This pattern is based on the Granny Square, but more and more rounds have been added so that it is a Giant Granny Square. It is a simple design and perfect for mindful crocheting. The colours are vibrant and ‘autumnal’, but you can use whatever colour scheme you choose.
Materials
For this blanket I used 10 balls of Stylecraft Special DK in colours:
- Spice (1x100g),
- Tomato (1x100g),
- Lime (1x100g),
- Duck Egg (1x100g),
- Grey (1x100g),
- Silver (1x100g),
- Saffron (1x100g),
- Storm Blue (1x100g) and,
- Claret (2x100g).
You can purchase this yarn here.
You will need a crochet hook (I used a 3.5mm, but use what hook suits you), scissors and a darning needle.
Stitch Guide – UK terms are used throughout
- Dc –double crochet: Insert hook into stitch, yarn over hook, pull though stitch (2 loops on hook), yarn over hook, pull through remaining two loops (US Single Crochet)
- Tr –treble crochet: Yarn over hook. Insert hook into stitch, yarn over hook, pull through stitch (3 loops on hook), yarn over hook, pull through two loops (2 loops on hook), yarn over pull through remaining two loops (US double crochet)
- Ch –chain
- Ss –slip stitch
- Picot Stitch – dc (US single crochet) into 4 stitches, Chain 3, ss into first chain, dc (US single crochet) into next 4 stitches, repeat.
Gauge
I chose to make this blanket quite big and it measures 112cm x 112cm. You can add more or less rounds according to your preference. I used hook size 3.5mm so if you use a bigger or smaller hook you will find that your blanket will be a slightly different size. The gauging is not important for this blanket. Approximately by the end of 5 rounds my granny square measured 10cm (4 inches).
Notes on the Pattern
This pattern uses a traditional granny square.It involves sets of granny clusters/granny stitch.A granny cluster is a set of 3 trebles (UK terms) (or ch3 and 2 trebles if it is the start of a new round).Each granny cluster is worked in the spaces formed between the clusters of the previous round.
I do not include a chain between granny clusters – but some patterns and tutorials do include this.For this pattern I have chained 1 to form each corner (some patterns will have 2 or 3 chains in the corners – I quite often use 2, but for this I used only 1).There are no rights or wrongs with this – it is personal preference, so you can choose.
I also turn the square over after each round – I think this helps to keep to the square nice and even.
A video tutorial can be found further down the page.
Written Pattern
Round 1. Using Claret yarn Ch4.Ss into the 4th chain from the hook to form a ring.Instead of this you can form a magic ring if you prefer (there are several videos on the internet demonstrating how to do this).Ch3 (counts as one tr), 2tr into the ring, ch1, *3tr into the ring, ch1*, repeat *to* two more times.Join with a ss into the top of the first chain 3 to close.Fasten off and weave in ends.
Round 2. Turn the square over.Join Saffron yarn with a ss in any ch1 corner space (I always like to start in a different corner space).Ch3 (counts as one tr) and then 2tr into the space, *3tr into next corner space, ch1, 3tr*, repeat *to* twice more, then 3tr into the corner you started with, ch1 and the join with a ss into the top of the first Ch3 to close.Fasten off. Weave in ends.
Round 3. Turn the square over. Using Grey yarn join with a sl st in any ch1 corner space.ch3 (counts as one tr) and then 2tr into the corner space, *work 3 tr into the next space between two treble clusters from the round below, then work 3tr into next corner space, ch1, 3tr*, repeat *to* twice more, 3tr into next treble cluster space, 3tr into the corner that you started, ch1 and then join with a Sl St into the top of the first chain 3 to close.Fasten off. Weave in ends.
Round 4. Turn the square over, using Spice yarn join with a ss in any ch1 corner space. Ch3 (counts as one tr) and then 2tr into the corner space, *work 3tr in each of the spaces between the treble clusters from the row below, at the corner work [3tr, ch1, 3tr]*, continue from *to* until you get back to the corner you started, work 3tr, ch1 and ss into the top of the first chain to close. Fasten off. Weave in ends.
Subsequent rounds – repeat instructions for Round 4. You can do whichever colour order that you prefer, but below is the order that I chose.
Video Tutorial of how to make a Granny Square
Video tutorial can be foundhere.
If you choose to do more or less rounds, ensure that you finish on a Claret round as this works with the border. Do not fasten off on your final round.
Border: The border is worked all in Claret. I did not turn the square over between rounds of the border. In simple terms the border is a round of dc, a round of tr and a round of picot stitch.
Border Round 1: Ch2 and work 1dc in the top of each stitch all the way around the blanket. At the corner work 3dc into the corner space. At the end of the round ss into the ch2 you formed at the start of the round.
Border Round 2: Ch3 and then work 1tr in each stitch around the blanket, working 5tr in the corner space. At the end of the round ss into the Ch3 you formed at the start of the round.
Border Round 3. This final row of the border is a picot stitch. Ch2(counts as 1 dc), work a dc into the next 3 stitches, *Ch3, ss into 1st ch, dc into next 4 stitches*, repeat from *to* until you have reached the start of the corner. I found that it worked best if I had a picot at the corner space (which is the middle the 5 trebles in the corner of the round below). I worked a dc in this middle stitch, ch3, ss into the first chain and then dc into the same stitch before 3dc into the next 3 stitches. (Alternatively if you do not want the picot at the corner you can work 3dc into the corner stitch.) Continue with the picot stitch until you have reached the starting chain 2. Ss into first ch2. Fasten off and weave in ends.
