Granny square facts for kids
A granny square is a special kind of square fabric. You make it using a craft called crochet. You start in the middle and work your way out in circles. Granny squares are always made by hand. Machines cannot create them. They often look a bit like pretty, textured lace. Crocheters usually make many small squares. These are called "motifs". Then they join these pieces together. They can create cool things like clothing, bags, Afghan blankets, and other items for the home.
Granny square clothing has been popular many times throughout history. It was especially trendy in the 1970s. Author Debbie Stoller once joked about how much granny squares were used then. She said:
If you grew up in the seventies, as I did, you might fear the granny square—if only because, for a while, clothing was made of nothing else. Granny square vests, granny square shorts, granny square hats. It seemed like every type of clothing could be made with granny squares!
Even though colors and patterns change, granny squares remain a favorite among crocheters. Using many colors in granny squares is a great way to use up small amounts of yarn. These are often leftover from other projects. Basic granny square patterns are also easy to learn. You don't need advanced skills to make them.
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The Fascinating History of Granny Squares
The very first known example of a traditional granny square appeared a long time ago. It was in a magazine called Prairie Farmer. This was on April 5, 1885. A lady named Mrs. Phelps shared her design. She wrote about a new crochet pattern for a blanket. She said it was like the "crazy work" that was popular then.
The First Published Granny Square Pattern
The "crazy work" Mrs. Phelps mentioned was crazy quilting. This was a popular trend at the time. In crazy quilting, women sewed fabric scraps together in unique patterns. It was common to use black ribbon on the borders between these quilt squares. This is similar to how traditional granny squares often have dark borders.
The granny square design became popular again in the 1930s. You could find patterns for them in publications like Fleisher's Afghans.
Crafting Your Own Granny Square
Making a granny square is a fun crochet project. Edie Eckman, an expert in crochet, explains it well. She says:
The familiar granny square is a special form of square motif. Although there are many variations on the granny square, the traditional one is a double-crocheted square made with a series of chains and double-crocheted blocks—a kind of filet crochet in the round.
Starting Your Crochet Project
Any granny square begins with a small loop. You can make this loop from chain stitches. Or you can use a "magic ring" slip knot. This magic ring can be pulled tight after you crochet into it. Basic granny squares use a mix of "double stitches" and "chain stitches."
Exploring Different Granny Square Designs
There are many different ways to make granny squares. Some patterns use different types of stitches. Others create different shapes, like hexagons. To make the corners of the square stand out, you add extra chain stitches. Each new round of crochet wraps around the stitches from the previous round. There are hundreds of different granny square designs. You can even find entire books filled with these creative patterns!
