May
so about granny squares and all the variations
okay so the basic granny square is like your starting point right? it’s just chain 4, join to make a ring, then you do chain 3 (counts as first double crochet), 2 more double crochets in the ring, chain 2, then repeat that (3 dc, chain 2) three more times. join to the top of your starting chain 3 and boom you’ve got round 1. I made my first actual granny square blanket in spring 2022 when I was supposed to be doing literally anything else productive and honestly it saved me from doomscrolling so much.
the thing is once you get that basic pattern down you can mess with it in like a million ways and that’s where it gets interesting. you can change the stitch count in each cluster, add more rounds, use different stitches entirely, whatever.
solid granny squares
these are probably the easiest variation to start with. instead of doing chain 2 spaces between your clusters, you just do 1 dc in the gap. so it’d be like 3 dc in corner space, 1 dc in the space along the side, 3 dc in next corner, etc. they work up faster than you’d think and you don’t get those holes. I used Red Heart Super Saver for a baby blanket version of these in summer 2024 because it was for my cousin’s kid and let’s be real babies are gonna spit up on it anyway so might as well use the cheap washable stuff.
the annoying thing about solid granny squares though is they curl like crazy if you’re not careful with tension. I had to block every single one and blocking is just… it’s not fun when you have 50 squares to do.
circle/flower granny squares
okay so these start with a circle center instead of that little square hole. you make a magic ring or chain 4 and join, then for round 1 you do like chain 3, 15 dc into the ring, join. then round 2 is where you start making it square-ish by doing your clusters in specific spots to create corners. usually it’s something like chain 3, 2 dc in same stitch, skip 2 stitches, 3 dc in next stitch, chain 2, 3 dc in same stitch (that’s your corner), then repeat.
I made a whole bag of these while watching that show Succession which was probably a weird combo now that I think about it. used Caron Simply Soft in like 4 different colors. the petals end up looking really defined if you use a different color for round 1 vs round 2 and beyond.
sunburst granny square
this one’s actually not that much harder but it looks impressive. you start with a magic ring, chain 3, then 15 dc into ring. join. then for round 2 you do chain 4, skip next stitch, dc in next stitch, chain 1, and keep going around. it makes these spoke things. round 3 is where you start building the square by doing (3 dc, chain 2, 3 dc) in certain chain spaces to create corners.
the pattern I loosely followed had you continue spiraling out but honestly I kinda just eyeballed it after round 3 because once you see where the corners need to go you can just keep adding rounds of regular granny square pattern. works fine.
changing up the stitch types
so you don’t have to stick with double crochet clusters. like you can do treble crochet granny squares which make bigger holes and work up FAST. same basic concept but instead of dc you’re doing tr. chain 4 to start instead of chain 3. the squares get big quick so they’re good for like chunky blankets or if you’re impatient.
half double crochet granny squares are tighter and smaller. they’re kinda dense honestly and take longer but some people like that look. I tried making coasters with these once using Lily Sugar’n Cream cotton yarn and they were fine I guess but felt like a lot of work for coasters.
spike stitch variations
you can add spike stitches to regular granny squares to create these cool vertical lines. basically you work a normal granny square round, then on the next round you insert your hook down into a stitch from the previous round (not the current one) and pull up a long loop. creates texture. I saw someone do this on instagram and tried it but honestly it was annoying to keep track of where to put the spikes so I only made like 3 before giving up.
popcorn stitch granny squares
instead of flat dc clusters you make popcorns. that’s where you do 5 dc in same stitch, drop loop from hook, insert hook in first dc of the group, grab dropped loop and pull through. makes a bumpy texture. they’re fun but your hands will hate you if you make too many because you’re constantly dropping and grabbing loops.
I made a pillow cover with these in winter 2023 using some Bernat Blanket yarn I had leftover and it was actually really cute but took forever. my cat kept trying to sit on it while I was working which didn’t help.
size and round variations
you don’t have to stop at like 4 or 5 rounds. you can keep going and make giant granny squares. I made one that was probably 12 rounds once just to see how big it’d get and it was basically a small baby blanket by itself. used Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn in like 6 colors doing 2 rounds of each color.
or you can make tiny ones with thread weight yarn and a small hook. people make earrings and stuff out of those but I’ve never been that ambitious with tiny work because my eyes are just… yeah no.
rectangle granny “squares”
so these aren’t squares at all but same concept. you just don’t increase on all four sides evenly. you’d do your starting chain longer, work clusters along it with corners only at the actual ends, then continue working rounds but only putting corner increases at the two short ends. makes rectangles. good for scarves or table runners or whatever.
the math on these can get weird though if you’re trying to make a specific size. I always just kinda start and see what happens which probably isn’t helpful advice but it’s true.
color variations are where it gets fun
okay so beyond the actual stitch pattern, changing colors is how you make granny squares really different from each other. you can do each round a different color which is classic. or two rounds of each color. or random scraps which is what I usually end up doing because I have too much yarn and no organizational system.
there’s also planned color patterns like:
- ombre where you go from light to dark shades of one color
- rainbow order which is self explanatory
- alternating two colors back and forth
- same color but different textures of yarn
- using variegated yarn which does the color work for you basically
I did a blanket in summer 2024 using Lion Brand Mandala yarn which is variegated and honestly it did all the heavy lifting. every square looked different even though I used the same pattern. that particular blanket was during a rough patch with my job situation and I just needed something mindless to do with my hands that wasn’t scrolling through job postings at 11pm.
joining methods affect the final look too
you’ve got whip stitch, slip stitch, single crochet join, and join-as-you-go. each one creates a different look between the squares. slip stitch is basically invisible. single crochet makes a ridge that some people like as a design element. whip stitch is what I usually do because it’s fast and I’m gonna be honest I don’t have the patience for anything fancier most of the time.
join-as-you-go is where you connect squares AS you’re making the last round of each one which saves time later but you gotta plan your layout first and I’m not that organized so.
specific patterns worth trying
african flower
this isn’t technically a square it’s a hexagon but everyone groups it with granny squares anyway. it has this really pretty layered petal look. you start with a magic ring, do a round of single crochets, then build up petals using clusters of double crochets with chain spaces between them. each round adds another layer of petals in different colors usually.
I made exactly one of these and never made another because while it’s gorgeous the petal shaping requires actual attention to the pattern and I prefer patterns I can do while watching TV. used some Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK that I got on sale.
cathedral window/stained glass squares
these have a raised cross design in the middle that looks like window panes. you use front post and back post stitches to create the raised effect. it’s the same basic granny square structure but you alternate between front post double crochet and back post double crochet in specific patterns to make that 3D cross shape.
they look complicated but once you understand front post vs back post it’s not bad. front post you insert hook from front around the post of the stitch. back post you go from the back. that’s literally it.
virus/bacteria pattern
this one got popular on like tiktok or something. it’s not actually square either it’s more of a hexagon situation but it creates this spreading organic shape that does kinda look like bacteria under a microscope. you work in spirals doing increase rounds with specific stitch patterns that create points.
never made one myself because by the time I saw it trending I was already committed to other projects and also the name is just… I dunno it’s weird to me.
troubleshooting common issues
if your squares aren’t coming out actually square, it’s usually a tension thing. you might be pulling tighter on certain sides without realizing it. or you’re miscounting stitches in corners. corners should always have the same number of stitches (usually 3 dc, chain 2, 3 dc or some variation of that).
if they’re curling, you might be using a hook that’s too small for your yarn weight. or again, tension. blocking helps but shouldn’t be totally necessary for a basic square.
if you lose track of where you are in the round, use a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round. I forget to do this constantly and then have to count and recount and it’s the most annoying thing about granny squares honestly. that and weaving in all the ends when you change colors every round.
speaking of ends, some people crochet over their tails as they go to avoid weaving them in later. I know I should do this. I never remember to do this until I have 47 ends to weave in and I’m filled with regret.
yarn weight matters more than you think
same pattern with different yarn weights will give you totally different sized squares. worsted weight with a 5mm hook is pretty standard. but you can use chunky yarn with a bigger hook for huge squares that work up fast, or sport weight with a smaller hook for delicate looking squares.
I made some squares with Red Heart With Love (which is worsted) and then tried to add to the same blanket later with Caron One Pound (also supposedly worsted) and they were slightly different sizes and it drove me crazy. not all worsted weight is created equal apparently.
mixing different square types in one project
you can totally mix different granny square variations in the same blanket or whatever. like some solid squares, some regular holey ones, some with flower centers. as long as they all end up the same size it works. gives it a sampler quilt vibe.
the trick is to keep making rounds until each different pattern reaches the same measurement. so your solid square might need 5 rounds but your regular granny might need 6 rounds to reach the same 6 inches or whatever you’re going for.
I started a blanket like this in early 2023 and it’s still not done because I keep getting distracted by new patterns and adding them to the mix. it’s gonna be huge and chaotic and honestly I’m not even sure all the squares are exactly the same size anymore but whatever it’ll be fine probably.
anyway that’s most of what I know about granny square variations. there’s probably more fancy ones out there but these are the main types you’ll see. once you understand the basic concept of working in rounds with corners you can pretty much modify anything or make up your own variations. I do that sometimes when I can’t find my phone to look up a pattern and just wing it based on what seems like it would work.
