crochet 101 :: how to join granny squares

Hi :)

I had planned on taking pictures and video for my own tutorial on this, but there's been a bit of cold sharing going on in my house so I'm a little under the weather at the moment.
[I might still do this in the future so just keep your eyes peeled for it :)]

However, I have found some great videos for you to learn the 3 different ways to join your granny squares!

Michael Sellick of The Crochet Crowd is amazing! I learned how to crochet through his wonderful YouTube tutorials, so I am very appreciative of him and all that he does for the yarn and crochet community.

For this first method,
you will be learning how to join your granny squares using the single crochet joining method.

~~PART I~~ 

~~PART II~~ 


For the second method,
you will be learning how to join your granny squares using the join as you go method.

And lastly,
you will be learning how to join your granny squares by sewing them together.
This video shows how to sew them together with a whip stitch:

And here is a way to join your squares with an invisible seam:

(via)

Step 1: Gather your materials: finished granny squares, a blunt needle, and your seaming yarn (I used a contrasting yarn for demonstration, but you may want to use matching yarn). Lay your granny squares side to side with the front side facing up.

Step 2: Insert your needle into your first crochet stitch from the back to the front.

Step 3: Repeat Step 2 on the opposite side. Continue this process on each stitch, alternating between sides. It’s sort of like lacing shoes.

Step 4: Ready for that seam to disappear? Lightly pull on both ends of your seaming yarn.

Step 5: Repeat with all squares, and that’s all there is to invisible seaming! Remember to weave in your ends and enjoy your new granny square project.

Here is a link to tutorials that show 10 ways to join!

I hope these videos helped you decide which way you want to join your squares.

Keep an eye out for a future re-do of this 'tutorial' and have fun making something amazing with granny squares!

You can follow Michael/The Crochet Crowd at these sites, as well as the links above:
FACEBOOK • RAVELRY • BLOG • TUMBLR • INSTAGRAM

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!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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!

crochet 101 :: make a basic granny square

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

Hi :) 

I'm back today with another Crochet 101 lesson... A week late!!
I'm so sorry for the delay; things just were not working in my favor last week, hence no post on Friday (I couldn't believe I missed that day!! Grr!).

So without further delay, let's get things going!

In this series, we have learned how to:

• Make a slip knot
• Chain stitch
• Slip stitch (part II)
• Single crochet (part II)
• Half double crochet (part II)
• Double crochet (part II)
• Treble crochet (part II)
• Crochet in the back loop (part II)
• Crochet in the front loop (part II)
• Switch colors (part II)
• Fasten off and weave in ends
• Begin crochet in the round
• Read yarn labels
and
• Read a written pattern

Do you know what this means?!

Well besides the obvious post title, it means WE ARE STARTING OUR FIRST BEGINNER PROJECT!!

[Can you tell I'm excited?]

Lesson 23:

A granny square is a very popular crocheted motif. It is worked in rounds so the work is never turned to work on the other side. There are many variations of the granny square, but today we will be learning how to make the basic 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 ;)

Today's tutorial will show you how to make a granny square using just 1 color.

(We will learn how to make a multi-colored granny square in tomorrow's tutorial.)

Let's get started!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You will need:

*Yarn

*Hook

*Scissors

*Yarn needle

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

Start with your preferred method of crocheting in the round.
For this tutorial, I have chosen to use the magic loop. If you choose to use one of the other two methods, ignore this step, begin setting up to crochet in the round, and then continue on to the next step.
(For the first method of making a center ring: you will begin with a chain 4, then join [as explained in the tutorial])

~Rnd 1 (Round 1)~
Step 1:
Ch 3 [counts as first dc here and throught]
(Chain 3 [This will count as a double crochet for this round and throughout the pattern; when the rounds start with a ch 3])

Step 2:

2 dc in loop.

(Make 2 double crochets in the center of the ring)

[1 dc...]

[...2 dc]

Step 3:

Ch 2.

(Chain 2)

[This makes the corner of the square and sets up the space where the second round of crochet goes.]

Step 4:

[3dc, ch2] 3 times.

(Make 3 double crochets into the center of the loop, then chain 2. Repeat this sequence a total of 3 times.)

 [3 dc...]

 [...ch 2 (1 repeat of 3)]

 [3 dc, ch 2 (2nd repeat of 3)]

 [3 dc, ch 2 (3rd repeat of 3)]

Step 5: 
*Move on to Part 2 if you are not using the magic loop starting method.
Part 1
Pull the tail of the yarn to tighten the loop (magic!).

Part 2:

Join in top of ch 3.

(In the top chain of the beginning chain 3, make a slip stitch to join the round.)

 [Find top chain: shown with the purple circle in the picture above.]

 [Insert your hook, yarn over...]

[...pull yarn through and complete a slip stitch]

Round 1 is complete!

Now this tutorial goes on to show you how to complete Round 2 of the granny square if you are using just 1 color. Of course you can also fasten off at this point and just make a ton of little squares to join later.

~Rnd 2 (Round 2~

Step 1:

Sl st in ea of next 2 sts and in ch-2 sp.

(Make a slip stitch in the next double crochet, make a slip stitch into the second double crochet, and into the chain 2 space [not the chains])

 [Next dc...]

 [...insert hook, yarn over, pull yarn through...]

 [...complete the first slip stitch.]

 [Move to next double crochet...]

 [...complete second slip stitch.]

 [Insert hook into the chain 2 space...]

 [...and complete the last slip stitch.]

Step 2:
Ch 3.
(Chain 3.)

Step 3:
[2 dc, ch 2] in ch-2 sp.
(Make 2 double crochet stitches into the chain 2 space and then chain 2.)

Step 4:
[3 dc, ch 2] 2 times in next ch-2 sp.
(Make 3 double crochets, then chain 2, then make 3 more double crochets and chain 2 ALL IN THE CHAIN 2 SPACE.)

 [Locate the next ch-2 sp...]

 [...3 dc, ch 2.]

 [Yarn over and go back into the same ch-2 sp...]

 [...and make 3 dc, then ch 2.]

Step 5:
Rep 2 more times.
(Repeat step 4 for the next 2 ch-2 sp corners; Make 3 double crochets, then chain 2, then make 3 more double crochets and chain 2 ALL IN THE CHAIN 2 SPACE. Move to the next ch-2 sp and repeat; make 3 double crochets, then chain 2, then make 3 more double crochets and chain 2 [all in the ch-2 sp].)

 [Move to next ch-2 space...]

 [...make 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, and ch 2 (all in the ch-2 sp; first repeat of 2).]

 [Go to next ch-2 sp...]

 [...and make 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, and ch 2 (all in ch-2 sp; second repeat of 2).]

Step 6:
3 dc, ch 2 in next ch-2 sp.
(Make 3 double crochets, then chain 2 in the next [and last] chain 2 space.)

 [Move to last ch-2 sp...]

 [...and make 3 dc, then ch 2.]

Step 7:
Join.
(Make a slip stitch to join the round.)

 [Insert hook into the top chain of the beginning ch 3, yarn over...]

 [...pull yarn through and complete a slip stitch.]

Round 2 is now joined and completed!

*If you want your square to be bigger:
Repeat Round 2: Steps 1-3, then repeat Step 4 for however many chain 2 spaces you have in the round, and finish off the round by doing steps 6-7.


*If you want to stop at Round 2, STOP at Step 6 of Round 2 and follow the steps below:

Step 1:
Thread your yarn needle.

Step 2:
Insert needle under both loops of the top chain of the beginning chain...

 ...and pull the yarn through (not too tight!).

Step 3:
Next, insert your needle into the back loop only of the last chain of the chain 2...

...and pull the yarn through.

 Pull in the yarn a little to make the loop snug, but not tight.

 This technique creates a nice finish that is almost unnoticeable:

Step 4:
Next, turn your square over to the backside and start to weave in the end.

Remember to give the end a slight tug before cutting so that it will slide back into the stitches for good hiding.

And that's it!

A basic granny square; completed!

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


In this first video, I show all the steps described above for Round 1.


In this second video, I show all the steps described above for Round 2.
(Towards the end, I was having trouble getting my hook into both loops of the top chain to join so I just said forget it and stayed in the one loop... And for some reason I keep messing with the square at the end of the video... sorry for that lol)

There you have it; how to make a granny square. This tutorial shows how to make a one colored granny, but tomorrow we will learn how to switch colors so that we can make our granny square nice and colorful :)


See you back here tomorrow!