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Tag: granny squares

How to block granny squares. Step by step crochet tutorial for beginners.
Have you made your granny squares, but you’re not sure how to block granny squares? In this post, I will show you how I block mine.
You’ve seen them around: absolutely beautiful crochet blankets that lay flat effortlessly. If you’re using a natural fibre to crochet granny squares such as wool or cotton, you will benefit from learning how to block granny squares. if you’re using synthetic fibres, you can still get fantastic results!
If you’ve read my other blog post on how to crochet a granny square, you’ll be ready to try joining granny squares, and last of all: blocking granny squares!
Want to make a granny square blanket but not sure how to keep it flat? Here’s your full guide to blocking squares.
What is blocking?
Blocking is a method that makers use to shape or flatten their knit or crochet projects. If you use natural fibres such as wool, you may benefit from blocking your pieces. The process of blocking will help to flatten any curling edges and balance any uneven stitches. It doesn’t have to be expensive or particularly risky.
Blocking is not compulsory but it can help especially if you are selling the finished work or giving it as a gift. It opens out lace or openwork and relaxes the fabric. It’s also an opportunity to shape things to the desired dimensions.
Why block granny squares?
You would iron your garments if you’d sewn them to give a professional finish, so why not block your knitting and crochet projects? It’s the same principle.
When it comes to squares, they can be blocked in several ways but I’m going to show you how to block them with water and a foam mat.
As part of the #StashBlanketCAL I am making a granny square blanket out of the aran yarn that I have in my stash. I’m really enjoying mixing the colours and making what I can with what I have. The yarn I am using is made from Shetland wool so I am blocking it to help flatten the pieces. This will give me a flatter blanket overall.
In this instance, blocking will help me to match up my granny squares and join them easily, as I will be able to see where edges match up.
I’ll show you how I block granny squares.
Step 1: Soak the square
You can buy a suitable soak wash for your knitting and crochet but I just use warm water.
I haven’t noticed any difference in using a soak. I barely smell the fragrance or feel a difference in the fabric. I could just be doing it wrong but I’ve mostly always used warm water and save the wool wash bottle for hand washing.
Step 2: Squeeze the square to get rid of excess water.
When pulling your pieces out of the water, don’t ever wring them. Always squeeze.
Step 3: Lay the piece on a towel.
I’m just using a hand towel because it’s just a granny square. For a jumper, I’d use something bigger. Squeeze as much water out of the square as you can with the towel and finish off with rolling it up. Either squeeze the towel or lean on it. I use my body weight to flatten the towel burrito.
Step 4: Roll it up
This just adds a bit more pressure. It’s like wrapping your wet hair up in a towel after having a shower. It takes another layer of moisture off the piece. Do this nice and tight.
Step 5: Squeeze the burrito.
You can do this by squeezing it in your hands or kneel on it. I use my body weight if it is a larger project.
Step 6: Pin it in place.
I use foam play mats because the pin goes in with minimal resistance whole still holding the yarn for me. I also like how portable the mats are. Sometimes I need to keep my things blocking out of reach of tiny hands. I use T pins. They’re a special shape of pin and the T stops the work from slipping off. Pin to your desired dimensions. I started with the corners first.
Now what?
You just have to wait until it is dry now. Give it 48 hours or so depending on temperature and humidity. While you’re waiting, you can make some more squares!
I hope this was helpful. Do you like to use any other blocking methods? Let me know in the comments!
Hanna

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June 11, 2025
How To Join Granny Squares
How to join your granny squares and turn that pile into something that screams “cottage core style”
So you’ve mastered the granny square (amazing!) but now you have mountains of squares and don’t know what’s next. Here I will show you how to join your granny squares (or any other squares) using my two favourite methods. This can be a fun experience as you can use your newly discovered methods to seam crochet garments, knit garments and other accessories.
For the sake of demonstration, I’ve used different coloured squares and a contrasting yarn colour for the seam. This is just so I can show you how to do it clearly. You can use any squares you like. You can also use the tail end yarns from your squares. It saves weaving them in!
2 types of join you could try for your granny squares or knitted squares.
For both methods I am about to show you: identify the corner. That is where you will start. If the corner isn’t aligned, you won’t match the sides. Try using a removable stitch marker such as a bulb pin to hold the corners together. There’s no escape then!
These two methods can be used for both crochet squares and knit squares. They are a pleasant alternative to seaming with a darning needle as you only need a hook. Remember to fasten off and knot the yarn when you’ve finished, otherwise it will come apart.
The Slip Stitch Join Method
This is a method where you hold right sides together and slip stitch across the edges. One side will have a ridge (wrong side) and the other will have an almost invisible join. This is a popular method for those of us who love the right side to be completely flat. It’s a brilliant alternative to blanket mattress stitch as it looks the same without the sewing.
The ridge is pretty but it will be on the wrong side of the work. If you want a ridge on the right side of your work, join wrong sides together.
How to start the slip stitch join
Step 1:
To do the slip stitch join, first lay your pieces right sides together. Match the squares up as best you can. You can use removable stitch markers to help keep the stitches together, if it helps.
If you lay them flat you will see a bottom row of ‘vs’ and a top row of ‘vs’. these are the tops of the stitches, also referred to as chains in some patterns. Here I’m demonstrating with a classic granny square duo.
Step 2:
Slip your hook into the first pair of loops. These consist of the outer loop of the bottom square (pink) and the top square (blue).
Are you left or right handed? Note here that I have started with the right corner of the joined piece. I’m working right to left here because I am demonstrating right handed.
If you are left handed, you would be starting at the opposite corner on the left, working left to right. You will still be working with the same loops in the same order.
Step 3:
Yarn over and pull your hook hook through both of these loops. Make sure they are the outer loops, not the inner loops. If you slip through the inner loops, you’ll see the contrasting yarn on the other side. There’s no point in stressing here as you can just pull it back and try again if you make a mistake.
First slip stitch done!
Repeat this method to the end of the top of these squares. As you work across, you’ll see the slipped stitches making this pretty chain stitch. This will be the wrong side of the work.
When you turn the piece over to see the right side, you should barely be able to see the contrasting yarn.
There is a black contrasting yarn under these stitches. You can barely see it!
How to do the single crochet join:
This join starts out as though it will become a slip stitch join, but before you do the slip, you make a single crochet (UK treble). The other main difference is that the wrong sides are together. The single crochet adds a pretty ridge to the right side. We want people to see it.
Here’s how it’s done:
Work as instructed for step 1-2 of the slip stitch join above but this time, join wrong sides together. When you pull through after the yarn over, only pull through 1 loop.
Yarn over and pull through 2 loops on hook. That’s it. That’s the single crochet join. If your join looks like the seam above, then you’ve missed one of these steps.
As the single crochet join adds a ridge to the right side of the blanket, you may want to use a matching colour or a contrasting colour.
The single crochet join should look obvious. It should be raised.
Single crochet join (pictured).
If you want to see a quick video demonstration of the slip stitch join, head over to my Youtube to see it. Really appreciate the help? Why not like and subscribe?
How to block your granny squares
June 11, 2025
How to get your granny squares right every time. Granny square help!
When I’ve been teaching my crochet students, often we will come across beginner problems. These are nothing to worry about and everybody makes mistakes when they’re starting out with crochet. If you’ve been making a granny square and it seems to be changing shape, curling, flopping or frilling, hopefully I can help with that!
With these simple methods, you can be sure that there is an easy fix for your granny square dilemma.
How to get your granny squares right every time. Here are some tips and tricks from Hanna, a crochet teacher and designer.
If you are new to crochet (or not so new) and have issues when it comes to making granny squares, there could be a few reasons why it’s not going well. Here I will talk about the most common reasons and I will offer solutions on how to address them.
Tension
Those who are new to crochet fall into the camps of too tight or too loose, mostly. This is normal and is a symptom of crochet being a brand new skill for you to learn. We cannot crochet like a pro after one youtube video. We all go wrong somewhere. For newcomers, it is usually tension. Here are three things that I advise:
1. Choose a bigger or smaller hook than what has been prescribed. If your squares are tight, curling up or looking round, it could be that your hook size is too small. If your square is really floppy and ruffling, it could be that the hook is too large. I always advise increasing by 0.5mm each time. For example, if I was to use DK yarn and a 4mm hook, the tension may be too tight, so I would have to use a 4.5mm hook to see a more relaxed tension. This is inevitable for some people. Some of us will always crochet tightly and some will always crochet loosely. This is why you need to look at your own stitches and see if they are smaller or larger than the pattern suggests. Adjust accordingly.
2. Make more chains than what is suggested. This is a simple trick and allows your corners to sit properly. If the pattern calls for one chain between your corner clusters, make 2. See how that works. If the pattern calls for 3 chains between clusters at the sides, perhaps chain 4 to help it relax. You will know what works when you see your square. Is it lying flat? Bingo.
3. What yarn you use can affect tension. Not all DK weight yarn is the same. Some are slimmer, some are bulkier. The category is quite broad. Take this into account when you are making your granny square. Also take into account the fibre. A standard acrylic such as Hayfield bonus may have less stretch and ability to relax after the square is made. Wool and cotton can be more forgiving after a soak and a block. If you have a tight square and it is acrylic, I would advise ripping back and starting again.
Click here to see the full granny square tutorial.
June 11, 2025