The granny square is the stitch pattern most crocheters learn first, and for good reason: it only uses two stitches, it works up fast, and a stack of them turns into a blanket, a bag or a cushion cover with almost no extra skills. This tutorial walks through one square from the starting loop to the final round, with every stitch spelled out.
What you'll need
- Worsted weight (medium, US #4) cotton or acrylic yarn in 3–4 colors
- 5.0mm (H/8) crochet hook — or the size recommended on your yarn label
- Scissors and a yarn needle for weaving in ends
- Stitch marker (a scrap of contrast yarn works fine)
Stitches and abbreviations used
- Ch — chain
- Sl st — slip stitch
- Dc — double crochet
- Sp — space
Round 1
Chain 4 and join with a slip stitch into the first chain to form a ring. Chain 3 (this counts as your first double crochet). Work 2 dc into the ring, chain 2, then continue working in groups of 3 dc separated by a chain-2 space three more times, so you have four groups of 3 dc with a chain-2 corner between each. Join the round with a slip stitch to the top of your starting chain-3, then fasten off if changing color.
Round 2
Join your next color into any chain-2 corner space. Chain 3, then work (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) into that same corner space — this is your first corner. Chain 1, then work a group of 3 dc into the next corner space, repeating the corner shell in each of the remaining three corners. Join with a slip stitch to the top of the starting chain-3.
Round 3 and beyond
Each additional round follows the same rhythm: a full shell — 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc — in every corner space, and a single group of 3 dc in every chain-1 space along the sides. The square grows by one shell per side, per round. Most granny square projects use 4–6 rounds before fastening off.
Joining squares invisibly
Lay two finished squares right sides together. Using a yarn needle and a length of matching yarn, whip stitch through the back loops only of both squares along the edge, working corner to corner. Worked this way, the seam sits flat on the front and barely shows — much neater than joining with a visible crochet seam.
Common beginner questions
My square is curling or cupping. This almost always means a stitch count is off in one round, or the tension is uneven — check that every side has the same number of shells before starting the next round.
Can I use one color the whole way through? Yes — the color changes are a style choice, not a structural one. A single-color "solid granny" works exactly the same way.