There are a seemingly limitless number of ways to crochet granny squares and other motifs, and even the most traditional style has a few variations. Let’s look at the two most common!
For a granny square, there will always be four corners, and a corner will always have two three-double crochet shells with chains between them (usually two chains, but some patterns call for one or even three) in the same chain space.
On the first round of a granny square, you are setting up the square by working four shells and four corner spaces. On the second round you are working four corners.
On the third and subsequent rounds, you are working four corners plus an ever-increasing number of side shells – one side shell of three double crochets on Round 3, two on Round 4, and so on until your granny square has reached the desired size.
The biggest difference between the following two variations is where the round begins and ends, and therefore the starting chain.
Variation One is on the left, Variation Two on the right
Variation One begins with a chain-three which replaces the first double crochet in a corner. Variation Two begins with a chain-five which replaces what will end up begin the third double crochet in a corner and that corner’s chain-two space.
Variation One is on the left, Variation Two on the right
GRANNY SQUARE: VARIATION ONE
Ch 4, join into a ring with a sl st in the first ch.
Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc here and throughout), 2 dc in ring, ch 2, (3 dc in ring, ch 2) 3 times. Join round with sl st in top of beg-ch-3. 12 dc total
Round 2: Sl st in each of next 2 dc and in next ch-2 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same ch-2 sp, ch 1, [(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp, ch 1] 3 times. Join round with sl st in top of beg-ch-3. 24 dc total
Round 3: Sl st in each of next 2 dc and in next ch-2 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same ch-2 sp, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, [(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1] 3 times. Join round with sl st in top of beg-ch-3. 36 dc total
Round 4: Sl st in each of next 2 dc and in next ch-2 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same ch-2 sp, (ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp) twice, ch 1, [(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp, ch 1, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) twice] 3 times. Join round with sl st in top of beg-ch-3. 48 dc total
Repeat Round 4 to desired size, changing “twice” to 3 times, 4 times, 5 times, etc., with each subsequent round.
GRANNY SQUARE: VARIATION TWO
Ch 4, join into a ring with a sl st in the first ch.
Round 1: Ch 5 (counts as dc, ch-2 here and throughout), (3 dc in ring, ch 2) 3 times, 2 dc in ring. Join round with sl st in third ch of beg-ch-5. 12 dc total
Round 2: Sl st in next ch-2 sp, ch 5, 3 dc in same ch-2 sp, ch 1, [(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp, ch 1] 3 times, 2 dc in first ch-2 sp. Join round with sl st in third ch of beg-ch-5. 24 dc total
Round 3: Sl st in next ch-2 sp, ch 5, 3 dc in same ch-2 sp, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, [(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1] 3 times, 2 dc in first ch-2 sp. Join round with sl st in third ch of beg-ch-5. 36 dc total
Round 4: Sl st in next ch-2 sp, ch 5, 3 dc in same ch-2 sp, (ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp) twice, ch 1, [(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp, ch 1, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) twice] 3 times. Join round with sl st in third ch of beg-ch-5. 48 dc total
Repeat Round 4 to desired size, changing “twice” to 3 times, 4 times, 5 times, etc., with each subsequent round.
Personally, I use Variation Two as my go-to because it eliminated the slip stitch “hats” that your first shell gets in Variation One. However, if you are a super tight crocheter, Variation One will be easier for you, as you may fight to get the correct placement of the last two double crochets of the round in Variation Two. Alternatively, if I’m using a multi-colored yarn, I prefer Variation One so that all three double crochet in a given shell will be the same color. Which one do you prefer?
Variation One is on the left, Variation Two on the right
Looking for more variations on the granny square? Check out another variation using half-double crochets in the corner in this article: Traditional Granny Square.
ABBREVIATIONS
- beg: beginning
- ch: chain
- dc: double crochet
- sl st: slip st
- sp: space
U.S. Crochet Terminology was used for the granny square instructions.
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Thanks for the information - it really was helpful.
I really enjoyed the instructions.