Looking For A Stashbusting Granny Square Scarf?
The Aster Granny Square Scarf is the ultimate in quick-fix crochet. I came up with this scarf idea when I was supposed to be working on a crochet commission and was putting off the hard work. I was procraftinating, if you like. Essentially, I was seeking out yarny gratification in making mindful granny squares. I know I’m approaching burnout when I reach for their easy, reassuring comfort.
But sometimes, granny squares are a bit too simple, you know? I wanted to turn them into a project that was a little bit more special. Nothing too crazy, but seeing as I already have a habit of turning these crochet squares on their sides, it seemed a simple way of making a scarf a touch more fun and interesting.
The Aster Granny Square Scarf is available to purchase from Etsy, or you can grab it from the Zeens Roger Ravelry store, too. The ad-free PDF pattern includes schematics, full written instructions, step-by-step photos of the Join As You Go technique, as well as useful crochet charts. The information you’re about to read below is more of a recipe.
I also created a video tutorial showing you how to crochet the granny square scarf in all its different stages.
Aster Granny Square Scarf In a Nutshell
There is some useful information below, but you may be confident enough to go for it with just the bare bones of the scarf recipe. With that in mind, here’s a TLDR of how to make the Aster Granny Square Scarf in a few key points:
- Grab a 4mm crochet hook and your DK yarn stash (approx 50g for the headscarf, 100g for the necktie & 150g for the longer scarf)
- For JAYG, make lots of 2 round granny squares.
- For JAYG, make twice as many granny triangles.
- Sew in all their ends now!
- If using mattress stitch to sew together – work the square and triangles all with 3 rounds.
- Join squares with your preferred method.
- Work crochet edging – the pattern is written below and shown in the vid tutorial.
- Block your scarf – it just looks so much better!
Crochet Granny Necktie Or Granny Scarf?
There isn’t anything particularly difficult in the Aster Granny Square Scarf; in fact, it’s super easy to make. And it is pretty versatile too.
Whether you would like to crochet a necktie version or a longer, more traditional scarf, the choice is yours. Perhaps it’ll depend on how much yarn stash you have, but you could make the Aster scarf in any length you like. You could add more rounds to the squares, use just one colour or alllll the colours.
In this pattern, you have many options. How about a headscarf too?
A Granny Square Headscarf
Of course, if you don’t want crochet around your neck, how about a granny square headscarf? It’s the same pattern, just with a tweak or two! I would actually love to make a headscarf in 4ply yarn too, it would look very delicate and lacey, just perfect for spring/summer.
The Aster Headscarf incorporates ties in the first round of the edging. It is not difficult to do. In the video tutorial, I used US single crochet stitches for the ties, but I’ve since changed my mind. I highly recommend swapping to slip stitch instead. The ties aren’t quite so thick with slip stitches.
Aster Granny Square Scarf Measurements
When using a 4mm crochet hook and DK wool yarn, 1 square measures approx:
10cm / 4 inches, on the diagonal. Or 7cm / 2.75 inches down a square side.
Width of all patterns: 11cm / 4.25 inches.
Little Granny Scarves: 90cm / 35.5 inches.
Long Granny Scaves: 140cm / 55 inches.
Granny headscarf length (inc. 2x 26cm ties): 92cm / 36.25 inches each.
How To Crochet The Aster Granny Square Scarf
Yarn For Your Aster Granny Square Scarf
I used wool DK yarn. My fave is merino, but you can use any yarn you like for a crochet project like this. A couple of yarn brands I’m currently obsessed with are Drops and Yarnsmiths. King Cole has a couple of nice options, too. They all have DK yarn balls in 50-gram skeins, which are ideal for small crochet projects.
To make the Aster Granny scarf, you need:
- 4mm crochet hook
- DK yarn – depending on the size you make, you’ll need approximately:
- Little Scarf – Less than 220m/240yds/100g of DK yarn. Include 1x50g of main colour if stashbusting, OR 2x50g if monochrome.
- Long Scarf – Less than 330m/360yds/150g of DK yarn. Include 2x50g of main colour, if stashbusting, OR 3x50g if monochrome.
- Headscarf – Yarnsmiths Merino DK, 100% Merino Wool (110m/120yd/50g). 1 ball in Multi Tweed (T3820)
A list of my current favourite DK wool yarns that come in 50g balls (and scraps of which feature in these crochet projects).
- Drops Daisy DK, 100% Wool (110m/120yd/50g).
- Yarnsmiths Merino DK, 100% Merino Wool (110m/120yd/50g).
- King Cole Majestic 20%Â Polyamide (50%Â Wool, 30%Â Acrylic (121m/132yds/50g)
- WYS Bo Peep 48% Nylon, 52% Wool (112m/122yds/50g)
Suppose you don’t want to use these, not a problem. Check out some more info about Yarn Substitution, or go completely off piste. You could use fluffy yarn, cotton yarn (for a light, summer crochet scarf), or acrylic would work brilliantly, too. Choose whatever you have in your yarn stash.
Making Granny Squares – How Many?!
This easy crochet scarf is all about the granny squares. If you know how to crochet granny squares, you can make this scarf. Or even if you don’t, try it as your beginner crochet project. I show you how to make granny squares (and the triangles) in the video tutorial.
The granny squares are on the diagonal, so the way to work out how long you want your scarf to be is to measure from corner to corner across the diagonal. Multiply that number by the number of squares you think will be right.
Is it the length you want? No? Add or take away one, two, three squares. Play around with the length. Make one that’s 8 or 9 squares long, make one that measures 30 feet!
The angled point necktie is a length of eight 3-round squares, plus the triangle ends. The long Aster granny square scarf with its symmetrical points is 14 squares long.
Making Crochet Granny Triangles. How Many?!
You also need to crochet granny triangles to straighten along the scarf edges. The number of granny triangles needed depends on the way you want the pointed ends to look. For the angled pointed scarf, you need double the quantity of triangles as granny squares.
For example, my Little angled point scarf has 8 squares and 16 triangles. However, if you’re planning on a symmetrical point at the ends of the scarf, it’s double the quantity plus one extra square. I.e, 9 squares and 16 triangles.
A Versatile Granny Scarf
You might have guessed by now that you can make plenty of simple adjustments to the Aster Granny Square Scarf so that you have something unique in your handmade wardrobe.
As mentioned above, the number of granny triangles you need depends on whether you want to end with an angled point or a symmetrical point. You can see from the photos that there are two options.
You can make it in any yarn fibre and you can make it in any length. You can even add more rounds to the squares and triangles to make them bigger. Not only do you have these options (don’t you just love how adaptable crochet is?!), you can also join the squares in different ways depending on your whims and ways…
JAYG Granny Square or Sewing With Mattress Stitch?
I have made four versions of the Aster Granny Square Scarf. Actually, five, including the headscarf. Because of the quick-fix crochet satisfaction, I much prefer the Join As You Go method. JAYG works brilliantly for grannies, and you can join scarf squares in an evening.
However, using a mattress stitch to sew granny squares together is the best way of joining for a neat sewing method. Sewing the squares together definitely takes longer, but not everyone likes JAYG, so it’s good to have a different technique to choose from.
The Aster Granny Scarf video tutorial demonstrates how to join the grannies as you go, but I also have a useful video tutorial for mattress stitch for joining granny squares, too.
How To Arrange Granny Squares
When it comes to arranging the colour order of granny squares, I very rarely do anything other than follow my gut. I also make sure I have a fresh cup of tea, the TV remote and plenty of room to plan which squares sit next to which. The best course of action for a stash busting scarf like this is to not think about it too much!
Despite the photo above showing granny squares lined up on the sofa, I actually normally do this on the floor.
Easy Mini Bobble Crochet Edging
Once again, I want this project to be the ultimate in Mindful Crochet, so the mini bobble edging is quick and easy. You’ll find it timestamped in the video tutorial, so if you need a helping hand, you have it!
The Mini Bobble Stitch instructions:
This stitch is worked on the wrong side of the scarf/headscarf
Yo (yarn over), insert hook in st, yo and pull through, ch1 (3 loops on hook), yo, insert hook in same st, yo, pull through (5 loops on hook), yo, pull through all 5 loops on hook.
With the right side of the scarf facing you, join the yarn to any stitch.
Round 1: Ch1, 2sc in bar of horizontal dc sts, 1sc in corner ch-sps of squares, 1sc in centre circles of triangles, 3sc in scarf end points, continue in pattern around, join with sl st to first st, turn. – I am not going to worry about stitch count for this, it just isn’t worth the bother, and if you’re a stitch or two out, does it matter?!
Round 2 (Wrong Side): *1 mini bobble, 2sl st; rep from * around, join with sl st. Fasten off and cut yarn.
Blocking Your Aster Granny Square Scarf
Blocking your crochet turns your work from OK to exceptional! It smooths out stitches and irons out wrinkles and potential warping. I highly recommend it. For my scarves, I chose to steam block them.
The moisture and heat from the steamer are enough to set the stitches beautifully. Steaming also doesn’t take as long as wet blocking, so if you’re in a hurry, it is perfect. A few hours of resting and Hey Presto!
Granny Square Scarves Forever!
If you would like to have all the details (and more) in one place (without the ads!), the PDF pattern is available for purchase from my Ravelry store, or you can also buy a copy (as well as my other crochet patterns) from my Etsy shop)
If you are looking for more Granny crochet inspiration, check out my Free Crochet Patterns. Let me know what you’re going to make next!
Cheers! x
