Monday, November 1, 2010

Do it yourself Grannyism (aka how to make Granny Squares)

 In my last post (about how I should be certified as a grandmother because I am SO GOOD at making granny squares!) I said if anyone wanted my (or my grammie's actually) pattern, to ask. And someone did. So, if you are a person who is interested, KEEP READING. If not, run away now. Run, run, as fast as you can. I am about to begin speaking crochet.

HOW TO MAKE A GRANNY SQUARE,  
according to my Grammie M&M *and yes, she is truly called that*
 
^^^ That^^^ is what your final product should look like.
This is what you are aiming for, more or less.

I uses regular old acrylic yarn, in a mix of colors ( I do 5 per square, but you could do more if you wanted larger ones) and a size F crochet needle.
*side note: this site will be helpful if you need to brush up on your crochet stitches terminology*

'Lettuce' begin.

COLOR ONE-- take your first color and leaving a little tail (there will be lots, which you will weave in with a darning needle later. awful process. the worst part, sorry...) make a loop. Chain 4. Connect the 4th into the 1st with a single crochet. You should then have a ring.
Into that ring double crochet 12. Connect with a slip stitch. You should then have a chunky little circle.
Go into the first double crochet, and  Double crochet 4. Chain 1. Repeat 3 more times. Connect with a slip stitch. Cut yarn (leave tail!) and tie off. Your original circle should now have 4 double crochets in each corner with a little...arch? gap? space?...in between.

COLOR TWO--  Go into the double crochet you just left off on. You will be in one of the corners. From here on in, you are always going to DOUBLE CROCHET 4 IN THE CORNERS. Chain 1. And then DOUBLE CROCHET 2 IN THE "ARCHES" (the little gaps in between, left by the places you chained in the previous color). {So in color two you will Double crochet (DC) 4, Chain  (ch)1, DC 2, ch 1, DC 4,ch 1, DC 2, ch 1, DC 4, ch 1, DC 2, ch 1, DC 4, ch 1, DC 2, ch 1 and connect with a slip back into the first corner. }Connect, cut, tie off.

COLORS THREE-FIVE (or whatever number you pick according to the size you want)-- follow the same pattern, doing 4 double crochets in the corners and 2 double crochets in all the little arches. Chaining in between everything...

When you are all finished you want to tie all your tails (nice and tight!) and then weave in what is left of them with a darning needle.

If you have any questions (or if this makes no sense at all...sorry, I've never really written out a pattern before!) comment and let me know! Hopefully this helps those of you who were interested get started on using up some of your scrap yarns!




8 comments:

beka said...

Ohh, I love granny squares!
When I was like 12, I had a ton of different colored cotton yarn, and I made tons of granny squares. Of course...I never got around to making that into a blanket... darnit. :P

Ellie said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you! A whole post on it! :) This is such a wonderful way to use up scraps! Very much appreciated!

Ellie

(you did a great job on writing out the pattern too!)

Kate said...

Thank you thank you! They are so comfortable. I got them on sale at Free People. I love them.

love.

Michelle Clement said...

Oh, cool! I love the pattern! Thanks for sharing it. :) It has a very authentically grandma/vintage vibe - lovely!

Amber said...

I wanna learn to do this so bad!! I just need to sit down and do it.
What a pretty blanket that will be!!

thanks for all the sweet comments!
I got that dress last year from Target. :]

Nell said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog, it's always nice to meet someone new. Plus i've now come over to your blog and found someone has written a pattern for a granny squares blanket. I am desperate for one and keep hoping i'll find one for about £5 in a charity shop. That would be the most awesome of finds.
I am up to hear (reaching my arm up very high!) at the moment in knitting, so alas no new crafts for me at the moment, but i've bookmarked this page so some day i'll be able to do it.
I just found the most fantastic one online for £65, but i can't quite bring myself to purchase it when i know i could make one myself and it'd be way more satisfying.
I love your colour combos by the way and can't wait to see the finished piece x

Nell said...

ps. woah, that was a mammoth post, whoops! x

Lucy, Dear Fish said...

Love this! I have a few knitting projects going on right now, but as soon as those are finished, this one will be next for sure!

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