How to Make a Granny Square (and Keep It Square)
A granny square is three double crochet in each corner space, three in each side space, with a chain at every corner. Every round adds one cluster to each side.
If yours is turning circular, your corner chains are too short. If it's ruffling, they're too long or you have too many clusters per side.
The basic round
Start with a ring
A magic ring or a chain of four joined with a slip stitch. The magic ring lets you close the centre hole afterwards, which looks neater.
Round one: four corners
Work three double crochet into the ring, chain two, and repeat until you have four groups separated by four chain spaces. Join to the top of the starting chain.
Every round after: corners and sides
In each corner space work three double crochet, chain two, three double crochet. In each space along the sides work just three double crochet. That's the whole pattern, repeated outwards.
Fasten off and weave as you go
Finish each square completely before starting the next. Fifty squares in three colours means three hundred ends, and leaving them all to the end is how blankets stall.
How many will you need?
Make one square, measure it, then let our blanket planner tell you the square count, the layout, the yarn and roughly how long the whole blanket will take.
Why squares go wrong
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Turning circular | Corner chains too short | Chain 2 or 3 at corners rather than 1 |
| Ruffling at the edges | Too many stitches per side | Check you're working three per space, not four |
| Corners look loose | Chain spaces too long | Drop to chain 2, or go down a hook size |
| Squares vary in size | Tension changing with mood | Block them all before joining |
| Centre hole gaping | Chain ring rather than magic ring | Use a magic ring and pull it closed |
Block before you join. Squares made over several weeks will vary, because tension shifts with how tired or tense you are. Blocking a batch at a time on a towel makes them uniform, and joining uniform squares is a pleasure rather than a fight.
Joining methods
Whip stitch is quickest and adds nothing to the finished size. Single crochet joins create a visible raised ridge, which can look deliberate and lovely. Join-as-you-go attaches each square as you make it, which removes the joining stage entirely — worth considering for a large blanket. Whichever you pick, our blanket planner accounts for how much width it adds.
Questions we're often asked
Why is my granny square turning into a circle?
The chains at the corners are too short to turn the corner properly. Chain two or three at each corner rather than one, and the four corners will hold their shape.
How big should a granny square be?
Whatever your hook and yarn produce — six inches is the popular size for blankets. Measure your own rather than trusting the pattern, since gauge varies enormously between crocheters.
What hook size for granny squares?
Whatever the yarn band suggests, or one size smaller for a denser square. DK yarn with a 4 mm hook is the usual combination.