First Principles: The Humble Crochet Square

I promised my beginner crochet class that I would post plain-English directions for a simple granny square (below).

There’s something about this pared-down version of the granny square. It’s the simplest crochet square that you can make. Once you master it, you can easily make them in front of the TV, or even a book. And yet, when you add a bunch of them together in the right colours, you can get something as elegant as the Babette Blanket.

Although working in the round can be a bit of a mental challenge at first, I hope that this square will make a good starting point for my class. It covers the basics and is also a great springboard for the wide, varied world of crochet squares.

Simple square

Make a slipknot on your hook, then make four chains.

Round 1: We are ready to start the first “round” of the crochet square.

Find the fourth chain from your hook — this is the one next to the knot. Working into the 4th chain:

1. Make 1 double crochet.
2. Make 2 chains, then 3 double crochets.
3. Repeat line 2 twice more.
4. Make one more double crochet.

Stretch out your stitches. There should be 4 “corners” made where you made 2 chains. There should also be 4 “sides.” Three of these sides have 3 double crochet stitches. The fourth side is where your square begins and ends. At the beginning of the round is one “turning chain” made from chain stitches, and one double crochet. At the end of the round (where you are right now) is one double crochet. Make a slip stitch into the top of the turning chain. This joins the beginning and end of the round together.

Round 2: Make three chains. You are now going to work into the stitches of Round 1. The next stitches in front of you are a double crochet followed by a chain-2 space. Double crochet into the double crochet.

Step 1: Working into the chain-2 space, make all of these stitches:

• Make 2 double crochets.
• Make 2 chains.
• Make 2 double crochets.

Step 2: Now work along the side of the square, making 1 double crochet into each of the double crochets below.

Repeat Step 1 + Step 2 twice more, then repeat Step 1 one more time. There is one double crochet left from Round 1, before the turning chain that begins Round 2. Double crochet into this last double crochet.

Stretch out your stitches again. Find the 4 corners and the 4 sides. This time there are 7 double crochets on each side. Make a slip stitch into the top of the turning chain to join the beginning and end of the round together.

Round 3: Make three chains. Double crochet into each of the double crochets from the previous round until you get to the chain-2 space at a corner.

Step 1: Working into the chain-2 space at the corner, make all of these stitches:

• Make 2 double crochets.
• Make 2 chains.
• Make 2 double crochets.

Step 2: Now work along the side of the square, making 1 double crochet into each of the double crochets below.

Repeat Step 1 + Step 2 twice more, then repeat Step 1 one more time. Double crochet into the remaining double crochets, until you get to the turning chain at the beginning of the round. Make a slip stitch into the top of the turning chain to join the beginning and end of the round together.

Round 4 and above: Repeat Round 3 until the square reaches desired size. 5 rounds is recommended.