Free pattern
Simple Granny Square
Three rounds of double crochet worked into corner spaces. One square is a coaster; a few dozen joined together is a blanket, which is why this is worth getting comfortable with before buying a blanket kit.
- Skill level
- Beginner (comfortable with chain and double crochet)
- Finished size
- About 4 inches square
- Time
- 30 to 45 minutes
What you need
- Worsted weight yarn, small amount (under 25 yards per square)
- 5mm (H-8) hook
- Scissors
- Yarn needle
Abbreviations
- ch
- chain
- dc
- double crochet
- sl st
- slip stitch
- sp
- space
- st(s)
- stitch(es)
Instructions
- Round 1Ch 4, sl st in first ch to form a ring. Ch 3 (counts as first dc), 2 dc into ring, ch 2, *3 dc into ring, ch 2* rep 2 more times (4 groups of 3 dc total, with a ch-2 space between each). Sl st to top of starting ch-3 to join. (4 corner groups)
- Round 2Sl st into next ch-2 sp. Ch 3 (counts as first dc), (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) all into that same ch-2 sp — this makes one corner. Ch 1. *(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) into next ch-2 sp, ch 1* rep around all 4 corners. Sl st to top of starting ch-3 to join.
- Round 3Sl st into next ch-2 sp. Ch 3 (counts as first dc), (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) into that same ch-2 sp. Ch 1, 3 dc into next ch-1 sp, ch 1. *(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) into next ch-2 sp, ch 1, 3 dc into next ch-1 sp, ch 1* rep around all 4 corners. Sl st to top of starting ch-3 to join.
Finishing
Fasten off, leaving a 6 inch tail for weaving in, or leave a longer tail if you plan to join squares together later.
Notes
- The ch-2 spaces at the corners are what make a granny square a square instead of a circle. Every round, your 3-dc groups go into that same corner space, which is why the square grows outward evenly.
- Miscounting which space to work into (corner ch-2 space vs. side ch-1 space) is the most common mistake here. If your square is coming out lopsided or not square, check that you worked corners into corners and not into a side space by accident.
- One square makes a coaster-sized piece. To make anything bigger, like a blanket, you make many squares and join them together, which is a separate skill worth practicing once single squares feel easy.
What to make next
If you're thinking about a full blanket made of squares like this, it's worth reading through our best crochet blanket kits guide first, since a full blanket is a much bigger time commitment than a single square and it helps to know what you're signing up for. If you'd rather stick with double crochet in a flat, single piece a while longer, the simple beginner scarf is a good next step. Back to all free patterns.