crochet 101 :: make a basic granny square part II

Crochet 101 is a series of crochet tutorials where I will teach you how to complete the basic stitches needed to crochet.

Hi :) 

Yesterday we began our first crochet project:

We learned how to make a basic granny square!

Let's finish this project up with lesson 24:

Today's lesson will show you how to switch colors in your granny square!

*This tutorial assumes that you already know: how to begin crochet in the round, how to chain stitch, how to slip stitch, how to double crochet, and how to fasten off and weave in ends.

If you do not know any of these, please click the links listed at the beginning of this post and they will take you to that tutorial.

*NOTE: Because some of you are still new at this and most likely have not mastered reading a written crochet pattern yet, I will be including both the normal pattern directions and the written out directions (those will be in parenthesis). That should save you some time looking at your notes ;)

Let's get started!

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You will need:

*Yarn

(However many colors you want to make your square.)

*Hook

*Scissors

*Yarn needle

In this post, I show you where to look for what type of hook you will need for your yarn.

Step 1:

Start with making the first round of your granny square.

{I'm not going to show this part because it is already shown here.}

*NOTE: You don't have to change colors after the first round. You can go as many rounds as you like before you change to another color. This tutorial will show you how to change to a new color after round 1, but the steps are the same no matter when you choose to change to a new color.

Step 2:

Fasten off this color since we will be moving on to a different color.

 Pull your hook up a couple inches...

 ...cut the yarn about an inch from the square so you'll have a tail long enough to weave in....

...and pull the rest of the tail through to complete your fasten off.

*You can choose to weave in your ends now or when your square is finished. I choose to weave in the ends after every color change so that I don't have a million strings to weave in at the end.

Step 3:
Attach the new color.

 Insert your hook into one of the corners of the square.

 Lay the yarn tail of the new color over the top of the hook.

 Use one of your fingers (I use my middle finger) to hold the tail to the back of the square so it doesn't pull through and pull the yarn through the corner of the square.

 Next, take the working yarn (connected to the ball/skein/cake)...

 ...yarn over...

...and pull the yarn through, making a slip stitch.
The new color is now attached.
*{In the first video at the end of this tutorial, I show another way to attach the yarn. They are essentially the same, just a different technique and a matter of whatever you prefer to do.}

Now we begin working your next round.
{In this tutorial, that would be round 2.}

Step 4:
[Ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2] in same ch-2 sp as joining.
(Chain 3, then make 2 double crochets and chain 2 all in the same chain 2 space/corner that you joined the new color in.)

 [Ch 3...]

[...2 dc, ch 2 (in ch-2 sp)]

Step 5:
{3dc, ch 2} 2 times in next ch-2 sp.
(Repeat the stitch sequence: 3 double crochets, then chain 2 a total of 2 times into the next chain 2 space/corner.)

 [Go to next ch-2 space/corner...]

 [...make 3 dc, ch 2... (first repeat of 2)]

[...and make another 3 dc, ch 2 (second repeat of 2) into the ch-2 sp.]

Step 6:
Rep to last ch-2 sp.
(Repeat Step 5 in all of the chain 2 spaces until you get to the last chain 2 space [which only has one group of 3 double crochets] where the round begins.)

 [Move to next ch-2 sp...]

 [...make 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, ch 2 (all in the space of the ch-2).]

 [Move to the next ch-2 sp...]

[...and make 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, and ch 2.]

Step 7:
3 dc, ch 2. Join to top of ch 3.
(In the last chain 2 space [where we started the round], make 3 double crochets, then chain 2. Lastly, make a slip stitch into the top of the beginning chain 3 [the 3rd chain from the joining of the new color] to join the round.)

 [Move to the last ch-2 sp...]

 [...make 3 dc, ch2...]

 [...find the top of the beginning ch (shown in the picture above with the turquoise circle)...]

 [...insert your hook, yarn over...]

[...and pull the yarn through all of the loops, completing your sl st/join.]

And that is it! You have just completed a color change in a granny square!
Go you ;)


Below are 2 videos I made showing these steps in action. I have added music to the background because I filmed these videos with my phone and I don't know how to mute the background noise while recording. Feel free to mute the video if classical is not your thing lol

*In this first video, I show Steps 3-6 [with an alternate way to join the new color and part of step 6].


*In this second video, I show an alternate way to finish your square.


That's it! We have completed our first project together :)

Now go make tons more! Next week I will show you how you can join them together!

And don't forget to come back tomorrow for a regularly scheduled post!