[tutorial] Granny Square to the Max

One of the things that I love about granny squares is the seemingly infinite color combinations and stitches!

My mom gave me this book and I couldn’t put it down. I knew I needed to do something with it.

Here are 7 different squares, but this is just touching the surface.

I had WAY too much fun making these. I needed to tell myself to stop because there were lots of other things to do for the issue.

Maybe you’re like me, or maybe you just want to see a few so you can choose among those. If you’re more restrained (and have more self-control?), take a peek at these 7 to see their beauty.

And, I wanted to show you how they looked right after coming off the hook. Before they were joined together and before they were blocked. They don’t look perfectly square, but once they’re blocked and joined, they’ll be great.

I wanted them to coordinate so they looked like they went together. So, I used a 5-skein set of Tough Love Sock Party of 5 from Sweet Georgia in the Tofino Roadtrip colorway.

Yarn

Golden Hour (tan), Surf Shack (blue), Birch (Off-white)

With Golden Hour, ch 6; join with slip st to form ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as first dc now and throughout), 3 dc in ring, (ch 2, 4 dc in ring) 3 times, ch 1, sc in first dc to form last ch-2 sp: 16 dc and 4 ch-2 sps.

Rnd 2: Ch 3, 3 dc in same sp, (4 dc, ch 2, 4 dc) in next 3 ch-2 eps, 4 dc in same sp as first dc, ch 2; join with slip st to first dc and FO: 32 dc and 4 ch-2 sps.

Rnd 3 (with Surf Shack): Join with slip st at start of corner; (ch 3, 3 dc, ch 2, 4 dc) in ch sp of corner, *sk next 4 dc, 5 dc in sp, sk next set of dc, (4 dc, ch 2, 4 dc) in ch sp of corner; rep from * 2 more times, sk next 4 dc, 5 dc in sp, join with sl st to first dc: 52 dc

Rnd 4: Sl st in first 4 dc’s of corner; (ch 3, 3 dc, ch 2, sc, ch 2, 4 dc) in corner, sk next 4 dc, *2 dc in next dc, dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next dc, (4 dc, ch 2, sc, ch 2, 4 dc) in next corner, sk next 4 dc; rep from * 2 more times, 2 dc in next dc, dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next dc, join with sl st to first dc and FO: 4 sl st, 60 dc, 4 sc, 8 ch-2 sps.

Rnd 5 (with Birch):  Join to first dc in clump of (2 dc, 3 dc, 2 dc), ch 3, 6 dc, 2 hdc, 2 sc, 4 ch, sk (ch sp, sc and ch sp), *2 sc, 2 hdc, 7 dc, 2 hdc, 2 sc, 4 ch, sk (ch sp, sc and ch sp), rep from * 2 more times, 4 ch, sk (ch sp, sc and ch sp), 2sc, 2hdc, join with sl st to first dc and FO: 28 dc, 16 hdc, 16 sc, 16 ch-4 sps.

Yarn

Birch (Off-white), Golden Hour (tan), Sea Grass (light green)

With Birch, Ch 10; join with slip st to form ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 4 (counts as first dc plus ch 1), (dc in ring, ch 1) 15 times; join slip st to first dc: 16 dc.

Rnd 2: Slip st in first ch-1 sp, work Beginning Popcorn, (ch 1, work Popcorn in next ch-1 sp) 3 times, ch 3, * work Popcorn in next ch-1 sp, (ch 1, work Popcorn in next ch-1 sp) 3 times, ch 3; repeat from * 2 times more; join with slip st to top of Beginning Popcorn, finish off: 16 Popcorns and 16 sps.

Rnd 3 (with Golden Hour), Join with slip st in any ch-3 sp; ch 3 (counts as first dc, now and throughout), (3 dc, ch 2, 4 dc) in same sp, ch 1, (dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) 3 times, * (4 dc, ch 2, 4 dc) in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, (dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) 3 times; repeat from * 2 times more; join with slip st to first dc, finish off: 44 dc and 20 sps.

Rnd 4 (with Sea Grass): Join with slip st in any corner ch-2 sp; ch 3, (dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in same sp, skip next dc, dc in next 3 dc, * ch 1, (dc in next dc, ch 1) 3 times, dc in next 3 dc, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in next corner ch-2 sp, skip next dc, dc in next 3 dc; repeat from * 2 times more; ch 1, (dc in next dc, ch 1) 3 times, dc in next 3 dc; join with slip st to first dc, finish off.

Yarn

Bison (Brown), Surf Shack (blue), Golden Hour (tan)

With Bison, ch 6; join with slip st to form ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 6, (dc in ring, ch 3) 7 times; join with slip st to third ch of beginning ch-6: 8 ch-3 sps.

Rnd 2 (with Surf Shack): Slip st in first ch-3 sp, ch 3 (counts as first dc, now and throughout), 3 dc in same sp, (ch 1, 4 dc in next ch-3 sp) around, sc in first dc to form last ch-1 sp: 32 dc and 8 ch-1 sps.

Rnd 3 (with Golden Hour): Slip st in any corner, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, ch 3, sc in next ch-1 sp, ch 3, * (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-1 sp, ch 3, sc in next ch-1 sp, ch 3; repeat from * 2 times more, 3 dc in same sp as first dc, ch 2, slip st to join: 24 dc and 12 sps.

Rnds 4 and 5: Slip st to get to middle of that same corner, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, ch 1, (3 hdc in next sp, ch 1) across to next corner ch-2 sp, * (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in corner ch-2 sp, ch 1, (3 hdc in next sp, ch 1) across to next corner ch-2 sp; repeat from * 2 times more, 3 dc in same sp as first dc, ch 2, slip st to join.

Yarn

Surf Shack (blue) and Birch (off-white)

Special Stitches

Decrease (uses next 2 ch-1 sps): *Yo, insert hook in next ch-1 sp, YO and pull up a loop, YO and draw through 2 loops on hook; repeat from * once more, YO and draw through all 3 loops on the hook.

Treble Crochet Cluster (abbr tr Cluster): *YO twice, insert hook into ring, YO and pull up a loop, (YO and draw through 2 loops on hook) twice; repeat from * once more, YO and draw through all 3 loops on hook.

Double Crochet Cluster (abbr dc Cluster): *YO, insert hook in ch-1 sp indicated, YO and pull up a loop, YO and draw through 2 loops on hook; repeat from * once more, YO and draw through all 3 loops on hook.

Double Treble Crochet (abbr dtr): YO 3 times, insert hook in ch-5 sp indicated, YO and pull up a loop (5 loops on hook), (YO and draw through 2 loops on hook) 4 times.

With Surf Shack, ch 4; join with slip st to form ring

Rnd 1: Ch 3, tr in ring, ch 3, (work tr Cluster, ch 3) 7 times; join with slip st to first tr: 8 ch-3 sps.

Rnd 2: Slip st in first ch-3 sp, ch 1, sc in same sp, ch 5, (sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 5) around; join with slip st to first sc.

Rnd 3: Slip st in first ch-5 sp, ch 6 (counts as first dtr plus ch 1), dtr in same sp, (ch 1, dtr in same sp) 9 times, sc in next ch-5 sp, * dtr in next ch-5 sp, (ch 1, dtr in same sp) 10 times, sc in next ch-5 sp; repeat from * 2 times more; join with slip st to first dtr, finish off: 48 sts and 40 ch-1 sps.

Rnd 4 with Birch: slip st in fifth ch-1 sp of any 11-dtr group; ch 2, dc in same sp, ch 4, (work dc Cluster in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) 4 times, decrease, * (ch 1, work dc Cluster in next ch-1sp) 4 times, ch 4, (work dc Cluster in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) 4 times, decrease; repeat from * 2 times more, ch 1, (work dc Cluster in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) 3 times; join with slip st to first dc, finish off: 36 sps.

Rnd 5 with Surf Shack: Join with sc in any corner ch-4 sp; ch 5, sc in same sp, ch 3, (sc in next ch-1 sp, ch 3) across to next corner ch-4 sp, * (sc, ch 5, sc) in corner ch-4 sp, ch 3, (sc in next ch-1 sp, ch 3) across to next corner ch-4 sp; repeat from * 2 times more; join with slip st to first sc, finish off.

Yarn

Surf Shack (Blue) and Bison (Brown)

Special Stitches

Puff Stitch: *YO, insert hook in sp indicated, YO and pull up a loop even with the loop on hook; repeat from * 2 times more, YO and draw through all 7 loops on hook.

With Surf Shack, ch 6; join with slip st to form a ring.

Rnd 1: Pull up a ½” loop, (work Puff St in ring, ch 1) 8 times; join with slip st to top of first Puff St: 8 ch-1 sps.

Rnd 2: Slip st in first ch-1 sp, pull up a ½” loop, (work Puff St, ch 2) twice in same sp and in each ch-1 sp around; join with slip st to top of first Puff St: 16 ch-2 sps.

Rnd 3 (with Bison): Slip st in first ch-2 sp, ch 3 (counts as first dc, now and throughout), dc in same sp, ch 1, (2 hdc in next ch-2 sp, ch 1) 3 times, * (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-2 sp, ch 1, (2 hdc in next ch-2 sp, ch 1) 3 times; repeat from * 2 times more, 2 dc in same sp as first dc, ch 1, sc in first dc to form last ch-2 sp: 20 sps.

Rnd 4: Ch 3, dc in same sp, 2 dc in each ch-1 sp across to next corner ch-2 sp, * (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in corner ch-2 sp, 2 dc in each ch-1 sp across to next corner ch-2 sp; repeat from * 2 times more, 2 dc in same sp as first dc, ch 1, sc in first dc to form last ch-2 sp: 48 dc and 4 ch-2 sps.

Yarn

Birch (off-white), Golden Hour (Yellow) and Bison (Brown)

Special Stitches

2-DC Cluster (uses one sc): *YO, insert hook into sc indicated, YO and pull up a loop, YO and draw through 2 loops on hook; repeat from * once more. YO and draw through all 3 loops on hook

3-DC Cluster (uses one ch-1 sp): *YO, insert hook into ch-1 sp indicated, YO and pull up a loop, YO and draw through 2 loops on hook; repeat from * 2 times more. YO and draw through all 4 loops on hook

With Birch, ch 4; join with Slip St to form ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 4 (counts as first dc plus ch 1), (dc in ring, ch 1) 11 times; join with slip st to first dc, finish off: 12 ch-1 sps.

Rnd 2 with Golden Hour: Join with slip st in any dc; ch 6, (work 3-dc Cluster in next ch-1 sp, ch 2) 3 times, * tr in next dc, ch 2, (work 3-dc Cluster in next ch-1 sp, ch 2) 3 times; repeat from * 2 times more; join with slip st to fourth ch of beginning ch-6: 12 3-dc Clusters.

Rnd 3: Ch 6, * # 5 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, skip next 3-dc Cluster, sc in next 3-dc Cluster, ch 2, skip next ch-2 sp, 5 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2 #, tr in next tr, ch 2; repeat from * 2 times more, then repeat from # to # once; join with slip st to fourth ch of beginning ch-6, finish off: 16 ch-2 sps.

Rnd 4 with Bison: Join with slip st in ch-2 sp to left of joining; ch 3, dc in same sp, * + skip next dc, dc in next 4 dc and in next ch-2 sp, work 2-dc Cluster in next sc, dc in next ch-2 sp and in next 4 dc, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2 +, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * 2 times more, then repeat from + to + once; join with slip st to top of beginning ch-3: 60 sts and 4 ch-2 sps.

Yarn

Sea Grass (light Green) and Surf Shack (blue)

Special Stitches

3-DC Cluster (uses one ch-2 sp): *YO, insert hook in ch-2 sp indicated, YO and pull up a loop, YO and draw through 2 loops on hook; repeat from * 2 more times, YO and draw through all 4 loops on hook.

4-DC Cluster (uses one ch-2 sp): *YO, insert hook in ch-2 sp indicated, YO and pull up a loop, YO and draw through 2 loops on hook; repeat from * 3 more times, YO and draw through all 5 loops on hook.

Long Double Crochet (abbr LDC): YO, working around next ch-3, insert hook in dc on Rnd 1, YO and pull up a loop even with last st made (3 loops on hook), (YO and draw through 2 loops on hook) twice.

With Sea Grass, ch 4; join with slip st to form ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 5 (counts as first dc plus ch 2), (dc in ring, ch 2) 7 times; join with slip st to first dc: 8 ch-2 sps.

Rnd 2: Slip st in first ch-2 sp, ch 2, work 3-dc Cluster in same sp, ch 3, (work 4-dc Cluster in next ch-2 sp, ch 3) around; join with slip st to top of first 3-dc Cluster, finish off.

Rnd 3 with Surf Shack: Join with slip st in any Cluster; ch 1, sc in same st, ch 3, work LDC, ch 3, * sc in next Cluster, ch 3, work LDC, ch 3; repeat from * around; join with slip st to first sc: 16 ch-3 sps.

Rnd 4: Slip st in first 2 chs, ch 1, sc in same ch-3 sp, ch 4, (sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 4) around; join with slip st to first sc.

Rnd 5: Slip st in first 2 chs, ch 1, sc in same ch-4 sp, ch 3, (sc in next ch-4 sp, ch 3) twice, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-4 sp, ch 3, * (sc in next ch-4 sp, ch 3) 3 times, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-4 sp, ch 3; repeat from * 2 times more; join with slip st to first sc, finish off: 20 sps.

Rnd 6: Slip st in any corner ch-2 sp; ch 3 (counts as first dc), (dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same sp, * # skip next dc, dc in next dc, 2 dc in each of next 2 ch-3 sps, dc in next sc, 2 dc in each of next 2 ch-3 sps, dc in next dc #, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next corner ch-2 sp; repeat from * 2 times more, then repeat from # to # once; join with slip st to first dc: 60 dc.