at the end of the first round.

6. Begin your third (and final) round

Once again, turn around your granny square to begin your third round. You are beginning from the middle gap (not a corner gap). For the middle gaps, you only need to do three trebles (one cluster). Once you have completed the three trebles, go directly to the corner gap, and crochet three trebles, two chains, and three trebles. Carry on like this: making three trebles, two chains, and three trebles for the corner gaps, and three trebles for the middle gaps.

7. Finishing your granny square

On completing the third and final round, secure with a slip stitch. To fasten it off, create one more chain. Snip off the yarn, making sure to leave a tail of 10-15cm in length, then pull the end through the loop, which will secure the square.

Did you like this tutorial? If you want to learn all the different ways you can make granny squares, and bring them together into your own granny square sweater, then check out Katie Jones’ course, Granny Square Crochet: Make Your Own Sweater.

Plus, discover more free tips and tricks from Domestika teachers on the creativity tutorials section of our blog.

You may also like:

- Crochet Tutorial: How to Make a 3 Color Popcorn Stitch
- Essential Tools to Create Your First Granny Square Garments
- Crochet Pattern Design: Find Your Signature Style, a course by Molla Mills
- Domestika Plus: Your Journey to Creative Growth Starts Here