How to Crochet the Perfect Granny Square | Yay For Yarn

[@YayForYarn]

⭐ VIEW the FREE Written Pattern for the Perfect Granny Square ⭐ yayforyarn.com/crochet-perfect-granny-square/ WATCH NEXT ➡ Summer Sunhat - Free Crochet Pattern yayforyarn.com/crochet-perfect-granny-square/

[@tamaradensmore6216]

I love this! Those are the things that bothered me about granny squares. I’m so glad that someone figured out how to ‘correct ‘ the problems!

[@YayForYarn]

Thank you , Tamara! I'm so glad it was helpful to you!

[@mlboone3028]

My grandma was a master crochet and she taught me when I was 8 I’ve been hooked my whole life and I love how you have changed this square

[@JeanneBahnson]

I cannot thank you enough for this video- for years the ending slip stitch on the border has driven me crazy and I was never able to find a good method until this demonstration. I will certainly be checking out your other videos, thank you again!!!!

[@SydMountaineer]

You are the absolute BEST crochet instructor! Thanks!

[@lindamitchell7785]

Thank you for helping me make better granny squares💟💖💜☺

[@YayForYarn]

You're welcome, Linda! I'm so glad it was helpful to you!

[@liliasawyer7145]

This is a great video, thank you so much! The slip stitch join just irritates me and doesnt look as good. Im so glad i found your video. I'm looking forward to trying your method.

[@pammyers1982]

I love how your version of the granny square came out. I learned the old school way. I’m also trying to hold my hook the way you do. I seem to have more control over my tension but it’s a little awkward. I’ve been crocheting my way for 50 years. We will see if I can break my habit. 💜💜💜

[@christinecarpenter1382]

Love your tips ❤️

[@thedinabrooks]

Very nice job! Im changing over to your method. Thank you for sharing

[@YayForYarn]

You're welcome, Dina! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

[@janetjojo]

I wish I had known this method last year when I made dad a king sized Afghan out of grannies for his 80th birthday lol! It came out okay but after watching this I know it could have been better! Thanks for sharing this and I will definitely use it in the future :). I'm fixing to start a cocoon cardigan these tips apply to!

[@YayForYarn]

You're welcome, Janet! I'm glad it was helpful to you!

[@heatheryarbrough5255]

I may start making granny squares now. Great tips thank

[@HotaruTomoe0106]

Omg, thank you so much! I just made it my mission to find out how to make granny squares without unsightly chains and slip stitches. I almost hit it on the nail, though... had the idea to use CSDC, but I was trying to join with the invisible slip stitch to either the first or last DC of the shell stitch. Then, I would try working the CSDC either forward or backwards into the space (depending on the row). Even though, it was kinda on the right path, there was still a slight seam. Thank you thank you thank you for the idea of using a HDC to join. (Edit: However, instead of chaining 1 before joining with a HDC, I've decided not to chain. With my loose tension adding a chain there makes that corner space bigger than the other corners.)

[@charlotteeardly7235]

Thanks for sharing! What I don't like is weaving ends so after doing your method for the first double crochet, I pick up the tail and crochet the 2nd double crochet with the working thread and tail and do my 3rd double crochet normally but finish it with the tail and the working thread. Happy granny square crocheting!

[@lynnem7978]

Love your work, you are so clever and your crochet magic always talks to me - Im just learning but dont like chains or ragged ends or noticeable joins 😊

[@lucyroyal3565]

Wow! I love the crochet tips for seamless. I myself do not like see those humpbacks on the pattern. Thank you so much!! Easy to follow and well explained. Love it!!👏🏻👏🏻❤️😊

[@YayForYarn]

Thank you, Lucy! I'm so glad it was helpful to you!

[@lucyroyal3565]

Yay For Yarn Yes it was, I always dislike the way you can tell. Now I’m using your technique! Thanks 😊👏🏻

[@Pitoonya]

#YayForYarn Yay!!! I finally mastered pulling up the loop, holding it down with my finger (I was having trouble with that part as I wrapped it around to finish the stitch) but I did it and it's so easy now! I just want to say that you are pretty much a genius to even be able to figure stuff like this out. Thank you. Also, you are very thorough with explaining everything, which is refreshing bc a lot of instructors do not explain everything. Thanks again for another great video!! P.S. You might need to get a patent on the stitches you invented so nobody else steals them from you. :) xoxo P.P.S. I gave you a thumbs up! :)

[@YayForYarn]

Thank you for your kind words, Jamie! I'm glad you enjoyed the video! (I didn't invent all of the chainless starting stitches, though. :D)

[@Pitoonya]

@@YayForYarn Oh. Well.. for the things that you did invent. 😀

[@annmariemurphy9432]

Thank you very much. Very kind of you to reply. I'll do that then I'll turn and then do your chainless double crochet. I've been doing an ordinary double crochet...then turning my Grandmother is no longer with us so she probably did teach me to turn and then do a double crochet. Ann Marie xx

[@JoJo-uq2vo]

My Mother would have LOVED you! She was full of tricks like yours 😍

[@YayForYarn]

Thank you, JoJo! I'm so glad you are enjoying my videos!

[@DedSeaAngel]

THANK YOU SO SO MUCH FOR THIS! And thank you for taking the time and going step by step!

[@yolandaespinosa9567]

Definitely will be trying this! Thanks for these tip tricks!👍🏼

[@YayForYarn]

You're welcome, Yolanda! I hope they work well for you!

[@msmbressler2855]

Excellent explanation and lovely Block Thank you for the pattern

[@SydMountaineer]

Excellent! Could you explain the reason why you cut the yarn when changing colors in this granny square tutorial, vs changing your colors like you have shown in another video where you're working on a different type of project, where you change colors at the end of a round by pulling a loop of the new color onto the loop left on your hook when the last stitch is finished, then you tighten to make the chain of the previous color disappear into the work? I think some people might not understand the reason why. The other video is where you are working in a "tube" with 2 colors of green DC. Thank You very much for your thorough tutorials - You are the BEST instructor all around! I am going to learn to knit soon, and looking forward to learning from your knitting tutorials.

[@YayForYarn]

Hi! For the granny square, I cut the yarn between colors, whereas in the jogless stripe video, I was carrying the unused color up to the next stripe. As for the color changing method, you could do it the same way as I did in the jogless stripe video, and it will not look much different. The round ends in the center of the chain space, which gets crocheted over anyway. So you won't be able to see the color change, whether you use the jogless stripe method or tie off and join a new color. Hope this helps!

[@SydMountaineer]

@@YayForYarn Thank You very much, it does help. When I first seen videos on KZbin about new & different ways to change colors and to make a seamless join, I kept getting confused when I was working on a project, and would have to look up which method is best for each situation. I guess what confused me the most, and I'm sure others might experience the same, is the fact that there's one name that describes 2 different ways of doing a "seamless join" - either 1) cutting the yarn and pulling through the 2nd stitch after the 1st St of round to create a new loop on top, or 2) pulling yarn from front to back through the top of the standing DC, etc... I used to get very confused as to which method I should use on different projects. The lady from Crochet Fiber Art, I think her name is Ann Marie? calls it a "Circle Join" when she joins the round like you do with the Granny Squares, but both methods are a 'seamless join' , regardless of name. I guess all these new methods confused me, at first. There's an idea for a tutorial you could do - the different types of seamless joins, which method is best for different types of projects, in the round vs working in rows, etc. Also, I have found that when using a stiffer, not so stretchy cotton worsted weight yarn like Sugar and Cream, it affects the difficulty of doing standing stitches in a few different ways, the same with the seamless join method used in your Granny Square tutorial, and affects the look of the project. I've been practicing though.

[@YayForYarn]

You're welcome! And thanks for the suggestion. :)

[@janiscasey8500]

Having a little trouble with the first stitch being to loose, I am liking it a lot better than the old way. It looks so much nicer. Thank you for your help.❤️🙃💖👍

[@YayForYarn]

You're welcome, Janis! I'm glad it was helpful to you!

[@kaysimpson9974]

This is great! Been wanting to make a pair of Granny Square slippers... I love this method! Like you, the chain 3 always bugged me! Would have never thought of the side-whompas half-double! Well done, once again!

[@YayForYarn]

Thank you, Kay! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

[@YarnSmith]

Thx! This always bothered me. Great method. I’m definitely going to switch ♥️

[@YayForYarn]

You're welcome, Louise! I'm so glad you found it helpful!

[@SuperPeppermint2]

I like yours; it is seamless.

[@YayForYarn]

Thanks, Maria!

[@PamelasCrochetKnitCorner1]

this is awesome

[@YayForYarn]

Thanks so much, Pamela!

[@kimm8887]

Thank you for this! Have you, or can you do a video on blocking. How do you block acrylics?

[@YayForYarn]

Hi Kim! I don't have a video on blocking yet, but I like to steam block my acrylics. I pin the item to my ironing board and hold a steaming iron 2"-3" over the surface, making sure all of the crochet fabric gets steamed. Hope this helps!

[@stephanieh7097]

Amazing! Thanks for the tricks! :)

[@YayForYarn]

You're welcome! I'm glad it was helpful to you!

[@kimwilliamson7163]

This is really great! I just love it! Thank you so much! Is there any way you could do a tutorial now for a seamless solid granny square?

[@YayForYarn]

Hi Kim! A seamless solid granny square is exactly the same as making a seamless multicolored granny square. You just don't change colors at the end of each round. If you click here, yayforyarn.com/crochet-perfect-granny-square/ you can get the free written pattern for my perfect granny square, which is also available as a free PDF download on Ravelry. Hope this helps!

[@SydMountaineer]

I had not done granny squares in years since I've recently started crocheting again, and was working on a really simple granny square potholder pattern from Garn Studios (Drops Design) - a company that has been around for years, sells their own yarn, and is popular for their knit & crochet patterns, etc, etc. I was having such a hard time following their instructions, (even though they have translators from many different countries and "how to" videos for each pattern that do not necessarily show every part of the pattern), and the part that was most frustrating was how the pattern said to chain 3 at beginning of round (not on the corner), which caused an extra stitch, and then changing colors on top of that - it looked awful. I watched their help video for the pattern, which did not help me, and it was taking me so long just to complete the first 2 rounds that I had to stop and look for another tutorial. I had done granny squares years ago, and knew that it should not be this hard to do, but you would think that such a popular company would know better ways to work a granny square. I had watched Yay for Yarn tutorials in the past, and Thank Goodness, you had one for the granny square!!! Even though the pattern I'm working on does a variation of the traditional granny square, I was able to continue working on the pattern without even reading the instructions after watching this tutorial, and it went 5 times faster and looked great! Thank You!!!

[@YayForYarn]

You're very welcome! Thank you for your kind words. I'm so glad my video was helpful to you, and I hope your potholder turns out great!

[@TheSuperDaddio]

So is the center of the ring the tiny hole? How do you get it all to fit? I can’t seem to make it look like anything but a jumbled circle

[@YayForYarn]

Yes, the center of the ring is the small hole in the center. If you are having trouble with your project as you follow my pattern, you can email me a photo at blogger{at}yayforyarn.com, and I will be happy to help troubleshoot.

[@cathydodson3408]

Thanks this has been very helpful.

[@YayForYarn]

You're welcome, Cathy! I'm so glad it was helpful to you!

[@ASHA_KNITTING]

🌺

[@valeriemcclelland420]

I have trouble keeping edges straight. I started off with 29 chains and I now have 22 after about 6 rows. please advise me. Thanks

[@YayForYarn]

Hi Valerie. I am not sure what is happening if your stitch count is getting smaller each round. The stitch count should go up for each round. Feel free to send me a photo of your piece at blogger[at]yayforyarn.com, and I will be happy to help you troubleshoot. :)

[@Ebbo_]

How do you count the rows? I made several granny squares but am struggling to get them alike. Some look smaller than others idk if it’s my tension or not. 😩

[@YayForYarn]

Hi. If you're not familiar with counting the rows, you could place a stitch marker in each row as you finish it. So after finishing round 1, put a stitch marker in one of the groups of 3 double crochet stitches from that round. Then, on the next round, you can place another stitch marker in one of the groups of 3 double crochet from that round. Once you're finished, you'll be able to tell how many rounds you have worked by counting the stitch markers. Another thing that might help is to make a granny square with multiple colors, making each round in a different color yarn. That will help you to visualize the separate rounds more easily for reference. I hope this helps!

[@annmariemurphy9432]

I do my Granny square the same as you. I join with hdc in the corner...then I chain 2 and TURN my square which means I'm going back on the row that I've just crocheted this is the way my Grandmother taught me .....the reason for TURNING she told me was so your square would be perfect shape....no tilting no matter how big the square got. I'm curious to know why you don't TURN. I'd like to see a close up please of your method of the chainless method you do. I can't quite sew how you do this. How many chains does your chainless method equal. Very impressed with your method of teaching. Excellent. Just subscribed. Thank you. Ann Marie Murphy ( From Ireland )

[@YayForYarn]

Hi Ann Marie! Sometimes I do turn after each round, especially if my square is going to be larger. If it's a smaller square like in this video, I don't turn because I prefer the look of the fronts of the double crochet stitches. If you want to see a more detailed tutorial of the chainless starting double crochet that I used, you'll find an entire video on that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3y9faNjg8ZklcU That video shows several other chainless stitches that can replace other stitches besides the double crochet, as well. The chainless starting double crochet is the equivalent of 1 regular double crochet. Hope this helps! Thanks!

[@annmariemurphy9432]

@@YayForYarn Thank you so much for replying. Much Appreciated. I've found the link you sent me and maatered it grand. Now do you think I could still do my hdc...then use your chainless and still turn as it's large blankets I be doing? Or do my hdc...turn....then do your chainless? Thank you. Ann Marie xxxx

[@YayForYarn]

Hi Ann Marie! The chainless starting stitch is always worked after you turn. So, yes, you would join with the hdc, turn, and then work the chainless starting stitch. I prefer using the chainless starting double crochet instead of the chainless half double crochet, since the rest of the square is in double crochet. But you can use the chainless half double if you'd rather. Hope this helps!

[@deniseschroeder8539]

How do you join your granny squares?

[@YayForYarn]

Hi Denise! I like the mattress stitch method for joining granny squares: mycrochetory.com/mattress-stitch-join-tutorial/ It's completely invisible and smooth. Hope this helps!

[@4dahlhouse]

What kind of tapestry needle are you using and where did you get it? I didn't see it included on amazon when I clicked on the link to your favorite tools. Thanks...

[@YayForYarn]

Hi Linda! It's a Chibi needle. I did not add these tapestry needles to my Amazon page, because the current price is either over $9, or $4.88 + $10 shipping, which I think is too high. I believe I got mine on KnitPicks. I added the link to the video description above. Hope this helps! Thanks!

[@kaysimpson9974]

What is your favorite method of joining the squares together? I have seen two methods or a 'seamless' join. I like the idea of a join that is not only seamless from the right side, but also seamless from the 'other right side'. An example of this was sort of a butted ladder stitch, going under the strand between the front and back loops of the butted edges. Since you are on a seamless 'roll', how about a vid on a seamless join for joining the squares... ???

[@YayForYarn]

Hi Kay! I like the mattress stitch joining method, which looks completely seamless. (You can seam with a contrast yarn and it will barely even show.) I don't have a video on that yet, but I can add that to my to-do list! Thanks for the suggestion!

[@teresawolf6304]

Can you skip the ch1 between the groups of 3 or would that mess up the shape?

[@YayForYarn]

Hi Teresa! Yes, if you skip the ch 1, the square will end up smaller and tighter, as the groups of 3 double crochet will be crammed between the groups from the previous round. The chain space gives the group of double crochet a place to fit comfortably and lay flat. Hope this helps!

[@SydMountaineer]

I'm working on a pattern that is a variation of the traditional granny square, which does not include doing the ch 1's in between, and the corners have ch 1 rather than ch 2, but it's a tight squeeze, especially on the corners. And if you're using cotton worsted weight yarn like Sugar and Cream, it's hard to make the stitches for. But if you're using thread or a less stiff or more stretchy yarn, it is less of a problem.

[@mslemay]

I love your videos. Thank you! I also love your hook. What brand is that?

[@YayForYarn]

Thank you, Monica! The hook is a Furls Odyssey: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3SZk4mKlLKooZI It's my favorite type / style of crochet hook. I hope this helps!

[@doro7080]

Perfect the granny❤ please ¿Do you have tutorial for solid granny? Thanks,,blessings!!

[@YayForYarn]

Hi! I don't have a tutorial on solid granny squares yet, but I can add that to my list of possible future videos. Thanks!

[@doro7080]

@@YayForYarn thanks!

[@YayForYarn]

You're very welcome!

[@kathleen7849]

These are the things that bother me as well.

[@lindaschad298]

Thank you! I hate those chains. They look nasty.

[@YayForYarn]

You're welcome, Linda! I'm glad you enjoyed it!