Large Granny Square with Circle Centre

Granny Square Tutorial

This large granny square pattern has been designed specifically so I can use it in a bigger crochet project that I’ve been working on over the last year. Since last autumn or so, I have made enough granny squares for two double-bed sized crochet blankets and this pattern is part of those colourful blankets.

I recorded a large granny square tutorial in the spring and it has taken me until the late summer to edit it and put it together! Oh my goodness, such a long time. One of the reasons for the delay is that I wanted to make sure I got the pattern right. The element that needed perfecting was the granny circle in the middle of the square because the first blanket had too many stitches. You can find out much much more in Episode 104 of the Zeens and Roger Crochet Podcast as that video has a decent chat about the blankets I made. Therefore, if you’d like to know more, please do watch it (there are other granny projects in that episode too).

To watch the video tutorial of how to make a large granny square with a circle centre, go HERE to YouTube. For the written pattern, keep scrolling.

Granny Squares to Make a Crochet Blanket

The photo above shows the first blanket I made at the beginning of this year. It’s a crochet blanket that I have been meaning to make for yeeeeeaaars. Back in 2011 (ish) I made one that was very similar and over the years I have been asked for the pattern quite a lot. I’ll have to dig out a photo to share in the next blog post (I’ll do that once blanket no.2 is complete).

The blankets all have the same thing in common; they have large and small squares laid out together in a “random formation”. The pattern for the large granny square is below. You can find the pattern for the cute little granny square HERE (plus the video tutorial too). When combined, you can make an awesome crochet blanket.

The best thing about making lots of squares and turning them into a blanket is that there is no rush. Make just a few every now and then, pick up and put down as and when the mood takes. Before you know it, everything has come together nicely at a super relaxing pace. Wonderful stuff.

Things you Need to Crochet a Large Granny Square

For this pattern, you will need lots of DK yarn and a 4mm hook. This crochet pattern makes a 13 round square, that measures approximately 10 inches. Granny squares are, of course, the best stashbusters in the world so gather up all your DK leftovers to make your own unique motifs for a one of a kind blanket.

It’s important to note that the written instructions here use UK terms. Anywhere you see “tr” or “treble” please remember that these are US double crochet stitches.

Below are some special stitches that you may not know. I assume that you know any other, more basic, abbreviations but please leave a comment below if anything foxes you and I will do my best to answer as soon as I can.

Special Crochet Stitches

To make a stonkingly good crochet square there are a couple of techniques here that you may be new to, or perhaps not. But I will share them here as they are integral to the pattern. Please do not worry, they are not as hard as you might think and the video tutorial takes you through these crochet techniques step-by-step.

Beg tr2tog:

This is used at the beginning of Rnd 1 to work the first “petal”. It uses the same principle as a Stacked Start (have you seen my video tutorial for Alternatives to a Chain 3?).
Insert hook in circle, yrh and pull through, yrh and pull through both loops on hook (it helps to gently pinch the st at this point to make the next stage easier). Insert hook in left leg of the st and the loop behind it (the pinch helps the back loop to become looser and more visible), yrh and pull through, (2 loops on hook), yrh and insert hook into the circle, yrh and pull through (4 loops on hook), yrh and pull through 2 loops, yrh and pull through 3 loops. 

Standing tr start (sttr):

This is instead of starting rounds by using chains, it looks much tidier than a 3-chain and it’s fun to do! It’s perfect when changing colour at the beginning of rows. Yrh three times and hold loops on hook with forefinger, insert hook in ch-sp/st, yrh and pull through, [yrh and pull through 2 loops] twice. Let go of the yarn wrapped around your hook. First treble stitch made.

Standing dtr start (stdtr) = A US standing treble:

This is same principle as the sttr only for a taller stitch; you just wrap the yarn around your hook an extra time.
Yrh four times and hold loops on hook with forefinger, insert hook in ch-sp/st, yrh and pull through, [yrh and pull through 2 loops] three times.  Let go of the yarn wrapped around your hook. First dtr stitch made.

A cluster = 3 tr together in the same space.

The written pattern below assumes you will change colour every round. With Blanket No. 2 you will see that I don’t change colour every round for the granny squares. Watch the tutorial (towards the end) to see how that’s done as you have to use a couple of different techniques. Nothing crazy, I promise.

Top Tip!! Alternate the place where you join your yarn for each round. Join new yarn in the opposite corner to the join of the previous round. This avoids the dreaded granny twist! You can see this method doesn’t work quite so well if you are not changing colour.

Large Granny Square Pattern

Chain 5 and join with a sl st.
Rnd 1: 1Beg tr2tog, ch2, *tr2tog, 2ch: rep from * 6 more times, join with a sl st into the 1st 2ch-sp. Fasten off & cut yarn. Do not turn (here & throughout). [ 8 “petals”]

Rnd 2: Attach new yarn with 1sttr in any 2ch-sp, 2tr in same sp, 1ch, *3tr in next 2ch-sp, 1ch; rep from * 6 more times, join with a sl st into the top of the sttr. Fasten off & cut yarn.

Rnd 3: [this is a change from the video tutorial – you may hear me waffle at about 12/13 minutes re where I put my chains for Rnd 4 and this new way makes more sense – it amounts to the same amount of stitches and chain at the end] Attach new yarn with 1sttr in any 1ch-sp, (1tr, 1ch, 2tr) in same sp, *(2tr, 1ch, 2tr) in next 1ch-sp; rep from * 6 more times, join with a sl st into the top of the sttr. Fasten off & cut yarn.

Rnd 4: Attach new yarn with 1sttr in any 1ch-sp, 2tr in same sp, miss 2 sts, 3tr, *miss 2 tr, 3tr in next 1ch-sp, miss 2 sts, 3tr; rep from * around join with a sl st into the top of the sttr. Fasten off & cut yarn. [16 clusters]

Rnd 5: Attach new yarn with 1sttr in any sp between clusters, 2tr in same sp, *3tr in next sp; rep from * around, join with a sl st into the top of the sttr. Fasten off & cut yarn.

Rnd 6: Attach new yarn with 1stdtr in any sp, 2dtr in same sp, [3tr in next sp] three times, *(3dtr, 2ch, 3dtr) in next sp, [3tr in next sp] three times; rep from * two more times, 3dtr in first corner, 1htr join in top of stdtr [see the htr join at 22:30 of the video tutorial]. Fasten off & cut yarn.

Rnds 7 – 13: Attach new yarn with 1sttr in corner 2ch-sp, 2tr in same sp, [3tr in next sp] four times, *(3tr, 2ch, 3tr) in 2ch-sp, [3tr in next sp] four times; rep from *two more times, 3tr in corner ch-sp, 1htr join in top of sttr. Fasten off & cut yarn.

And that’s how to crochet a large granny square! Now, sew in all of your ends!!

How to Join Granny Squares

There are a few different ways to join granny squares and you can do so however you see fit. In the video tutorial for the little granny squares, I demonstrate how to Join As You Go but for the new crochet blankets I have chosen to sew them together using the mattress stitch, which is also known as the ladder stitch. I prefer the look and it gives me more control. But that’s a story for another day.

Obviously, you can use this pattern to create lots of crochet squares for your own projects. However, I will pop by very soon to put all the elements together so you can see how to crochet your own granny square blanket.