Learn How to Crochet Different Granny Square Designs – Bella Coco Crochet
Few things in the crochet world are as satisfying as mastering the granny square. Whether you’re a complete beginner picking up a hook for the first time or a seasoned maker looking to expand your repertoire, granny squares offer an endlessly creative canvas. At Bella Coco Crochet, we believe that learning to crochet different granny square designs is one of the most rewarding journeys you can take as a crafter. These small, versatile motifs can become blankets, bags, clothing, home décor, and so much more — and once you understand the core principles behind them, the creative possibilities truly become limitless.
In this guide, we’re going to walk you through everything you need to know about crocheting different granny square designs, from the classic traditional square to more advanced floral and solid variations. We’ll cover the materials you’ll need, the stitches involved, how to read a granny square pattern, and how to finish and join your squares into a finished project. Grab your hook, pick your favorite yarn, and let’s get started.
What Is a Granny Square?
A granny square is a small, flat crocheted motif that is typically worked in the round from the center outward. The name has been around for generations, and the design itself is believed to have roots in Victorian-era needlework. Traditionally, granny squares were made using leftover scraps of yarn — a practical way to use up odds and ends while creating something beautiful and functional.
The classic granny square is built using clusters of three double crochet stitches (called shells or clusters), separated by chain spaces at the corners, which give the square its characteristic shape. But over time, crochet designers around the world have taken that basic structure and transformed it into hundreds of different variations: solid granny squares, floral granny squares, heart granny squares, striped granny squares, hexagonal granny squares, and more.
At Bella Coco Crochet, we love granny squares not just because they’re classic, but because they’re beginner-friendly, portable, and incredibly versatile. You can work on them anywhere — on the sofa, on a commute, or while catching up on your favorite show.
What You’ll Need Before You Start
Before diving into specific designs, let’s make sure you have everything you need to crochet your granny squares successfully.
Yarn is your first consideration. Granny squares work beautifully in virtually any weight of yarn, but the most popular choices are double knitting (DK) weight or worsted weight yarn. If you’re a beginner, worsted weight is particularly forgiving because the stitches are easier to see and work into. You can use a single color for a uniform look, or gather a collection of different colors to create a traditional multicolor patchwork effect.
Hooks should match your yarn weight. For worsted weight yarn, a 5mm or 5.5mm hook is a good starting point. For DK weight, try a 4mm hook. Always check the yarn label for the manufacturer’s suggested hook size, though keep in mind that your personal tension may mean you want to go up or down a size to get a fabric you’re happy with.
Scissors and a yarn needle (also called a tapestry needle or darning needle) are essential for finishing. The yarn needle is used to weave in your ends neatly so your squares look polished and professional.
Stitch markers can be helpful, particularly when you’re learning, to mark the beginning of a round or to keep track of corner chain spaces.
Understanding the Basic Stitches
If you’re new to crochet, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with a few fundamental stitches before attempting a granny square. Most granny square patterns use the following:
A slip stitch (sl st) is used to join rounds or move across stitches without adding height. A chain stitch (ch) forms the foundation of your work and creates the corner spaces in granny squares. A double crochet (dc) — known as a treble crochet (tr) in UK terminology — is the main building block of most granny square patterns. It creates a taller stitch that forms those characteristic clusters. A single crochet (sc), or double crochet in UK terms, is a shorter stitch used in many solid granny square designs and for joining methods.
If you’re following a Bella Coco Crochet pattern, be sure to note whether the pattern uses UK or US crochet terminology, as the stitch names differ between the two conventions. Most Bella Coco Crochet patterns are written in UK terminology, so a “treble crochet” in those patterns corresponds to what American crocheters call a “double crochet.”
The Classic Traditional Granny Square
The traditional granny square is the design that started it all, and it remains one of the most popular crochet patterns in the world for good reason. It’s quick to work up, uses minimal yarn, and is endlessly customizable with color changes.
To begin, you’ll make a small foundation ring. You can do this using a magic ring (also called a magic circle), which creates a tight, adjustable center, or by chaining 4 stitches and joining them with a slip stitch to form a ring. The magic ring is particularly popular because it eliminates the hole in the center that can sometimes appear with a chain ring.
Round 1 is worked into that center ring. You’ll chain 3 (which counts as your first double crochet), then work 2 more double crochets into the ring to form your first cluster. Next, chain 2 to create your first corner space. Repeat this — 3 double crochets, chain 2 — three more times to create four clusters with four corner spaces. Finish the round by joining with a slip stitch to the top of your starting chain.
Round 2 builds on the first. You’ll join your new color (or continue with the same color) in a corner chain space. From each corner space, you’ll work a cluster of 3 double crochets, chain 2, then another cluster of 3 double crochets to create the corner. Along each side, between the corners, you’ll work a single cluster of 3 double crochets separated by a chain 1 space. By the end of this round, you’ll have a distinctly square shape taking form.
Subsequent rounds follow the same logic: corners are always worked as double cluster shells with a chain 2 space between them, and side clusters grow in number as the square gets larger. By round 3 or 4, your classic granny square is complete, but you can keep going to create a larger piece.
The beauty of this design is how easily it accommodates color changes. Many makers use a different color for each round, creating those iconic rainbow or scrappy multicolor looks that granny squares are famous for.
The Solid Granny Square
If the open, lacy look of the traditional granny square isn’t quite your style, the solid granny square is a wonderful alternative. Instead of chain spaces between clusters along the sides, the solid granny square fills in those gaps with additional stitches, creating a dense, smooth fabric with much less space between stitches.
The solid granny square is particularly popular for items like bags, cushion covers, and garments where you want a sturdier fabric that doesn’t allow things to fall through the gaps. It also shows colorwork beautifully because the stitches are so close together.
To make a solid granny square, you’ll still start with a center ring, but instead of chains between clusters, you’ll work directly into the stitches or spaces of the previous round. The result is a tightly woven, flat square that has all the charm of the traditional design but with a completely different texture and density.
The Floral Granny Square
The floral granny square is one of the most beloved variations and a design that Bella Coco Crochet has explored beautifully in multiple tutorials. In this design, the center rounds create the appearance of a flower, with petals radiating outward, before transitioning into the traditional square format in the outer rounds.
The petals are typically made using a combination of chain loops and double or treble crochet stitches worked into those loops to form a fan or petal shape. Round 1 usually creates a series of chain loops radiating from the center ring. Round 2 fills each of those loops with a set of stitches to form the petals. From Round 3 onward, you transition into working the outer square structure using the familiar cluster and corner method.
The color possibilities here are spectacular. You can make the center one color, the petals a contrasting color, and then the outer background in a neutral — creating a striking floral motif that looks impressive but is entirely achievable, even for newer crocheters.
The Granny Square with a Bobble or Popcorn Center
Adding texture to your granny squares takes them from flat and simple to richly dimensional. Bobble stitches and popcorn stitches are two popular ways to achieve this.
A bobble stitch is made by working several double crochet stitches together into the same stitch, leaving the last loop of each on the hook, then pulling through all loops at once. This creates a rounded, puffed bump on the surface of the fabric. When placed at the center of a granny square or used as accent stitches throughout the rounds, bobbles add wonderful tactile interest.
A popcorn stitch involves working a set of complete double crochets into the same stitch, then removing your hook, reinserting it through the top of the first stitch, and pulling the last loop through to “pop” the group of stitches to the front of the work. Popcorns are slightly more raised and defined than bobbles, giving a more dramatic three-dimensional effect.
These textured granny squares are particularly popular for blankets and cushions where you want the finished item to have that cozy, tactile quality that makes handmade crochet so special.
The Corner-to-Corner (C2C) Granny Variation
While technically a different construction method, the corner-to-corner crochet technique produces granny-square-like blocks that many makers incorporate into larger patchwork projects. In C2C crochet, you work small clusters of stitches diagonally, increasing across the piece and then decreasing to create a square or rectangular fabric. The individual blocks resemble mini granny squares, and the finished fabric has that characteristic open-stitch texture.
C2C is excellent for graphghans — large pictorial blankets made from squares of different colors — because each small block can be worked in a different color to create pixel-art-style images. It’s a fascinating technique to explore once you’re comfortable with basic granny square construction.
Tips for Keeping Your Granny Squares Flat and Even
One of the most common challenges new granny square makers face is squares that curl, pucker, or come out unevenly sized. Here are some practical tips to help you get consistently flat, even results.
Your tension is the single most important factor. If you crochet tightly, your squares will be smaller and may pucker. If you crochet loosely, they’ll be larger and floppy. Consistent tension comes with practice, but you can also adjust your hook size — go up a size if your work is too tight, down a size if it’s too loose.
Blocking is a transformative finishing technique that many crocheters underestimate. Blocking involves wetting your finished square, gently stretching it to the correct dimensions, pinning it flat, and allowing it to dry completely. This evens out the stitches and softens the fabric, making even a somewhat uneven square look polished and professional. If you’re making multiple squares to join into a blanket or garment, blocking each square to the same dimensions ensures they’ll all fit together perfectly.
Counting your stitches at the end of each round is a simple habit that saves a lot of frustration. If your stitch count doesn’t match what the pattern specifies, it’s much easier to fix the mistake at the end of a round than to discover it several rounds later.
Joining Granny Squares Together
Once you’ve made a collection of granny squares, the next step is joining them into your finished project. There are several methods for joining granny squares, each producing a different visual effect.
The slip stitch join is one of the most common methods. You hold two squares together with right sides facing and slip stitch through both layers along the edge. This creates a seam on the wrong side and a neat, flat join on the right side.
The flat slip stitch join (worked with right sides facing out) creates a visible ridge along the join line, which many makers actually use as a design feature — the raised seams become part of the pattern.
The join-as-you-go method (often abbreviated JAYG) is popular for larger projects because it eliminates the need for a separate joining step. As you complete each new square, you connect it to the previous ones during the final round, working the joining stitches directly into the edge of the adjacent square. This saves time and reduces the number of ends you need to weave in.
For a more decorative join, the flat single crochet join creates a slightly raised ridge that can be worked in a contrasting color to add a design element to your finished blanket or project.
Project Ideas for Your Granny Squares
One of the best things about granny squares is that they scale beautifully into almost any project. Here are some inspiring ideas to spark your creativity.
A granny square blanket is the quintessential project. You can make it any size — from a small lap blanket using a handful of squares to a large throw or bed-sized blanket using dozens or even hundreds. Mix and match colors and designs for a vibrant scrappy look, or stick to a curated palette for something more sophisticated.
A granny square bag is another popular choice. Just a few squares sewn or crocheted together and lined with fabric creates a sturdy, stylish tote or shoulder bag. The solid granny square works particularly well here for added structure.
Granny square garments have become extremely fashionable in recent years, from patchwork cardigans and vests to skirts and even dresses. These projects require some planning to size correctly, but there are many excellent patterns available that guide you through the construction.
For something smaller, granny square coasters, cushion covers, pot holders, and wall hangings make wonderful quick makes and thoughtful handmade gifts.
Following Bella Coco Crochet Tutorials
Bella Coco Crochet, created by Sarah-Jayne Fragola, has become one of the most trusted and beloved crochet tutorial channels for makers of all skill levels. Her YouTube tutorials are clear, warm, and patient — perfect for beginners who need to see each stitch demonstrated step by step, but also valuable for more experienced crocheters discovering a new technique or design.
When following a Bella Coco Crochet granny square tutorial, a few habits will help you get the best results. Watch the video all the way through once before picking up your hook, so you have a sense of the full process. Work in a good light so you can clearly see your stitches. Pause and rewind as often as you need — there’s no rush, and good technique built slowly is far more valuable than speed.
The Bella Coco Crochet website and YouTube channel offer a wide range of granny square tutorials, from the foundational classic square for absolute beginners to more complex floral and textured designs for those ready to level up. With each new design you learn, your skills build on the ones before, and before long you’ll have the confidence and vocabulary to attempt any granny square pattern you encounter.
Building Your Granny Square Skills Over Time
Learning to crochet different granny square designs is a journey, not a destination. Each new pattern introduces a slightly different technique, a new stitch combination, or an unexpected construction method that stretches your skills and deepens your understanding of crochet as a craft.
Start with the classic traditional granny square until you can work it comfortably from memory. Then try the solid granny square to understand how density and fabric structure change with stitch placement. Move on to a floral variation to experience working petal shapes in the round. Add a bobble or popcorn design to your toolkit for when you want texture and dimension. Over time, you’ll find you can look at almost any granny square pattern and immediately understand its logic, because all of these designs share the same underlying principles.
The crochet community — and the Bella Coco Crochet community in particular — is one of the most welcoming and encouraging spaces you’ll find. Don’t hesitate to share your makes, ask questions, and celebrate your progress at every stage. Every granny square you complete, however imperfect it may seem to you, is a small handmade treasure and a testament to the time, care, and creativity you’ve invested in learning a beautiful, timeless craft.
Happy crocheting!
