Crochet Free Patterns Tutorials Work In Progress

Solid Granny Squares

Free pattern at the bottom, in English (UK and US terms) and Dutch!
Gratis patroon onderaan de pagina, in Engels (VK en VS termen) en Nederlands!

Have you ever been in love with yarn or a pattern, but have no use for it? I have, and I’m sure you have been in this situation as well. Especially blankets are difficult projects: who needs fifty blankets?! Clothes like cardigans are more useful, and hats and socks always come in handy. Blankets however take a lot of space, and I always snuggle up under the same one because that’s simply my favorite. There is no need to make another blanket, even if the pattern is amazingly pretty and the yarn looks soft and warm.

So whenever I see a beautiful blanket pattern, I struggle to keep my wallet closed, but most of the times I succeed. And then I found out about this organization in the Netherlands that collects handmade (knitted and crocheted) blankets for children who are sick. Comfort blankets, so they won’t get scared during those long hospital stays. Not only is this a great charity, it also makes the making of blankets possible! Problem solved. So I got out my hook and bought some yarn, and started making granny squares!

I ran into yarn in these beautiful colors at Action, a budget store in the Netherlands. It is 100% acrylic and washable. I calculated that I needed six colors for the squares and one color for the joining and border, so I ended up with seven balls of yarn: one each in the colors blue, silver, red, anthracite, green, grey and white. The plan: 16 squares per color, and joining them in diagonal lines. 

 

The solid granny square was also one of the patterns for 2017’s mystery blanket, and I was looking for a project to use it. As a refresher, I watched this video

If you want to make blankets with this purpose, be sure to use yarn that is 100% acrylic and washable. Try to find a similar organization in your country, and take a look at their guidelines. If you manage to find an organization like this, they’ll have a drop-off address or instructions. Otherwise, try hospitals or elderly homes (or other places you want to make comfort blankets for) and I’m sure you’ll find a place where they appreciatie your effort. 

The pattern

Solid granny squares are super easy to make! It is the same pattern that you repeat until you have the size you want, and only exists of chainstitches (Dutch: lossen), slipstiches (Dutch: halve vasten) and trebles (UK. US: double crochets, Dutch: stokjes).

UK terms

rnd 1: chain 4 and sl.st. in first ch. to make a circle.
rnd 2: chain 5 (counts as 1 tr. and chain 2), 3 tr. in circle, chain 2, 3 tr. in circle, chain 2, 3 tr. in circle, chain 2, 2 tr. in circle and join with sl.st in third chain. You now have four parts of 2 chains and 3 trebles.
rnd 3: chain 3 (counts as tr.), * 2 tr. in hole of chain 2 of previous round, chain 2, 2 tr. in hole of chain 2 of previous round, 1 tr. in each previous tr. *. Repeat * – * until you reach the chain 3 that starts this round. Join with sl.st. in third chain.
This is basically it! Chain 3 to start a round, and make sure to crochet one tr. on each previous tr. The corners are [2 tr., chain 2, 2 tr.] in the hole of chain 2 of the previous round. Each side should increase by 4 stitches every round.
When you’ve reached the required size, finish of with the last sl.st, cut the yarn and pull through.

Rnd 1 finished.
The first corner of rnd 2.

US terms

rnd 1: chain 4 and sl.st. in first ch. to make a circle.
rnd 2: chain 5 (counts as 1 dc. and chain 2), 3 dc. in circle, chain 2, 3 dc. in circle, chain 2, 3 dc. in circle, chain 2, 2 dc. in circle and join with sl.st in third chain. You now have four parts of 2 chains and 3 trebles.
rnd 3: chain 3 (counts as dc.), * 2 dc. in hole of chain 2 of previous round, chain 2, 2 dc. in hole of chain 2 of previous round, 1 dc. in each previous dc. *. Repeat * – * until you reach the chain 3 that starts this round. Join with sl.st. in third chain.
This is basically it! Chain 3 to start a round, and make sure to crochet one dc. on each previous dc. The corners are [2 dc., chain 2, 2 dc.] in the hole of chain 2 of the previous round. Each side should increase by 4 stitches every round.
When you’ve reached the required size, finish of with the last sl.st, cut the yarn and pull through.

Rnd 2: each side has 7 stitches in total: 2 (corner 1) + 3 (prev. round) + 2 (corner 2).
Starting a new round: chain 3/haak 3 lossen.

Nederlandse termen

rnd 1: haak 4 lossen en maak een cirkel door een halve vaste in de eerste losse te haken.
rnd 2: haak 5 lossen (telt als 1 stk. en 2 lossen), 3 stk. in de cirkel, 2 lossen, 3 stk. in de cirkel, 2 lossen, 3 stk. in de cirkel, 2 lossen, 2 stk. in de cirkel en een hv in de 3e losse. Je hebt nu vier stukken van 2 lossen en 3 stokjes.
rnd 3: haak 3 lossen (telt als 1 stk.), * 2 stk. in ruimte van 2 lossen van de vorige ronde, 2 lossen, 2stk. in ruimte van 2 lossen van de vorige ronde, 1 stk. in elk stk. van de vorige ronde *. Herhaal * – * tot je bij de 3 lossen bent van het begin van deze ronde. Verbind met hv in derde losse.
En eigenlijk is dit het! Begin een ronde met 3 lossen, en zorg dat je op elk stokje van de vorige ronde een stokje haakt. De hoeken zijn [2 stk., 2 lossen, 2 stk.] in de ruimte van de 2 lossen van de vorige ronde. Elke kant zou met 4 steken moeten groeien per ronde.
Wanneer je de gewenste maat hebt bereikt, hecht af met de laatste hv door de wol af te knippen en door te trekken.

In rnd 3, each side has 11 stitches: 2 + 7 + 2.
When you are finished, cut the yarn and pull through.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s it! Have fun making these solid granny squares!

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1 Comment

  1. […] van andere ontwerpers gemaakt, een paar dekens voor het goede doel in elkaar gezet (zoals een met Solid Granny Squares), een patroon getest van een van mijn favoriete ontwerpers, een aantal sleutelhangers gemaakt en […]

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