March 24, 2025
Updated July 15, 2025
16 minute read
An Introduction to the Granny Square
The granny square is a foundational motif in crochet, characterized by its construction in the round, starting from the center and expanding outward. This technique produces a square piece of fabric that is traditionally handmade, as its unique stitch structure cannot be easily replicated by machines. The result is a versatile and iconic element of textile art, often resembling a piece of coarse lace, that serves as a building block for countless creative projects. Crafters typically create multiple small squares, known as motifs, and then assemble them to construct larger items such as blankets, clothing, bags, and other household textiles.
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Find a path to becoming a Granny Square. Learn more at:
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Reading list
We've selected 22 books
that we think will supplement your
learning. Use these to
develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a
deeper understanding of the topics covered in
Granny Square.
This updated edition is an excellent resource for gaining a broad understanding of granny squares, covering basic techniques and offering 100 unique square motifs and 25 new projects. It's useful for beginners learning the fundamentals and provides ample inspiration for those looking to expand their skills. serves as a solid reference for various granny square applications.
Billing itself as the ultimate sourcebook, this guide covers everything from basic techniques to various joining methods and color combinations. It includes tutorials for different granny square variations and 10 projects, making it a comprehensive reference for all skill levels. is particularly useful for gaining a thorough understanding and serves as a go-to resource.
Adapted from 'The Granny Square Book, Second Edition', this guide is specifically tailored for beginners, offering clear instructions and photos. It focuses on easy essentials and beginner-level projects, making it an ideal starting point for those new to granny squares and crochet.
Winning an award for Favourite Crochet Book in 2019, this book offers 50 variations on the classic granny square with innovative techniques and stitch combinations. It's excellent for deepening understanding and exploring creative possibilities beyond the basic pattern.
Ideal for beginners, this book provides a comprehensive guide to mastering granny squares, from basic stitches to intricate patterns. It includes step-by-step photographs and 44 projects, making it a great resource for those new to crochet and seeking to build foundational skills.
Offers a large collection of modern granny square designs, including textured and 3D motifs. It's excellent for exploring contemporary styles and expanding your repertoire of granny square patterns.
Considered a standard in crochet pattern books, this resource offers a vast collection of crochet blocks, including many granny square variations. It's excellent for gaining a broad understanding of different block constructions and valuable reference for creating larger projects like blankets.
Offers a fresh and contemporary approach to granny squares, focusing on modern designs and color combinations. It's suitable for those who have a basic understanding of crochet and want to explore more current styles and projects. This book is valuable for its inspiring visuals and unique patterns.
This extensive stitch dictionary includes a dedicated section on granny squares, offering a wide variety of patterns beyond the basic design. It's valuable for deepening understanding of stitch variations and exploring different textures and effects within granny squares.
With a motif for every day of the year, this large collection provides extensive options for exploring different granny square designs. It's a valuable resource for inspiration and for those who want a wide variety of patterns at their fingertips.
Delves into contemporary topics by focusing on three-dimensional granny squares, offering unique and playful designs. It's suitable for those looking to expand their skills beyond traditional flat squares and explore innovative techniques. This book is particularly useful for creative projects and adding unique elements to crochet work.
This spiral-bound book good introductory resource with 20 different granny square patterns and step-by-step instructions and photographs for crochet basics. It's suitable for beginners and provides a straightforward approach to learning granny squares.
Explores contemporary applications of granny squares in fashion, offering patterns for garments and accessories. It's ideal for those interested in using granny squares to create wearable items and exploring modern design trends.
Provides a year's worth of granny square patterns, offering a consistent source of new designs and techniques to try. It's great for those looking to continuously expand their granny square skills and build a diverse collection of motifs.
While not exclusively about granny squares, this stitch dictionary crucial resource for understanding the fundamental stitches used in granny squares and other crochet motifs. It's highly recommended for beginners to solidify their stitch knowledge and for experienced crocheters as a comprehensive reference.
Explores the versatility of the classic granny stitch in 50 different shapes beyond the traditional square. It's excellent for deepening understanding of how the stitch can be manipulated to create various forms.
Part of the popular 'Twenty to Make' series, this small book offers 20 specific granny square patterns. It's a good option for those looking for a focused collection of designs and is easy to carry for crocheting on the go.
Focuses on granny square projects with a vintage aesthetic, including accessories and blankets. It provides patterns and inspiration for creating items with a classic feel and is suitable for those who enjoy this particular style.
While not exclusively granny squares, this book includes projects for the home that may incorporate granny square motifs, offering inspiration for using them in home decor. It's valuable for those looking for project ideas beyond traditional blankets.
Offers new variations and twists on the classic granny square, providing fresh ideas for those familiar with the basic pattern. It's suitable for intermediate crocheters looking to explore creative adaptations.
Another historical resource, this book explores the history and techniques of crochet. It provides valuable background information on the development of crochet motifs, which can enrich an understanding of the granny square's place in crochet history.
For those interested in the origins and evolution of crochet, including the granny square, this book provides a historical context. It's more valuable as additional reading for a deeper appreciation of the craft's heritage rather than a how-to guide.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
OpenCourser.com/topic/wkp85z/granny
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