Colorful Crochet - Granny Squares

As promised I made a crochet tutorial. I wanted it to be easy and quick to learn and you will see that once you get the hand of it you'll never stop. This is a basic in Crochet, granny squares have been there as far as I can remember and I have a nice memory of my granny crocheting in late afternoons in front of the TV. Although, she didn't manage to teach me, I followed an online tutorial, some are very helpful others aren't at all, but overall I managed to create my own pattern for these Granny Crochet Squares. I got inspired by our new bedlinen, it's from IKEA but it has a nice variety of colors and flowers. I tried to imitate and well here are some of the pieces I've made. I plan to crochet a blanket... so that will take a while...I'll post a picture once I'm done, but be patient...It might take some time :)

Close up picture, don't they look edible? Like those hard candy with flowers inside, very cute and tiny, I remember these old fashioned candies that were sold by the gram. And usually placed in large glass containers. If I find them around I'll post a picture but I think some of you know what I'm talking about. I was a candy addict when I was growing up...:P

So what you need is a crochet hook, and some yarn, for this project try to have 3 different colored yarns as we will do these squares in 3 parts.

PART 1

Start by tying the yarn on the hook, make two knots just to be sure and leave some yarn on the side, it will help you to hold the crochet in the beginning.

We'll start by making a chain crochet stitch. Hold your hook with your right hand and the tiny bit of yarn you left with your left hand and your left index should help you hold the yarn as well, just like this.

These are the steps for the Chain stitch:

-Yarn over your hook

-And pull out through the small loop. You will then get a new loop.
There easy peasy

Repeat this step 6 times, so you would get a total of 6 loops plus 1 loop that was the initial knot.

Here are the 6+1 loops

Now, take the initial loop, pass your hook still holding your last loop,

Yarn over your hook,

And pull through both loops creating a new one. This will create the basis "Circle" for the whole square.

After this make 3 new chain stitches. These are important to do at every beginning. You will see in the coming steps that every time you will start by doing a chain of 3 stitches. But remember only in the beginning. I'll show you the next stitch now.

So, after the beginning we will continue with double crochet stitch.

Double Stitch:

-Start by yarning over your hook (you will still have the chain stitches pending)

-Through the "Circle" insert the hook while still having the end of the chain stitch and the yarn over,

-Yarn over once more,

-And pull your yarn through the "Circle" to the other side. You will have 3 loops on your hook.

-Yarn over your hook,

-And pull the yarn through the first two loops and leave the 3rd pending. You will have 2 loops on hook.

-Yarn over once more,

-And pull your yarn through both loops. You'll end up having 1 loop on your hook.

Repeat the steps and do one more double stitch. You will see three columns building up.

After the three columns, do two chain stitches. The two chain stitches will act as corners for our squares.

And start a new series of 3 double stitches. And make 2 more chain stitches after doing the series of doubles stitches.

You will repeat the (3 double stitches +2 chain stitches pattern two more times)

Here, you have the square forming, you see 4 sides of 3 doubles stitches and 3 corners of two chain stitches, now do 2 more chain stitches.

After that, unite the last chain stitch to the beginning of the square ( the initial 3 chain stitches, remember?), tie it to the 3rd chain stitch.

Pull off your yarn by closing the square.

Tie a knot. First part done!

PART 2

The easy part here is that most of the steps you did in part 1 you will repeat them in part 2 and 3. So it would be good to master chain stitch and double stitch before getting here. Begin by tying your second yarn to the first square, tie it to one of the corner parts. (Try to tie it before or after the closing part of the first square, it will be easier to cover it this way).

Take your hook, pass it through the corner opening and yarn over it.

Pull it out from the corner and that will make up for your basis stitch.

So remember I told you to always make 3 chain stitches every time you start a square? OK this is what you will do. Chain 3 stitches. (three chain stitches make up for a double stitch)

And you guessed it, make two double stitches.

Here you have the 3 chain stitches + 2 double stitches.

Make two chain stitches again and this will make up for the new corner of this new square.

And end this corner by making 3 double stitches.

Now start working on the next corner.

So after this you will repeat these steps 3 more times:

- 3 double stitches

-2 chain stitches

-3 double stitches

And work on the next corner.

Once you reach the last corner

(It should look like this)

Insert your hook through the beginning of the square (the 3rd chain stitch to be exact) and yarn over,

Pull out the yarn through the 2 loop that were on the hook and tie a knot. Your second square is done! Yippy!

PART 3

Like part 2, you tie your third yarn on a corner or in this case a "hole" that was created when you did part 2. Same advice as before, tie the yarn before or after the ending of the second square to hide that part better.

You will do this for all the side "holes". So crochet your 3 chain stitches.

And make 2 double stitches. Start working on the corner.

For the corner parts you will work in the same way you did for part two:

-3 double stitches

-2 chain stitches

-3 double stitches

And work on the next side "hole".

So the pattern to follow is:

Corners:

-3double stitches

-2 chain stitches

-3 double stitches

Sides:

-3 double stitches

Remember the beginning you replace a double stitche for 3 chain stitches.

So this is how it should build up to. Forming all corners well.

Once you reach the end,

Pass your hook through the beginning (the 3 chain stitches, the 3rd one to be exact) and yarn over, pull the yarn through the two loops on your hook .

And voila! You managed to make a 3 colored Granny square! :) Wasn't it easy?

Now try to make something nice for yourself or for people you love. :) Hope you liked my pattern! :)

Enjoy the Crocheting!