Classic Granny Square Blanket
By Loop & Ladder · Updated
- Skill level
- Beginner
- Hook
- 5.5 mm (I/9)
- Yarn weight
- Worsted / Aran (CYC 4)
- Time to make
- 1-2 weeks of evenings
This is the granny square done the traditional way: one square that never ends, worked round and round from the centre until the blanket is the size you want. There are no motifs to join and no ends to weave beyond the colour changes.
The repeat is four rounds long and you will have it memorised by the second colour. Every round is clusters of three double crochet separated by chain spaces, with three chains at each corner. Once you can see where the next cluster goes, you can make this without the pattern in front of you.
Why You'll Love This Pattern
- One square, no joining — the blanket grows from a single centre.
- A four-round repeat you will memorise almost immediately.
- Scales to any size: stop when it is a lapghan, a throw, or a bedspread.
- Takes almost any worsted-weight yarn and any leftover colours.
Step-by-Step Steps
- 1
Make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as first dc), then work 2 dc into the ring, ch 3. Work [3 dc into the ring, ch 3] three more times. Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 3, and pull the ring closed. You have four 3-dc clusters and four ch-3 corner spaces.
- 2
Round 2: sl st into the nearest ch-3 corner space. Ch 3, then work (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) all into that same corner space — this is the first corner. Ch 1. *Into the next corner space work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc), ch 1.* Repeat from * around. Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch 3.
- 3
Round 3: sl st into the next ch-3 corner space. Ch 3, work (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) into that corner space, ch 1. *Work 3 dc into the next ch-1 space along the side, ch 1. Into the corner space work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc), ch 1.* Repeat from * around, working a 3-dc cluster with ch 1 into every side space and a (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) into every corner. Join to the beginning ch 3.
- 4
Round 4 and every round after: repeat Round 3. Each round adds one more 3-dc cluster to each of the four sides, so the square grows by one cluster per side per round. Change colour whenever you like by joining the new colour with a sl st into any corner space at the start of a round.
- 5
Continue until the blanket measures about 4 in short of your target size, ending after a completed round. Weave in the colour-change ends as you go rather than leaving them all for the end.
- 6
Border round 1: join your border colour in any corner space. Ch 3, work (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in the corner, then work 3 dc into every ch-1 space along each side and (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) into each corner. Join.
- 7
Border round 2: ch 1, then work 1 single crochet evenly into every stitch and space around, working 3 single crochet into each corner space. Join with a sl st and fasten off.
- 8
Block the finished blanket: soak it in cool water, roll it in a towel to press out the water, then lay it flat and pat it into a true square. Leave it to dry fully before use.
Tips for Success
- Keep your tension relaxed on the corner ch-3 spaces — tight corners make the blanket cup instead of lying flat.
- If the square starts to ruffle, your tension has loosened over the rounds; drop to a 5.0 mm hook. If it cups, go up to a 6.0 mm.
- Count clusters per side every few rounds. All four sides should always have the same number.
- Alternate two skeins of the same colour every couple of rounds on large single-colour sections to hide any dye-lot difference.
Pattern at a Glance
- Time to make
- 1-2 weeks of evenings
- Skill level
- Beginner
- Hook
- 5.5 mm (I/9)
- Yarn weight
- Worsted / Aran (CYC 4)
- Yardage
- ~1,000 yd worsted-weight for a 40 in throw
- Gauge
- First 4 rounds measure about 5 in across, unblocked
- Finished size
- Any — sample throw is 40 x 40 in
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much yarn do I need for a full-size blanket?
As a rough guide, a 40 in throw takes about 1,000 yd of worsted-weight yarn, a twin-bed blanket around 2,500 yd, and a queen around 4,000 yd. Buy a little more than the estimate and keep one ball band in case you need another dye lot.
Can I make separate squares and join them instead?
Yes. Work Rounds 1 to 4 (or more) as a small square, make as many as you need, and join them with a whip stitch or a single-crochet seam through the back loops. The stitch pattern is identical; only the construction changes.
Why is my blanket turning into a rectangle, not a square?
You have almost certainly missed a corner or worked an extra cluster on one side. Count the clusters on each of the four sides — they must match. Tink back to the last round where they did.
What is the best way to change colours cleanly?
Fasten off the old colour at the end of a round. Join the new colour with a slip stitch into a corner space and begin the next round there. This keeps every colour change at a corner where the ends are easy to hide.
