If there’s one pattern all crocheters know by heart, it’s the humble Granny Square. For most of us, it’s the first pattern we learn to crochet right after we learn how to make the basic crochet stitches like chains, single and double crochets. And rightfully so, as it’s one of the patterns that hits close to home. But do you know the humble origins of the Granny Square designs? I looked into it, and found that those beautiful granny squares have quite humble beginnings. But, has over time flourished into something of endless possibilities for the new and experienced crocheter.
I’m sure every grandma in the world either has a granny square crochet blanket, a granny square pillow, a classic granny square sweater (hello 70’s!) or maybe all of the above. There are so many patterns for crocheted granny squares, it looks like this pattern has been around for ages! And that got me to wonder: where does the Granny Square actually come from?
The History of Granny Squares
So I did some research. It turns out that I wasn’t the first one to wonder. Interweave has written an article about it back in 2014. The first mention of Granny Squares that they could find was in The Art of Crochet, published by the Butterick Publishing Company in 1891. Technically they didn’t mention the term Granny Square, but surely described something resembling it:
‘All the odds and ends of fancy colours left over from other crochet work, or small quantities of bright-coloured Germantown or zephyr wools (…). The outside row of every block is made with black wool, and then the blocks are crocheted together with some bright colour, usually yellow… A handsome fringe of black interspersed with bits of all the colours used is generally added to the top and bottom of the robe, and sometimes all around it.’
It’s worth mentioning that the ‘robe’ in the text above is actually old-American for a baby blanket. So technically, this book described the first Granny square baby blanket! What's almost just as interesting, it's that crochet wasn't even referred to as crochet in that time. In the early 1800's crochet was referred to as Shepherd's Knitting or tambouring and was generally only used for fine lace and trimmings for clothing. It gradually expanded to encompass a wide range of items, including doilies, bedspreads, beautiful blankets and eventually, granny squares and granny square variations.
In the years following, many magazines have features examples of the humble Granny Square, such as Victorian Crochet (Weldons & Company, 1895) and Fleisher’s Afghans (1930). The latter describes the pattern as an afghan with multicoloured squares in bright colours with a black border around each of the squares and the entire afghan. It surely paints a granny square picture, doesn’t it? Also interesting to know, is that while the granny square shape has been around for a very long time, the term itself seems to originate in the 60's and 70's. The word "granny" was likely added to emphasize the vintage and nostalgic appeal of the squares.
9 Free Granny Square Patterns
While this motif might have been invented out of necessity and scarcity, yarn is hardly the sought-after commodity it once was. Now it's a great way to bust your scrap yarn stash (but we both know whilst that is a great idea, you'll be shopping for more anyway ; ) ). And that means that we are able to create any granny square we want, mismatched or not. If you’re a beginner crocheter who’s looking for free crochet patterns for Granny Squares, I’ve got you covered! I’ve listed some of my favourite Granny Square patterns below for your skill level, including sources and links to tutorials!
This is the ‘Circle To Square’ Granny pattern by Just B Crafty. Isn’t it a smart and elegant way to turn your scraps into something elegant? You can make the circles in all kinds of colours, thus tapping into the happy scrappy theme of Granny Squares. But if you like a more rustic or natural palette, this pattern can work for you too.
The Fleur Granny Motif by Poppy and Bliss still has some of that 70’s retro vibe but in oh-so-eclectic colours! It looks wonderful as a stand-alone motif, but on her blog, she has got a beautiful example of these motifs turned into a proper Granny Square Blanket.
And if you’re a big fan of colourful rainbows, this blanket will certainly make your day. It’s my own Rainbow Granny Square Blanket, made with all different kinds of colourful sunburst granny square motifs. Instead of traditional black, I used cream white to tie all the colours together. It remains one of my favourite blankets!
If you prefer a more unusual granny square, the Farmhouse solid Granny Square may be the next project for you. Worked in one colour per square, this pattern has that calm look. I can’t get enough of that mustard! YYou can find the free pattern with a video tutorial over at Design Peak.
The Ribbed Granny Square is a more solid motif than the traditional three-dc-cluster Granny, but stunning nonetheless. You can use the raised stitches to bring some texture into your blanket, creating a secondary pattern all across the motifs. Doesn’t that sound like a great plan? Pasta & Patchwork has got the pattern ready for you!
The Colour Wheel Granny Blanket is what happens when Sunburst Granny Square motifs meet a Rainbow. The blanket is colourful, big, and the bright colors are a joy to work with. You can find the pattern for this granny square motif on my blog, for free! It's still one of my personal favorite granny square blanket patterns.
Dada’s Place is a household name when it comes to colourful crochet patterns. The ‘Primavera blanket’ combines traditional Granny motifs with flowers, resulting in this beautiful mix of colours. What a joy to look at! You can find the full tutorial, including many photos, on Dada’s Place.
This overlapping Granny Square Motif is made in beautiful Ombre colours. It makes it ever so special! Can you imagine a blanket made out of these beauties? With the video tutorial, you can! You can find the free pattern on Design Peak.
And finally, there’s the beautiful pattern of the Popcorn Flower Granny Squares. This one might take up a lot of yarn (a lot more than scraps at least), but it’s absolutely worth it. The original picture is by Coco Rose Diaries. The free pattern for this granny square can be found on the Mille Makes blog.
A glimpse into the future
While it's funny to explore the simple granny square's history, I think it's also fun to have a look at what it could become in the future. For instance, you may not know this, but the most classic granny square you can imagine has made a red carpet appearance. You can read more about it in this blogpost here.
And whilst that is pretty interesting on it's own, a whole range of unique crochet granny squares have made their appearance on fashion runways. The variety of different granny squares displayed is astonishing, and gives you a very real glimpse into what the future may hold for the humble, basic granny square.
I don't think DIY and crafting are going anywhere, any time soon With makers sharing patterns, tutorials, and inspiration on social media platforms and crafting websites. I think the granny square an easy way to learn some of the most basic stitches and I think it makes it the perfect pattern for a beginner crocheter.
Anyway, you're not here to hear me ramble on about how much is love my granny squares. You're here for the list of free crochet granny squares and more importantly, the free pattern they come with. I hope you’ve enjoyed them.
Granny never goes out of style, so you really can’t go wrong with a classic (or slightly more modern) Granny Square, so there's absolutely no reason not to start your next project!
Do you have a favourite pattern for Granny Squares that you like to share with us? Place them in the comments, I would love to see your crochet projects! Happy crocheting!
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