The Granny Square Afghan – An Easy-to-Make Gift for Any Occasion

© Copyright 2011 Patrice Walker All rights reserved

Several years ago, I made three granny square afghans to give as Christmas gifts to relatives. They are actually “lapghans” or lap robes which are smaller than afghans and are designed to cover your lap instead of your entire body.

In this article, I’m going to show you how to make a small granny square afghan by explaining and demonstrating through videos:

• What kind of yarn to use
• How much yarn and what hook size to use
• How to make a granny square
• How to make color changes in a granny square
• How to create a border for the afghan.

That’s really all you need to know to crochet this remarkably versatile gift that your friends and relatives will surely appreciate.

I decided to use the granny square as my “pattern” because it is extremely easy to make, and I knew I could work them up quickly if I had the right yarn.

Bulky weight yarns are perfect for these afghans because they work up quickly, and you can pump out several in a few short weeks. For my afghan projects, I chose Lion Brand Homespun for several reasons:

• It’s a bulky weight yarn.
• It creates an incredibly soft fabric.
• It comes in a wide variety of colors.

I also like the fact that you can machine wash and dry Homespun because it’s an acrylic yarn.

But you don’t have to use Homespun if you are able to find a comparable, bulky-weight yarn. The two most important characteristics of the yarn to use for this project are that it is bulky weight and creates a fabric that feels good against your skin.

To determine how much yarn to use, I rely on my Crocheter’s Handy Guide to Yarn Requirements, published by Interweave Press. It helps you figure out how much yarn to use to make a wide array of items, including hats, scarves, bags, sweaters, afghans, blankets, skirts and tops.

Here’s how I use the Guide to determine yarn quantity: I -

1. Make a 4” x 4” swatch in single crochet stitches.
2. Determine the gauge or number of stitches per inch (for bulky weight yarn, it should be close to 2.5 stitches per inch).
3. Find the size afghan I want to make in the Guide.
4. Use the yardage amount under the size afghan I’ve selected.
5. Multiply that yardage amount by .08 to convert single crochet to double crochet stitches (the stitch used in the granny square pattern) for the final amount.

The Guide calls for an “L/11 (8mm) hook for bulky weight yarn, but I’m sure I used a “K” hook for these afghans. Regardless of the hook size you use, the important thing is gauge, and for bulky weight yarn, the Guide lists a gauge of 2.5 single crochet stitches per inch. If you can get close to this gauge with your chosen yarn and hook, then you should be good to go.

**Note** If you are using more than one color for your granny square afghan, you’ll need to estimate how much of the total yardage to designate for each color. In the black, fushcia and gray afghan (see photo below), I’m guessing that about half of the yardage was in black, one quarter in gray, and one quarter in fuscia. I would suggest purchasing an extra skein of each color beyond the required yardage to make sure have enough yarn to complete the afghan.

Never again be at a loss trying to figure out how much yarn you need for a crochet project. This handy Guide makes it easy to figure out how much yarn you'll need for crochet projects such as hats, scarves, bags, sweaters, afghans, skirts, and tops.

Despite the fact that it’s called a granny square, it is actually crocheted in the round. You start at the center with a chain-3 or chain-4 circle and crochet successive rounds outwards from the center, until your afghan is as large as you want it. The square shape is the result of crocheting “3 double crochet, chain 2, 3 double crochet” at each corner. This will become clear as you watch the video.

The “slow motion” segments in this video make it extremely easy to see how the granny square stitches are made.

**Note** I NEVER begin crocheting in the round with a chain-4 joined with a slip stitch. It creates a bulky center that's difficult to "close." Check out this tutorial on how to make an adjustable "magic ring" that lies flat and has no hole at its center.

All of the Christmas granny square afghans I made consisted of three colors. The following video will show you how to change from one color to another in your granny square.

**Note** While there is a basic granny square pattern, there are subtle variations that crocheters use to create theirs, particularly when it comes to ending and beginning rounds.

In the second video, the crocheter begins his rounds with a chain-3, which represents the first double crochet of the three-double-crochet group. In the first video, the crocheter uses a “single crochet, ch 1” to represent the first double crochet. Either way is fine as long as you are consistent in how you end and begin your rounds.

In the afghans pictured in this article, I crocheted several rows of single crochet around the perimeter of the afghan once it was as large as I wanted it. This is a simple method of creating a nice border for your afghan.

To make sure your afghan remains a square,

1. Make three single crochet stitches in each of the afghan’s four ch-2 corners on the first round of the border.
2. Place a stitch marker in the second of the three single crochets you’ve just made so you know where to make the corners on the next round.
3. When you reach the stitch markers on the second (and third) rounds, make three single crochet stitches in the stitch where you placed the marker, and then place the marker in the second of the three single crochet stitches you’ve just made.

I usually crochet two or three rounds of border, depending on how many colors I’ve used in the afghan. If you know how to make the “reverse single crochet” stitch, you can use it on the third round of the border. When you get to the corners, make one reverse single crochet stitch in each stitch.

I love making these granny square afghans because all you need to know how to do is make a traditional granny square. Even a beginner who has mastered the double crochet stitch can make them, and they work up quickly. They make wonderful gifts, or you may just want to make a few for your home to have something to throw over your legs on a cold winter night.

Let me know if you have any questions in the comment section below. Happy crocheting!