Crochet mittens are a winter favourite of mine, and that includes super warm, chunky crochet mittens! Ordinarily, I prefer a lighter weight of yarn for handmade accessories, but for quick-fix crochet, this pattern is great.
These crochet chunky mittens are worked from the cuff up to the tips of the fingers. After a post-stitch ribbing, simple increases are made to incorporate space for a thumb. Then, the rest of the mitten is shaped with a couple of decreases. Because bulky weight yarn is used, they work up super fast, so they make ideal crochet gifts too.
Chunky yarn and bulky yarn are the same weight of yarn. I believe that’s a size 5 (although I don’t use yarn sizes, so had to look it up!). It turns out that a chunky, or bulky yarn makes a great pair of mittens when using simple crochet stitches.
Of course, I tried a few different yarn brands and after a bit of research, my two favourite chunky yarns were West Yorkshire Spinners Re:Treat and Stylecraft Carnival Tweed. Also, it turns out, you can make one pair of chunky crochet mittens out of a single, 100-gram ball of yarn, which is just amazing!
5.5mm hook (US I/9) for the mitten main sections. Please remember to change to the 5.5mm crochet hook once you have completed the cuff. I totally forgot when I filmed the tutorial and, when it dawns on me (after I’ve crocheted most of the mitten!), I show you at the end what difference it makes.
Crochet Stitch Abbreviations – US Terms
beg = beginning, bpdc = back post double, ch = chain, ch-sp = chain space, dec = decrease, fpdc = front post double, hdc = half double crochet, st(s) = stitch(es), sp(s) = space(s), sl st = slip stitch, rep = repeat, yrh = yarn round hook.
Stitch Tension
Tension isn’t necessarily essential but it could affect the fit of your mittens. And it could also affect the amount used. Basically, if stitches are too loose, it doesn’t matter, but it will mean you need more than one ball of yarn.
If you’re a stickler for gauge (and I am very much in support of meaasuring gauge), 8cm measures 11 stitches & 8 rows. I chose 8cm as a measurement because I could measure across the widest part of the mitten to check it. If it was the standard 10, I would have had to make a gauge swatch and honestly, I wasn’t up for that for crochet mittens!
Finished Mitten Size
The wrist circumference is 19cm / 7.5in. The mitten length is 24cm / 9.5 in. This means that the mitten will fit the average woman’s hand very nicely indeed. Comparatively, I think I have a pretty average hand size.
Adjusting a Crochet Mitten to Fit
If you wanted to adjust these chunky crochet mittens to make them a different size, it’s definitely possible. There are a couple of different places you could add or take away stitches and rows. So, here are three ways to make potential adjustments.
To adjust the circumference, the stitch pattern is a multiple of two to accommodate the 1×1 post stitch ribbing. Therefore, take or add two stitches to the foundation round at the beginning. Surprisingly, just two stitches measure approximately 1.5cm! So bear that in mind.
Each round of hdc stitches is 1cm in height. There are two places where you could add extra rows to make longer mittens, or indeed, take the away for shorter mittens. You might want to remove the first round on hdc (UK htr) stitches after the cuff. Then remove a further round after the thumb split. Or add them if you want larger/longer chunky crochet mittens.
If you had exceptionally slender thumbs, you could, perhaps, lose a stitch either by dropping the final increase on round 12 and skipping 7 titches rather than 8 for the thumb split. But I wouldn’t advise on reducing them too drastically. An extra stitch can be incorporated by adding one more increase on round 12 if you wanted larger thumbs. If you do this, skip 9 stitches at the split, not 8.
You could also make cosy crochet wrist warmers by not working the thumb and finishing after 5 or six round after the split!
Notes For Chunky Crochet Mittens
As nearly always, the 1ch at the beginning of rounds is not counted as a st.
When changing colour, cut the old yarn and pull through the new yarn on the last yarn over of the previous round before slip stitching to join the round.
For Round 1, close up the open start by popping in a few firm stitches to sew closed, it’s OK to leave this until the end.
If in doubt check out the video tutorial. It has timestamps for the main sections.
I know this is obvious, but make two mittens to get your pair!
Special Stitches
Foundation double (fdc). This is an alternative to beginning with a foundation chain. It creates a neater edge that’s less likely to be tighter than the rest of your stitches.
Ch4 (counts as a st), yrh, insert hook in 4th ch from hook, yrh, draw through, yrh, draw through 1 loop (this creates the space you’ll work the next stitch into), yrh, draw through 2 loops, yrh, draw through 2 loops. Work the next fdc (foundation double) into the created space and loop behind it.
Decreases (dec). Yrh and insert hook into st, yrh and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), insert hook into next st, yrh and pull up a loop, yrh, pull through all 4 loops on hook.
Chunky Crochet Mittens Pattern
Main Hand Section
Rnd 1 (r/s): With 5mm hook, 26fdc, join with sl st, turn. [26 sts] Rnd 2 – 5: 1ch, *1fpdc, 1bpdc; rep from * around, join with sl st, do not turn (here & throughout). Rnds 6 – 7: Change to 5.5mm hook, 1ch, hdc around. Rnd 8: 1ch, starting in the first st [1hdc, 2hdc in next st] twice, hdc to last st, 2hdc in last st, join with sl st to first st, turn [29 sts] Rnd 9: As Rnd 6 Rnd 10: As Rnd 8. [32 sts] Rnd 11: As Rnd 6. Rnd 12: 1ch, 1hdc, 2hdc in next st, hdc around, join with sl st to first st, fasten off. [33 sts].
Separate for Hand and Thumb
With loop on the hook, insert hook into first st, skip 8 sts, insert hook into back of next st, sl st through both sts, turn work to continue working on hand.
Rnd 1: 1hdc in same stitch as sl st just made, hdc around, join with a sl st to the first st. [25 sts] Rnds 2 – 5: 1ch, hdc around, join with sl st. Rnd 6: 1ch, 1hdc, 1dec, hdc around, join with sl st. [24 sts] Rnd 7: As Rnd 2. Rnd 8: 1ch, 1hdc, 1dec, 8 hdc, 1dec, hdc to end, join with sl st, turn. [22sts] Rnd 9: As Rnd 2 Rnd 10: 1ch, 1hdc, 1dec, 7hdc, 1dec, hdc to end, join with sl st, turn. [20 sts] Rnd 11: As Rnd 10. [18 sts] Fasten off, leaving a tail.
Crocheting the Thumb
Rnd 1: Join yarn to any st, 1ch, hdc around, join with a sl st to first st, turn. [8 sts] Rnd 2: 1ch, hdc around, join with sl st to the first st, turn. Rnd 3: 1ch, 1hdc, 1dec, hdc around, join with sl st to the first st, turn. [7 sts] Rnds 4 & 5: As Rnd 2. Fasten off, leaving a tail.
With the right side out, use a darning needle to weave the tail through each front loop of the top of the mitten. Gently pull to close. Sew in the end to secure. Rep for thumb. Sew in all other ends.
And there you have it! Really easy crochet mittens using bulky yarn, my chunky crochet mittens! What do you think? How quickly do you think you’d be able to make a pair? I bet you could do it in a day without a hitch! Let me know!
If you enjoyed this free crochet pattern, please feel free to peruse the rest of my blog. I have some other fabulous free crochet patterns, or I have a page that gathers some excellent resources for crochet tips and tricks. You’ll find some brand new crochet ideas to add to your repertoire!
But for now, thank you for stopping by and I’ll be back soon. Cheers! x
Hinterland is an aran weight crochet shawl pattern that I designed back in 2018. It was a crochet design commissioned for Mollie Makes magazine, which is sadly no longer published (oh, how I loved Mollie Makes!).
In the magazine, the shawl was called Nordic Noir. I wasn’t keen on that title, so I changed the name when I published it independently. Hinterland, as a name, feels a little bit less moody.
If you would like the free version of Hinterland, my aran-weight crochet shawl, please keep reading. I’ll throw in a few “How to” pictures as well, as I think that’s helpful. A chart and table of stitch counts are also included in thePDF version pattern for purchase.
To make your aran weight crochet shawl, you will need (funnily enough) some aran weight yarn. I have crocheted this shawl three times, and each time I have successfully used a different yarn brand. It’s a very versatile shawl. Sadly, I don’t remember the other brands, but that’s Ok as I don’t have many pics of them anyway. Just use your fave aran or worsted weight yarn and you won’t go far wrong.
However, a perfectly fine yarn to use, and the yarn I used in the original Hinterland shawl, is King Cole Fashion Aran. Unfortunately, it looks like the Shetland shade isn’t available anymore, but don’t worry, the range is pretty wide. I’m sure you can choose lots of colourful alternatives to make a beautiful crochet shawl. Just writing up this blog post makes me want to crochet a new version in totally different colours!
This aran weight crochet shawl pattern is super easy, and therefore, I would say that it’s suitable for beginners.
The finished size is approximately. It’s a big, warm hug of a shawl at 220 x 88 cm / 86.5 x 34.5 inches.
Free Crochet Shawl Pattern Using Aran Weight Yarn
Hinterland’s Yarn and Hook Sizes.
As has been the case for my last few free crochet patterns, I’ve made the decision to write the freebie up in US terms. I didn’t always do this, but because many of my customers prefer US terms, it makes sense to move forward with this from now on. The paid-for version has both UK and US crochet terms.
King Cole Fashion Aran is 30% and 70% acrylic with 200m per 100g. You will need 300g (3x100g balls) of the main colour (YA) and 200g (2x100g balls) of the edging colour (YB).
For the main body of the shawl, you will need a 5.0 mm (UK 6, US H/8) crochet hook. For the edging, change to a 5.5mm (US I) crochet hook. There is a slight difference in tension for the different crochet stitches, so to balance that, the different hook sizes are used. There’s nothing to stop you from using a different size of hook to find one that best suits your crochet style.
Ready to crochet?
Aran Weight Crochet Shawl Pattern
With YA and 5mm hook, chain 4 Row 1: (1dc, ch2, 2dc) in 4th ch from hook, turn. [2 sts per side, not inc 2 centre chains] Row 2: Ch3, 1dc in same st, 2dc in next st, (1dc, 2ch, 1dc) in 2ch-sp, 2dc in next st, 2dc in top of 4th ch, turn. [5 sts per side & increasing by 3 sts each row] Row 3: Ch3, 1dc in same st, 2dc in next st, 1dc along to center, (1dc, 2ch, 1dc) in 2ch-sp, 1dc along to last 2 sts, 2dc in next st, 2dc in top of 3rd ch, turn.
Row 4 – 7: Rep Row 3 Row 8: Ch4 (counts as 1dc and ch1, here & throughout), [1dc in next st, ch1] twice, skip next st, *1dc, ch1, skip 1 st; rep from * to center, (1dc, 2ch,1dc) in 2ch-sp, ch1, **skip 1 st, 1dc, ch1; rep from** to last 2 sts, 1dc in next st, ch1, 1dc in top of 3rd ch, turn. [12dc & 11ch sts / 23sts] Row 9: Ch3, 1dc in same st, 2dc in 1st ch-sp, 1dc in next st, *1dc in ch-sp, 1dc in next st; rep from * to center, (1dc, 2ch, 1dc) in 2ch-sp, **1dc in next st, 1dc in ch-sp; rep from ** to last 2 sts, 2dc in last ch-sp, 2dc in top of 3rd ch, turn. [26 st per side]
Change to a 5.5 mm hook. Row 42: Ch4, 1sc in same st, ch1, skip 1 st, *1sc, ch1, skip 1 st; rep from * to center, (1sc, 2ch, 1sc) in 2ch-sp, ch1, skip 1st, rep from * to end, finishing with (1sc, 1ch, 1dc) in top of 3rd ch, change colour to YB on last st, turn. [1dc, 62sc, 62ch / 125 sts & increasing by 3 sts per side, each row]
Row 43: Ch4, 1sc in first sp, ch1, skip 1 st, *1sc in 1ch-sp, ch1, skip 1 st; rep from * to center, (1sc, 2ch, 1sc) in 2ch-sp, ch1, skip 1 st, rep from * to end finishing with (1sc, 1ch, 1dc) in last sp, turn. Row 44 – 62: Rep Row 43 Row 63: Ch1 (does not count as a st), (1sc, 2ch, 1sc) in first ch-sp, 1sl st in next ch-sp, *(1sc, 2ch, 1sc) in next ch-sp, sl st in next); rep from * to center, (2sc, 2ch, 2sc) in 2ch-sp, **1sl st in next ch-sp, (1sc, 2ch, 1sc) in next; rep from ** to end. Fasten off and sew in ends.
Blocking A Crochet Shawl
As luck would have it, I have a blog post all about blocking crochet projects. Feel free to check it out because it has lots of useful info. However, for this aran weight crochet shawl, I used a yarn that has a blend of wool and acrylic. Due to the acrylic content, I chose to steam block the Hinterland shawl. Be super careful when you do this because steam is HOT, and you do not want to melt all of your hard work.
To open up the stitches and give this shawl a beautiful drape, blocking is essential. Pin out onto foam blocking mats (or use a towel on the carpet). Take lots of care to steam block by holding an iron (with a steam function) an inch above the work. This is just so important, DO NOT let the iron touch the yarn; it will melt/burn acrylic yarn. Leave to dry.
However, I thoroughly recommend getting a steamer; honestly, it totally takes away the fear of melting.
Making Tassels for your Crochet Shawl
Make three tassels; you want one for each point of your triangle shawl. If the following instructions don’t make sense, I have a How To Make Tassels video tutorial.
Wrap Yarn B around the width of a sturdy A5 book approximately 20 times. With a 30 cm piece of yarn, tie the lengths together in the middle, then cut the other ends. Fold the strands in half with the tie at the top so that you have a mini bundle of yarn. 2cm down from the tied middle, tie another 30cm length of yarn around the lengths (you can wrap this around a couple of times) and let them hang with the other threads. Trim the tassel ends and tie them to the corners of the shawl for a nice finishing touch. Sew in the ends.
And voila! That’s how you make an aran weight crochet shawl. If you like this crochet pattern and would like to try some of my other designs, the best way to do that is to have a read through this blog! The first place to visit is my Free Crochet Pattern page. Let me know what you think because I would love to hear from you! 🙂
With the rise in popularity of using leftover scrap yarn, I thought it was the perfect time to revisit an old classic: the granny triangle shawl! You can’t go wrong with granny stripes worked into a crochet shawl pattern, so gather all your yarn leftovers; it’s time to work up a fabulous stash buster.
I designed my first crochet granny triangle shawl way back in 2016. I was relatively new to the world of crochet blogging and desperately wanted to put together a step-by-step photo tutorial. For 2025, I have made a few tweaks to make this granny triangle shawl even easier. Although, honestly, the old version isn’t hard at all.
I have tidied the edging of this new (very simple) crochet shawl, and that is the only change. Well, the yarns and colours here are a proper stash-busting scenario, whereas my original version had planned colour placement.
You could crochet your granny shawl in 4 ply, DK, or worsted, to name three different yarn weights. You could use the same colour of yarn throughout, or even self-striping yarn if you want to avoid sewing in all the ends.
This particular shawl measures 68.5 x 145 cm (27 X 57 inches) and uses approximately 225 grams of 4 ply/fingering/sock weight yarn. That’s roughly 1,012 yards/ just under 1,000 meters. For row 55, it’s about 10grams (40 – 45 metres), therefore, this would also be a great crochet pattern for using mini skeins.
Of course, you can make your shawl bigger or smaller. If you want a variation of the pattern, such as using a different yarn weight, the quantities and measurements will probably change. I really don’t think it matters too much for this crochet pattern. A granny triangle shawl can be made in whatever weight of yarn you like, with whatever hook size you like.
As I used 4 ply, I chose a 3.5mm crochet hook, which creates a pretty standard tension, so that there is a nice drape to the shawl.
Whether you’re using yarn stash in your favourite weight of yarn, or going to use all one colour from a special collection, it will likely work for this easy crochet project. But a granny triangle shawl does make the perfect stash busting crochet project, so let’s talk about that a bit more…
The Ultimate Yarn Stashbuster!!
Projects where you can just grab all your yarn leftovers are the best! We’re all a bit skint at the moment, but it doesn’t mean we have to go without. Making sure yarn scraps are used and loved in a new crochet project is perfect. Creating something special from not very much at all? We can achieve that in crochet!
There’s nothing to stop you changing colour halfway through a row, either. Use up every last bit!
You don’t have to use 4ply yarn, you can use whatever you have in your yarn stash. In fact, my original granny triangle shawl is DK (double knitting) weight yarn.
If changing to a different yarn weight, all you need to do is change the hook size you use to create the drape and tension that you like best. You could even mix up your yarn weights for something, perhaps a bit more bonkers, but at least it’ll be truly unique.
The beauty of stashbusting yarn leftovers is that you can create crazy colour palettes in yarn you wouldn’t ordinarily plan. It can seem scary to throw all the colours in one project, but if you’re willing to go with the flow, you could end up with your new favourite crochet accessory!
Granny Triangle Shawl Pattern
If you’d prefer to have an ad-free version of this pattern (US & UK terms available), it is available in my Ravelry store to purchase. Or, if Rav isn’t your thing, find the pattern in my Etsy shop.
The following pattern is written in US terms. (Having explored the type of instructions I share on the blog, I’m now leaning towards US instructions as they seem to be preferred by most readers. I’m happy to share both UK & US instructions, which I have done in the past, but I’d rather not confuse things. Let me know your thoughts! Thanks!!).
Materials to Crochet a Granny Triangle Shawl
As discussed in more detail above, you need approximately 225 grams of 4ply yarn and 3.5mm crochet hook. Feel free to use any yarn you like, mix it up, go wild!
Abbreviations (US Crochet terms)
beg = beginning, BLO = back loop only, ch = chain, ch-sp = chain space, clu = cluster (3dc in same sp), dc = double crochet, PM = place marker, R/S = right side, sc = single crochet, st(s) = stitch(es), sp(s) = space(s), sl st = slip stitch, rep = repeat, yrh = yarn round hook.
Row 1: Ch4 (counts as 1dc & 1ch), working into ring, 3dc, ch2, 3dc, ch1, 1dc, turn. – [1 st & 1 clu per side] Row 2: Ch4, 3dc in first ch-sp, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) in next 2ch-sp, (3dc, ch1, 1dc) in last ch-sp, ch col, turn. – 1 st & 2 clu per side] Row 3: Ch4, 3dc in first ch-sp, 3dc in next sp between clu, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) in 2ch-sp, 3dc in next sp, (3dc, ch1, 1dc) in last ch-sp, ch col, turn. – 1 st & 3 clu per side, increasing by 1 clu each row] Rows 4 – 55: Ch4, 3dc in first ch-sp, *3dc in next sp; rep from * to centre 2ch-sp, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) in next 2ch-sp, *3dc in next sp; rep from * to last ch-sp, (3dc, ch1, 1dc) in last ch-sp, ch col, turn. – 1 st & 55 clu per side]
Easy Crochet Scallop Edging
To achieve the edging in the granny triangle shawl pattern, make sure you have an odd number of granny stripe rows. This way, your scallops will hit their mark in all the right places. Note: You can choose which is the right side to work on at this point
Row 1 (R/S): Ch1, *1dc in first ch-sp, 7dc in next ch-sp; rep from * to centre 2ch-sp, 9dc in centre 2ch-sp, *1dc in next ch-sp, 7dc in next ch-sp: rep from to last ch-sp, 1dc in last ch-sp, fasten off and do not turn. – [27 scallops per side + 1 in center] Row 2 (R/S): Working in the BLO, with right side facing you, join new yarn, ch1, *1sc in each dc st, sl st in dc; rep from * to last st, 1sc, fasten off and cut yarn. Sew in ends. You probably shouldn’t wait until the very end to sew in all ends. There are a lot!!! Sew in a couple every few rows to save yourself from the madness.
If you go wrong, it’s not the end of the world. My shawl has mistakes!! Watch my crochet podcast to see where I messed up!
And finally, this is a very simple granny triangle shawl, and one way to make it truly shine is to block it! It’s one extra step and so worth investing the time. Check out my blog all about blocking your crochet.
I Made a Crochet Granny Square Sweater & So Can You!
I’m going to write a little intro about my new crochet granny square sweater, but honestly, I’m too excited about it to make much sense! However, I will do my best to break everything down and provide as much information as possible, so that you can make your own colourful crochet sweater too.
Firstly, I must remember to give credit for the source of crafty inspiration. This crochet jumper, put together, block by block with happy little granny squares, has been inspired by theAriana Cardigan by Amy Christoffers. It’s a very popular pattern that combines knit & crochet stitches. Funnily enough, I was so intrigued by hybrid patterns for knitting and crochet that I’ve written a blog post about my favourite knitchet/croknit patterns.
Other makers have made jumper versions of the cardi, and they all looked so lovely (on the Rav project page), I was super enthused to make one of my own, in my own colours and actually, with my own granny square pattern.
If you want to make the Ariana cardigan, luckily for you, a pattern already exists and it’s free on Ravelry. What you’ll read here is more of a recipe for a jumper inspired by the original. Probably the only thing they have in common is that the granny squares are on the diagonal and the ribbing is knitted.
Whilst I downloaded the original Ariana cardigan and gave it a quick once over, I didn’t read or follow it for this sweater. Therefore, I don’t feel like it’s wrong to share what I did in recipe format.
The other reason for it being a recipe rather than a pattern for a crochet granny square sweater is that garments using granny squares are a nightmare to grade across different sizes. Blocks of squares aren’t fun to format into wearables, and like me, perhaps you can get a pretty good idea of how to make a granny jumper without a pattern.
Below, I share the charts I drew up for two sizes, both of which can be tweaked to make bespoke, unique crochet garments. I have also shared a few tips on ways to make adjustments to your crochet granny square sweater.
Step 1: Scroll down to charts and decide on large (64cm / 24inches wide) or small (48 cm / 19inches wide). Or make your own based on your measurements and the size of granny square you plan to use.
Step 2: For the large, dig out 700 grams /2000m /2120yds of DK stash in as many colours as you like, I recommend a minimum or 7 or so. The more colours you use, the more higgeldy piggeldy.
Step 3: With a 4mm hook (US G/6), crochet 54 squares and 15 triangles, working the final round with Join As You Go (JAYG) to join the sweater. Be careful at the sides and sleeves – use stitch markers to hold in place.
Step 4: With 4mm needles or hook, knit or crochet the ribbing.
Step 5: Sew in thousands of ends. I saved this until last in case I had to rip back any squares – eg to shorten verrry long sleeves. Actually, you can sew in the first 4 rounds of every single square and triangle before this stage….
What You Need to Make a Crochet Granny Square Sweater
I used double knit (DK) yarn for this patchwork crochet sweater, a 4mm hook and 4mm knitting needles. Tension is not a major issue, as this is a design that’s ideal for making it up as you go along.
Just because I used DK doesn’t mean that you have to. Technically, you can make this sweater in any yarn weight. It’s worth working up a few swatch squares in your preferred yarns to see if they work. You can also get a rough idea of how much yarn you’ll need by making a swatch or two. Don’t forget to add in enough for ribbing, too.
If you veer off from DK, you will likely need to think about the number of rounds per granny square. I’ll chat about my measurements in a sec, and that should inform you on sizing. If you’re thinking of working granny squares that are drastically different in size or yarn weight, you’ll end up with a crochet granny square sweater with different measurements. However, if you’re happy to draft your own charts, I fully support your experimentation by cheering from the side.
The Best Yarn for a Crochet Sweater
I think DK is perfect for a crochet sweater. If you go to heavier yarn weights, garments can start looking a bit clunky and heavy. Everyone is different, and we all have our own personal preferences, so at the end of the day, you can use your favourite weight of yarn. However, as garments go, DK is an awesome yarn weight. I love a lighter 4ply too, but for a crochet granny square sweater, 4ply yarn is more work as the squares would need to have more rounds to get them to the same size, and I kinda enjoyed this as the quick project that it was. Double-knit yarn is a good balance.
If you’re curious about different yarn weights and using something different, check out my blog post on Yarn Substitution.
The majority of my yarn stash here is wool I’d had for a number of years, which deserved to be part of a special crochet project. About five years ago, I treated myself to colourful skeins of merino from Folkestone Harbour Yarns. Then, to complement this collection, I matched it with rich brown shades from Loom Wool. It’s all gorgeous! I love that the browns are all slightly different; it adds a unique quality to my crochet sweater.
How Much Yarn Will You Need?
Make a granny square from a pattern that you’ll be using in your jumper (the one below, or other fave). If you’re being super diligent, wash and block it too. I’m not going to make you do this, but learning how to block crochet is useful for your garment-making endeavours. It determines final measurements (as well as other things), so it will help calculate sweater stats.
Weigh your square, and it will give you a fairly good idea of how much yarn you’ll need for the whole project. Multiply the weight of that one square by the final number of squares (don’t forget the triangles too). This is the total amount of yarn you’ll need.
Not gonna pretend I actually did this though. I just grabbed the lovely yarn stash I wanted to use up (and I am always going to have enough stash!). I think I used 10 colours plus the border colour. I made sure to have 4x 100 gram skeins of my joining colour, but there is plenty left.
The total weight of my finished jumper is just under 700 grams. I cannot recall the specific number, but I did weigh it especially for the YouTube video on making my crochet granny square jumper, so feel free to watch. I begrudgingly calculated yardage and meterage, too! Oof, from memory? Around 2000 metres/ 2120 yards.
The square that you make will also be useful to measure, so you can calculate the size of your sweater too (more on this below).
Cute Granny Square Pattern
There is only a slight change to the traditional granny square with this pattern, but it’s one I think makes a decent impact. The first round is eight dainty little petals rather than the standard four clusters. The following rounds are then just super simple granny clusters.
Find the granny square pattern here. The video tutorial that’s linked in that pattern is also useful to demonstrate the Join As You Go (JAYG) technique.
FYI, I have yet to determine how five rounds of this pattern compare to five rounds of a traditional granny square pattern. Just in case you assumed it was the same measurement. It might not be. *Shrugs*. Whatever the weather, these squares measure 16cm from corner point to corner point. As we’re working on the diagonal, this is the measurement you need.
The Granny Triangle Pattern
Because this crochet granny square sweater is worked with the squares on the diagonal, triangles are also required to straighten the bottom edges of the main body and sleeves. Find the free granny triangle pattern here.
For both the granny square and granny triangles, I worked four rounds of each, knowing I was going to work a 5th round as I crocheted JAYG. Oh, and it’s best to sew in your ends after Round 4 so you’re not left with a hideous job of sewing in yarn tails at the end. Like I was….
Granny Sweater Measurements
Having decided on a granny square pattern with five rounds in DK yarn, there were two choices: go for fitted or oversized.
I was slightly concerned that the smaller option would be too tight across my chest. Knowing the measurements of the squares, I think the smaller size would just about fit my body (99cm circ), but with very little “positive ease” – i.e. extra room. I dithered and doubted enough to opt for the oversized version. Charts for the oversized version I made and the smaller, fitted size that I’d like to make are both below.
The following measurements are taken after I washed and blocked my jumper.
Sweater Measurement Details
My oversized jumper is 4 diagonal squares wide. Remember that 16 = one square’s point to point measurement in cm. 4 x 16 is 64cm (approx 25 inches). Therefore, this is the width of my crochet granny square sweater.
The sweater length, including the waistband, should come in at 53/54cm after blocking. What with the weight of the yarn and the wear it’s had, the final length of my sweater is more like 57cm. I’m happy with that!
The final sleeve length (with cuff) is 44cm (approx 17.5 inches). These are shorter than I would ordinarily make. The drop shoulder construction, paired with the oversized width, means the sleeves start further down my arm. Originally, I hadn’t factored this into my plans as well as I’d thought. So the sleeves I initially made were clownishly long. Bum. Long story short, I ripped out a few squares at the sleeves. I had a terrible time doing this, but I made the effort to change them because I wanted to be satisfied (and happy) with the result. Sometimes it’s worth pushing through the difficult times!
The upper arm depth is 16cm; the measurement of one square on the diagonal. There’s a bit of stretch here, too. That’s OK.
It’s useful to note that should you wish to adjust the sleeve length or main body length by only a fraction, you can add or subtract ribbing rows. I think I went for 9 rounds of ribbing, but redid cuffs and only did 8 rounds the second time around.
Granny Sweater Chart – Square Layout
If I have done my counting correctly, for the size I made, I needed 54 granny squares and 15 triangles. On the chart above, I have shaded out sections along the top of the sleeves and sides for the “front”. These squares are already accounted for on the back section (they’re just folded round – watch the video at timestamp 34:00 to see what I mean).
The chart above was useful to work out the sweater schematic, but what I found even more useful was to lay it out how I actually intended to join the granny squares.
Take a look at the next image. When joining, I left the squares A to H to the end. These needed to be joined in two different places to bring everything together, going from a flat piece of crochet fabric into a 3-dimensional structure. For example, square B is joined (JAYG method) to the sleeve at both the green and blue sections.
Using plenty of stitch markers at this point is enormously helpful as well. I think I would have struggled without temporarily pre-joining squares before crocheting them together. Using stitch markers to pin everything together first allows you to see that you’re on the right track, showing that you haven’t accidentally joined a side of B to the main body instead of the sleeve. You can see how easy it might be to accidentally incorporate the side of E (pink line) into the B join, as it sits right next door!
I also chat about this in the granny sweater video from 31:04, Sometimes it is easier to see a visual of it.
The Smaller Granny Square Sweater Size
Yes, I do want to make a second crochet granny square sweater, and I would like a fitted version. The initial chart for this is drawn up below. I have reduced it by one block in the body and lengthened the sleeves. I have a reasonably good feeling that this will work. If I have to reduce the sleeve length back down, I will. I won’t mind too much! If you have short arms, stick to the shorter sleeve.
However, look at the neck and you’ll see it’s different. It’s deeper at the front, and I left a triangular space at the back of the neck. Ultimately, if I put that triangle back in, the neck space would be the same as the large size, but with more of the action at the front. This means a deeper V-neck and no shaping at the back neck. There’s room for playing around with this, I think.
The neck is surprisingly gapey before adding the ribbing; it would be suitable for several sizes. Play around with the number of ribbing rounds to make adjustments.
Potentially, a triangle could be added at the front to square off the neck into a kind of round neck. I mention this in the video, but watching it back, it just looks like I’m wearing the sweater back to front!
And where it says 49cm, ugh, it’s supposed to be 48. Oops.
Knitted Ribbing on a Crochet Sweater!!
I know!!? It’s crazy, I’m such a huge crochet fan, but I knew I was going to grab this opportunity to improve my knitting skills. From just the ribbing sections, I have learned loads! Not only did I remind myself how to pick up stitches, I also worked Magic Loop for the first time, and tried SSK for the V neck shaping.
For the 2×2 knitted ribbing, I use continental style knitting as it’s easier to switch between knit and purl stitches. It’s got to the point where I have forgotten how to purl in throwing style. Links for the tutorials I used are above, in the resources section.
Don’t get me wrong, I have a long way to go in my knitting journey. If you look closely, you’ll no doubt see that I’ve done a terrible job; regardless, I am thrilled!
Alternatively, there are absolutely loads of crochet ribbing stitches you can use too. You know I love crochet ribbing!!
Adjustments & Issues re “Winging It”
The sleeves! They were way too long for me in the beginning, and I had to make adjustments. If you’re unsure, think about the body width of the jumper. If you are aiming for oversized, take this into account as it will have an effect on sleeve length. Think about the total wrist-to-wrist measurement (up one arm, across the back, down the other arm). That’s the measurement you want to aim for. Not always easy to do.
If your upper arm circumference is larger than 30-32cm, you may wish to consider adding another row of squares at the sleeve to make them wider. This comes with added complications as the construction at the underarm will change. It’s not something I’ve looked at before. In my head, I’m thinking of an additional square to create shaping under the armpit?? Sorry, I don’t have a clear guide for that.
If this is too much of a headache or, indeed, creates deeper sleeves than you would like, this is the moment where you’ll want to question the measurement of a single square. The alternative is to add another round to all squares and triangles. This will deepen the arm depth but also increase the width and length of your final crochet granny square sweater. What would you go for?
Final Thoughts on Making a Crochet Granny Square Sweater
Oh, I have so many photos I could share, but we’d be here forever. It’s all the unpretty step-by-step progress shots that I’m not sure would be that useful. Things like before and after sleeve changes, such as the ones below. They’re reminders of learning and progress, which is good, I guess?
Oh go on then, let’s have a gallery of my new granny jumper!
What do you think? Has it raised more questions, or do you think this recipe will help you make your own crochet granny square sweater?
If you do have questions, please let me know in the comments section and I’l try to edit the post as and when I can.
I always start off thinking crocheting a garment in the “winging it” style will be fun and simple. Making the thing often is! In real terms, however, the writing up of the “recipe?” Goodness me, there are quite a few elements required, and there’ll always be something I’ve missed.
This is such a quick granny stripe hat to crochet, the main stripes of granny clusters are worked up lickety-split! The “knit-look” crochet ribbing, whilst it takes a little longer to crochet than other rib-effect stitches, it creates a soft, squishy texture and a superb elastic stretch. It is very much worth the effort for a fantastic final result.
This hat was born from a summer version that, so far, I have refused to release as a pattern. I made several prototypes but I just didn’t like it. I am not a fan of summer hats and I wondered what would happen if I concentrated my efforts on a design that I would appreciate more.
A woolly warm, winter crochet hat is far more appealing than a cotton bucket hat. Thus, here we have a granny stripe hat that’s perfect for winter! Today, I thought I would share the pattern below. You can also purchase an ad-free version in my Ravelry storeand I also have copies for sale on Etsy. The paid version also includes an additional chart.
For 25% off the paid version until the end of the year, use the code: GRANNYHAT at the checkout.
What You Need To Crochet Your Granny Stripe Hat
To make your hat you will need a 4mm hook (US G-6). Or a hook size that meets gauge (more info below). I know you’ll be tempted not to bother with gauge as this is just a hat but if you notice that you are wildly off, please check!
You will also need 100g of Double Knit (DK) yarn. This can be all one colour, or mix it up for a multicoloured fun fest. Just under 50g is required for the brim, which is all in one colour.
And, if you fancy, add a pompom for a finishing touch. I bought cheap ones from a local garden centre. I was too lazy to make a pompom this time around. Plus, these shop bought ones are super light and don’t pull on the hats. I hadn’t thought about that before.
This is a DK Yarn Crochet Hat
I tried a few different yarn brands and made four different hats for my experiments. I also had a handful of awesome testers who tried a few more yarns too. From looking at the super important crochet hat making data, the outcome is that a standard DK weight creates the best results.
I was initially foxed by the first yarn brand I tried as their “DK” weight was very plump and it tricked me into thinking a worsted would work for the pattern I’d come up with. Whilst you certainly could get away with a worsted weight yarn if you reduced the increases, for the sake of uniformity, DK is the best yarn for the job here.
In the end, I used a blend of a couple of different DK weight yarns and made an awesome dent in my yarn stash.
In my stash, I had leftovers of King Cole Majestic and West Yorkshire Spinners Bo Peep. They are both a teensy bit different in yardage but once I was crocheting, it didn’t make a difference. My granny stripe hats look great with a mix of colours and brands. However, both the yarns are a merino/acrylic blend so have a very similar feel to them.
I don’t know the exact yardage for each stripe but when wound up in a ball, we’re talking the size of a large walnut. Take a quick look at the picture below (the one with me in my scruffy jimjams and the cat). To the left are the size of woolly balls you need for each round. I know this because I undid them from the hat as I didn’t like the colour order!
Granny Hat Measurements
This granny stripe hat has approx 8cm negative ease. This means that it is about 8cm smaller than an actual adult head. It shouldn’t be too baggy as it is stretching to fit comfortably yet securely. Therefore, it will fit snuggly atop a bonce that needs warming.
The following measurements are taken on newly made, unblocked hats stretched slightly after one outing/wear about town.
Hat circumference: (49) 50 cm. Hat depth with brim folded: 22cm Unfolded brim depth: 10.5cm Depth of granny stripe rounds: 17cm
Make size 1 for a head measuring 56 – 57cm.
Make size 2 for a head measuring 58 – 59cm.
Granny Stripe Tension
Tension is key to the size of a finished granny stripe hat. The following measurements are taken from an unblocked hat, as above.
With all crochet, there is always room for tweaking and adjusting to make something unique and perfect for the individual. However, if you would rather not tinker with stitch counts, try a simple change such as using a different hook size to get a smaller or larger gauge. Perhaps a 3.5mm or 3.75mm hook for a smaller hat, Or, for a larger hat, a 4.5mm hook.
Adjusting the granny stripe section for a different head size means altering the number of clusters on increase rounds. Adding or removing a cluster will change the hat’s circumference by approximately 1cm. Round 8 is an increase round and a good round for adding or subtracting a cluster. This pattern has either 2 or 3 increases on Round 8 depending on the size. If your hat is coming up a bit too small, why not add a 4th increase?
To make an extra large hat, add another round or two of granny stripes before continuing to the foundation round of UK dc / US sc stitches.
Crochet Ribbing Adjustments
To adjust ribbing, the stitch count needs to be changed on Round 17. This is the foundation upon which the Join As You Go ribbing is worked. Because of the different tension of the ribbing, it draws the hat in. With no increases on Round 17, crumbs, it was so tight it wouldn’t join up! So, whilst the increases might look a bit complicated on paper, they are as evenly distributed as possible. The paid version of the granny stripe hat pattern has a chart so you can check out the visuals of increases.
The foundation stitches of Round 17 should be multiples of 2, plus 1 but you’ll get away with a little bit of fudging too. Negative ease is needed for the brim so don’t add too many extra stitches if you’re upsizing.
Using the Same Colour Every Stripe Round?
The crochet hat pattern below assumes you will change colour for each granny stripe round. Each round begins by joining a new colour of yarn with “sttr” which is the rather fabulous Standing Start – see below for more information about Special Stitches.
To make a hat using the all same colour means using a different method to start subsequent rounds. It’s not a difficult crochet method, just different.
What you need to do is this: once the previous round has been joined with a slip stitch, slip stitch into the next two stitches and into the next space between clusters. From here, start the next round with a chain three, or your preferred alternative, such as a Stacked Start.
Don’t worry if you’re confused, let me help further… Take a look at the video forAlternatives to a Chain 3. A tutorial for the Stacked Start is shown in the video tutorial but if you prefer, there’s always a No Turning Chain start too. Watch my video for a Large Granny Square from 30:48 for a demonstration of the technique for when you don’t want to change colour every round.
Crochet Pattern Abbreviations
I am going to pop the stitch pattern abbreviations in here as I start talking in crochet speak from here on.
Before I do, I think it’s worth mentioning that this pattern is only available in UK terms at the moment. But please don’t let that put you off. The swap/conversion you have to do is minimal. We’re talking granny clusters here and you know as well as I do that these are always the same!
So, the main stitch in the pattern in UK terms is the treble stitch. In US terms this is a double crochet (dc). So, US pals, work your grannies as normal; clusters of 3dc. Round 17 will be single crochet stitches for you. And that’s it!
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. See the video for How to Start Round 1
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): The Standing Start is a method demonstrated in the video for Alternatives to Chain 3. Use this instead of chaining 3 to start the beginning of a row/round, it looks much tidier than a 3-chain and it’s fun to do!
Yrh three times and hold loops on hook with forefinger, insert hook in 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.
Supporting Video Tutorials For Crochet
How to Start Round 1– This is a tutorial for a granny square but Round 1 is exactly the same for the hat too.
Alternatives to a Chain 3– This will help you start new rounds in a tidy way. I demonstrate the Standing Start and the Stacked Start in this video. You could even try the No Turning chain, which I bemoan in the video but can actually be very effective! Don’t tell anyone, but I have started using it way more since I made this video tutorial!
Join As You Go Ribbing – The ribbing used in this granny stripe pattern is demonstrated from 18:02. It is a “knit-look” crochet ribbing and one I have used a lot. And yes, I know it has slip stitches but they are much more fun to do when accompanied by a yarn over sl st. Honest!
Using the same colour every round? Watch thetutorial for the Large Granny Square from 30:48 for the first three rounds and you can use a totally different method for starting rounds that will achieve excellent results. This granny square tutorial is a pretty useful video as I also demonstrate the Standing Start again (7:09).
Granny Stripe Hat Crochet Pattern
Hat Pattern Notes
This crochet hat pattern is written in UK terms – feel free to check out the abbreviations above for more details.
A cluster is 3 UK tr / US dc stitches made in the same space.
Using a different weight of yarn or a different sized hook will affect the size of the hat.
Follow the pattern for both sizes. At Round 8 the reps for both sizes are shown as 11(7). Size 1 is the first number with size 2 in brackets.
Granny Stripe Hat Pattern
Chain 5 and join with a sl st. 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. – 8 “petals”
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.
3 (Inc): 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.
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 clu
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.
6 (inc): Attach new yarn with 1sttr in any sp, (1tr, 1ch, 2tr) in same sp, 3tr in next sp, *(2tr, 1ch, 2tr) in next sp, 3tr in next sp; rep from * around, join with a sl st into the top of the sttr. – 24 clu
7: Attach new yarn with 1sttr in any 1ch-sp, 2tr in same sp, 3tr in each sp between clusters and in each ch-sp, join with a sl st into the top of the sttr.
8 (inc): Attach new yarn with 1sttr in any sp, (1tr, 1ch, 2tr) in same sp, 3tr in next 11(7) sps, *(2tr, 1ch, 2tr) in next sp, 3tr in next 11 (7) sps; rep from * 0 (1) more time, join with a sl st into the top of the sttr. – 26 (27) clu
9: As Rnd 7.
10 – 16: Attach new yarn with 1sttr in any sp, 2tr in same sp, 3tr in each sp between clusters around, join with a sl st into the top of the sttr.
For a smaller head you may wish to only work 15 rounds, or 17 rounds for a larger head.
17 (size 1): Attach brim ribbing yarn to any st, 1ch (does not count as a st), [2dc in first st, 1dc, *2dc in next st, 3dc; rep from * five more times] three times, join with a sl st into the top of the st. – 99 sts
17 (size 2): Attach brim ribbing, 1ch, 2dc in first st, 3dc, 2dc in next st, 4dc, [2dc in next st, 1dc, *2dc in next st, 3dc; rep from * three more times] four times, join with a sl st into the top of the st. – 103 sts
Hat Brim/Crochet Ribbing
Chain 25. 1: Working in back bumps,YO sl st in second ch from hook, YO sl st to end, (with right side facing) sl st in next 2 sts of foundation round, turn. – 24 sts.
2 (w/s): Miss 2 sl sts, 23sl sts BLO, 1sl st in both loops, turn.
3 (r/s): ch1, 24 YO sl st BLO, sl st in next 2 sts of foundation round, turn.
Rep Rows 2 & 3 to end, finishing with Row 2.
With wrong side of brim facing out, join the beginning and end rows of ribbing with slip stitches. Or, if you prefer, sew the open ends together. Fold brim to reveal the right side of the pretty ribbing stitches.
Hmm, look at the pic above, is that join too messy? It makes me wonder if an additional round of UK dc/US sc could be added at the end of the granny rounds. Don’t you think it would look neater with a round in the same colour as the last round of clusters? Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Aaannnyway, what do you think? I hope you enjoy working on lots of granny stripe hats. They are the perfect last minute gift for friends and family.
If the ads are stopping your from enjoying this pattern, don’t forget that you can purchase an ad-free version from Ravelry HERE, Or if Rav isn’t your bag, I have an Etsy shop HERE. The paid pattern is a bit more streamlined and includes a chart too. 25% off with the code GRANNYHAT until 31/12/2024
If you enjoyed this free crochet pattern, please feel free to peruse my free crochet patterns page. And if you are curious about exploring different crochet methods and techniques, check out some crochet tips and tricks HERE.
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 alarge 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 theZeens 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).
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.
I love a granny square!! I am a huge fan of crochet’s most famous four-sided motif. However, sometimes it’s nice to add a little twist for no reason other than it’s fun to experiment and play with new crochet stitches.
This cute crochet square’s DNA is near 99% granny stitch, it’s just the centre that’s different. I felt like adding a little bit of dainty fanciness without it being overly complicated. The centre is almost floral and its petal-like nature works really well next to the more traditional trio of stitches that we know and love about the granny square. It’s a nice balance of new and old.
In recent months, I have come up with two new designs that feature this cute little granny square. Firstly, a cosy crochet blanket with two types of squares. The small squares that feature are the pattern I’m sharing today. (There is a large granny square pattern in this blanket that is a slightly different design and you can find the pattern for it here).
I finished this giant granny square blanket just after Christmas and even though I haven’t blocked it yet, it’s on our bed, keeping us warm until the spring comes. When the weather perks up a bit, I shall wash and block it outside to bring it to life. It looks lovely without blocking but I know that a gentle wash and dry in the sun will really make a wonderful difference.
So, a pattern is coming soon for this comfy bedspread but not just yet. Maybe in a few months. (I’ve just ordered the yarn to make another in a totally different colour palette! – this one pictured is Paintbox Wool Blend DK).
Starburst Crochet Cowl
The other pattern that uses my little grannies is the Starburst Square Cowl. This time, I used loads of yarn minis and leftovers to create the ultimate stash buster. It’s perfect for using yarn advent minis or leftover scrap yarn from other crochet or knitting projects.
For the granny square crochet cowl above, I use the Join As You Go technique to affix the granny squares to each other. This is also demonstrated in the video tutorial. Whilst I have written how to JAYG in the cowl pattern, I’m not going to do it here, I think it works just as well when you’re shown visually, which is why I put together the tutorial.
Essentially, JAYG is a series of slip stitches into an already crocheted square whilst you complete other square simultaneously. It can be confusing at first but once you get the hang of it, it might just become one of your most used crochet techniques. It’s amazing when working granny squares with the same outer colour because you can then adopt a “Continuous Join AS You Go”! Slightly different but an absolute game changer. I haven’t used it for years so don’t have a tutorial but maybe one day….
How to Crochet a Cute Granny Square
Please note that the instructions below are UK terms. The thing to remember is that a UK tr (treble) is a US dc (double). It’s a granny square pattern and grannies comprise of US dc stitches.
Yarn Weights and Hook Sizes
The granny square is all about using up your yarn scraps and leftovers and this design is no different. Gather together your favourite colours of yarn and get started right away! You could make a cowl, blanket, bag, scarf, cardigan, goodness me, the list goes on and on… Make sure you choose the same yarn weight for all of your colours; don’t mix and match as it might look higgledy piggledy in size/shape. If you’re unsure, read about yarn substitution here.
You will also need a crochet hook that goes with the yarn you’re using. For example, when I made my Starburst Cowl, I used fingering weight (sock) yarn and a 3mm hook. For the big crochet blanket, I hooked up my squares using a DK yarn and a 4mm hook.
Special Crochet Stitches
Note that I use a few techniques that you might not have tried before. This is so that the granny square looks the very best it can. The unconventional starts of the rounds might feel discombobulating initially but I demonstrate how to do them in the video tutorial. They will become second nature after a few practice runs. Honest!
Beg tr2tog: This is used as the beginning of the first round to work the first petal. How to work a “Beg tr2tog”: 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 chaining, 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. How to work a Standing Start: 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.
Extra Tip!! If you’re going to make a big granny square with lots of rounds, use the Standing Start and attach the new yarn to alternate/opposite corners of the square to prevent it from twisting. (Does this happen to your squares when you make them?! Ugh, it happens to me. But not when I attach yarn using this technique!)
Granny Square Pattern
As I have said above, please remember that these are UK instructions. UK Tr (treble) stitches are US dc stitches (doubles).
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. [ 8 “petals”] Rnd 2: Attach new yarn with 1sttr in any 2ch-sp, 2tr in same sp, 3tr in next 2ch-sp, *(3tr, 2ch, 3tr) in next 2ch-sp, 3tr in next 2ch-sp; rep from * two more times, 3tr in first 2ch-sp, ch2, join with a sl st to the top of the first st. Fasten off & cut yarn.
And that’s the cute little granny square complete! If you enjoyed this blog post, have a look at more of my free crochet patterns, here.
So good I made it twice, here is my second Granny Square Jumper!! I’m here to write about it again as, not content with leaving things as they are, I made adjustments which I think you will find useful.
If you haven’t seen my first post about how I made a super colourful version (with lots of fabulous yarn stashbusting), you can find that HERE, on a post imaginatively titled Granny Square Sweater. That’s where you will find the original recipe on how to crochet a jumper of your own. I also created a crochet video tutorialto show how to put everything together.
If you’re a beginner crocheter, you can make this sweater with the resources I have provided. However, it’s not just some granny squares stitched together. There is shaping (at the shoulders and sleeves), nice ribbing, and techniques that will up your skill level.
If you like this granny square sweater, perhaps you’ll like my other crochet ideas. Please peruse my free crochet patterns page. And if you really really like what you see, you can buy me a Ko Fi! Although, it’ll most likely be tea because I’m not a coffee drinker…
My stashbusting original Granny Square Sweater
What’s Changed?
Ok, so, it would be easy for me to say that this is just the same jumper as my original stashbusting sweater but that’s not technically true. Here are the things that I tweaked:
I used different yarn – a merino DK held with mohair lace weight.
I only used two colours.
The main body granny squares are smaller, allowing me to add width later by using a few rows of granny stripes at each side. This also made room for a slightly deeper neckline because….
I changed the shoulder tabs – fronts are longer than the orginal, and different to the back tabs.
The plan for this blog post is to talk you through these changes so they’re not scary. I have drawn up some rudimentary charts, which will help visual learners, and hopefully I won’t bamboozle you with information overload!
Using Mohair Yarn
As I’ve mentioned above, I used different yarn to make this black and blue fluffy jumper. The original is made with aran weight yarn with wool content. Rather fortuitously, my gauge is the same.
Whilst this black and blue sweater/jumper was also intended as a stash buster (using yarn I had leftover from other projects), I wasn’t sure there was enough of the black so ordered more. I vastly overestimated and have ended up with the same amount that I started with. A little bit more, in fact. So much for stash busting!
If you’re daunted by the fluffy stuff, fear not, read my blog post with some top tips for using mohair yarn. Ultimately, please don’t be scared. This is actually a really good project for mohair yarn because the stitches and design are simple. And holding the mohair with a non fluffy yarn, eases any anxiety too.
I used Drops Kid Silk, I had loads of Cobalt blue in stash from a neglected then rejected design idea.
Merino DK Yarn
I chose to use West Yorkshire Spinners Bo Peep Luxury Baby DK (double knit). The black (Incy Wincy) is leftover from a knitted jumper that went into a Vivienne Westwood inspired Sex Pistols jumper that was the husband’s Christmas present (I didn’t knit it, I asked MiL to do it!). There was leftover Drops Kid Silk black mohair from the same project as well.
More blue (Space Hopper) was purchased as I think I only had one ball in stash. This shade went beautifully with the Cobalt mohair.
I sometimes find that merino can be quite heavy, this one is lovely and light (probably because it’s a nylon mix). It doesn’t create a cumbersome jumper, which can be a bit much for an item of clothing.
Two Colours of Yarn
As a stashbuster, the choice of yarn was made for me. I didn’t have to worry about colour because black and blue were what I had and that was that.
The best thing about only using two colours is that for the main squares, you can float the yarn. No snipping, no time spent sewing in loads of ends, huzzah! Obviously, float along what you decide is the wrong side of the granny square.
I’ve worked out that for this jumper (an approximate size 3), I used:
7x50g blue DK
5x50g black DK
4x25g blue mohair
3x25g black mohair
As a general rule, every 100 grams of the DK merino uses a 25 gram ball of mohair. However, meterage is 112m per 50 gram ball of the DK (therefore 224m per 100g) and the meterage for the mohair is 210m per 25g ball. There’s a little bit of an imbalance so an extra ball of mohair is a good idea, to make up the shortfall.
The amount needed will vary depending on the size you make and how much adjusting you do. You will need more than me if you’re making a larger size. I have not done the maths to find out precisely how much for each size.
Float your yarn
Cropped Granny Sweater
Two large granny squares are the basis for the main body panels of both sweaters. For this version, the two main squares are four rounds fewer than the colourful jumper. This is so the final sweater doesn’t have the length of the extra rounds but it has the width because I add granny stripes to each side of the front square.
Front and back granny squares have 19 rounds. The front square then has 5 granny stripes at each side. 19+5 is equivalent to a 24 round square for the width, which is one round more than version 1 (cos, why not?!). I added the shoulder tabs to the top, working into gaps between stripes, and gaps between clusters. See pics and charts below.
The back doesn’t have separate side stripes, instead, I crocheted around three sides of the square five times to get the same amount of extra sides and also add it across the top too. Hopefully this is not gobbeldegook!! It’s difficult to put into words but I think the charts are my saviour.
You can use the maths from the original post to work out gauge and measurements if you’re not keen on eyeballing.
Front panelA pic highlighting how the front panel is put together. Granny Square, side stripes, and shoulder tabs.
Shoulder Tabs
If you make a sweater with the more basic elements, like I did for the original, by the time you’ve added shoulders and a waistband, the sweater is longer than it is wide. For version no.2 I wanted a more cropped style. In order to achieve this there are the additional steps, discussed above. They are arguably more tricky to wrap your head around but I absolutely love the result.
The first jumper has the same number of rows for both front and back shoulder tabs. It’s super easy to do it this way because it means you don’t need to think about maths and stitch placement too much.
However, what would happen if you attached different length tabs (front v back) to main body granny squares? Let’s say 8 rows for the front tabs and 3 rows for the back tabs. Your front body panel would be 5 rows longer than the back panel. This difference needs to be accommodated.
Below I have included the basic charts. I think they are the easiest way to show you all the shaping shenanigans. The charts are truncated so they show you the intention without literally showing every row. The real life jumper has 8 rows of front shoulder tabs (repeat the last two granny stripes rows of the chart to get 8) and 3 rows of back shoulder tabs (samesies as the chart).
Shoulder Tabs Clusters
The important bit is that shoulder tabs should end up the same width across at their last rows. Or thereabouts. I don’t think it matters if there is one stitch difference (mine were!). If there is more of a difference then it might be worth going back to the drawing board.
FYI, My shoulder tabs end measuring approx 16cm.
To begin, the first row of my front tabs has 7 full clusters, plus the end stitches. After four rows of shaping/decreasing and four rows of even granny striping, the tabs end with 6 full clusters and 1 stitch either side = 20 stitches.
The back tabs start with 6 full clusters plus the ends. These tabs are only three rows but because of a little manipulation/decrease at the neckline, I ended with 5 full clusters and 2 stitches at either end, that’s 19 stitches. I’m happy matching 20 stitches to 19. You can’t tell on the finished garment.
However many clusters you choose to add, make sure the width (no. of clusters per tab) isn’t going to create a massive neck hole.
Front Main Body
The first chart (below) is for the front of the jumper. Make the granny square first, then join as many stripes you want to either side. That’s the black and blue section of the chart. Then work the shoulder tabs. I have only shown one tab here but it gives you the picture of what you need to do for both. Don’t forget that more is explained in the colourful granny square sweater post, go check it out.
Back Main Body
The second chart shows the back. Now, here is where it gets more than just a tweak, we’re making different adjustments to ensure everything is the same size and will fit together. You can see that rather than working some side stripes, the chart shows three worked sides of the square (chart has three rows/rounds, in real life I did five). This is to accommodate the different lengths of the front and back shoulder tabs. So, five additional rows along the top of the back, plus 3 shoulder tab rows = 8, which equals the same as the front tab rows.
Crikey, at this point, I feel like I need to say “Thaaaat’s Numberwang!”
Granny Stripe Sleeves
Sleeves remain the same, thank goodness! But because they are stripes, you still have loads of ends to sew in. I started using the ends to sew the sleeves together but it was a major faff so decided to sew them all in first and then sew together using a length of the DK. There’s no need to use the mohair as well when you’re sewing your pieces together.
Ready to Wear Crochet Sweater
And everything else is the same! When writing out the differences it feels like it’s quite complex but in real life, once you have the hook in your hand and the yarn gliding through your fingers, it’s actually a lot simpler. In no time whatsoever you’ll be wearing your new handmade jumper! And it will look great!!
Please share your makes on Instagram by tagging me @zeensandroger and using #ZeensAndRoger
Also, there’s Ravelry too. Adding your project there is super helpful as it helps others see what designs look like when made by others.
I didn’t mean to make this granny square sweater! Honest! I have other projects to work on but bright colours and my favourite stitch called to me. This quite often happens. I have a list of designs I “should” be working on when something else catches my eye. Usually, it’s quick and easy makes because I’m craving mindful crochet rather than brain-busting designs.
So, that’s where this granny square sweater comes in. I have just finished an intense commission which involved a lot of head scratching maths. Anything with the granny stitch is a counteractive remedy to the hard stuff so, because I have a very frazzled brain right now, this is a relatively basic “recipe” rather than a full on graded pattern.
It’s not quite as evil a recipe as on a Bake Off final, by which I mean, I do provide plenty of information! However, I haven’t written a round by round, row by row pattern. With my helpful video tutorial and charts below, you won’t need them.
It’s an eyeballing, intuitive project, that you can make up as you go along without worrying about getting the calculator out.
If you enjoy this blog post and the accompanying tutorial, perhaps you’d like to buy me a ko-fi! Thank you, you’re a superstar! You can find more of my Free Crochet Patterns HERE.
This “recipe” for my granny square sweater is for those who enjoy a laid back kind of project. I would love for you to have the confidence to make it up as you go. Play with placement of increases for sleeves, explore ways of basic shaping. Add length, add width. Shoulder tabs can be different too. Don’t like my crochet ribbing? Try a different one.
However, there are techniques here that will improve beginner crochet skills. The ribbing is fancier than a bog standard one, it is also attached with a Join-As-You-Go technique, which I love. There are shaped shoulder tabs for a nice neckline, and the sleeves aren’t just straight tubes. None of these things are set in stone. You can do what you want.
Also, the more you mess about with crochet by winging it, the more you understand the fibres you work with, and how crochet stitches behave. Crocheting your own clothes will become easier and your skills will grow. Therefore, just get started with experimenting and playing…
Stashbusting Yarn
Let’s start with the yarn. I have lots of colourful aran weight wool leftover from a few different projects: My first garment design, the stripey Perfect Cardigan, All the Fun of the Fair, which is a granny stripe cowl/snood, and the second JW Anderson inspired cardigan I made for my sister. Plenty of colours in this lot! And it’s what I used to make my sweater.
I would say that 95% of stash used here is Paintbox Worsted Superwash (200m per 100g) and Paintbox Wool Mix aran (180m per 100g). There are a couple of other brands in there too. They have slightly different yardage/metreage but in the final jumper, you can’t tell. My fave is the wool mix aran, it’s much softer than the worsted superwash.
What Fibre?
You could use other yarns and fibres if that’s what you have in stash. The beauty of this jumper is that it is adaptable. Ultimately, the main body is a granny square so you just make it until it’s the right size. The sleeves would require more faffing but I quite enjoy the tinkering to get them just how I want them. More info on sleeves is further down the post.
Using acrylic? It’ll be grand for a few wears and washes without blocking (instead, use fabric conditioner and tumble dry so it doesn’t come out squeaky). Just know that it will grow and stretch a little bit upon wearing it. Usually, it’s not a drastic change but eventually, over time, acrylic sort of gives up and becomes flatter and more plasticky than its original fluffy self. That’s my experience anyway.
Using cotton? I can’t give much advice on a cotton version I’m afraid as I never make cotton garments. It’s just not my bag. There’s no bounce in the fibre. It stretches and drapes differently to wool and, so far, I’ve not required that for my designs. If I’m making a jumper I want warm wool. You may wish to make swatch to try it out (see below).
Choosing Colours for your Crochet
Yarn amounts (stash, leftovers) may have an influence on where you place the colours. The more colours you have, the more higgledy-piggledy and awesome it’s going to look. The fewer hues, the more “arranged” it will look. There are about 24/25 colours in mine. Some colours only feature once or twice as were only a few grams left of them.
I had the stash and balanced it all out following my gut. A couple of tips: don’t put all your brights together and evenly place the darker colours throughout. You can read more about how to choose colours for your crochet in another of my blog posts.
How much stash have you got? Use the smaller amounts early on in the squares, have you got enough for a sleeve row? You only need small lengths for the shoulder tabs too. Think about where to use the yarn in clever ways.
How Much Yarn do you Need to Crochet a Sweater?
How much yarn will you need to make your Granny Square Sweater? Oh crikey, how long is a piece of string? It depends on so many factors! The biggest one, however, is it depends on the size you’re making. There’s more info on sizing further down.
Most of the yarn I used is from Paintbox Yarns (aran & worsted, as I mentioned earlier). The worsted is 200m per 100 grams. I’m going to use this to work out how many metres I used. My jumper weighs about 810 grams, which means I used approx 1620 metres. You get this figure with the following equation: weight of the garment divided by the weight of a full ball, multiplied by the meters (or yards, if you prefer) in one full ball. Note that you will probably need more than this in reality as it’s made up of around 24 colours and you’re going to use various amounts of each.
The problem is that as it’s lots of leftovers, of many different colours, giving amounts for other sizes is difficult. Even giving specific amounts for the size I made is nearly impossible because I made no notes on my stash. Eek, sorry. But if you’re a hoarder like me, you’re gonna have loads of stash to use, yes?!
All I can give you is this, if you want to have matching ribbing on the cuffs, waistband and neck, ensure you have at least one full 100 gram ball of yarn for that. Maybe get two balls to be absolutely sure because I probably used approx 1 full ball of green but haven’t worked out how much exactly cos in my stash it was two partially used balls and some went in the main body of the jumper as well). Sorry again!
How to Size your Granny Square Sweater
So, as you know by now, this is a recipe rather than a fully graded pattern, which means you might need to do some work! I will help you as much as possible here. And I will make sure it’s not painful. However, we are all making unique versions, right?
The absolute easiest way of making a jumper that’s going to fit you is to dig out your favourite fitting jumper and use that to work out how big to make your square. Take into account that your granny square sweater will stretch with wear (whether you’ve blocked it or not). Therefore, when I made mine, I made it approx 2 cm smaller than my favourite jumper, knowing it would stretch to become a similar size. There’s a slight risk of it stretching more than 2 or 3 cm but that’s ok for this project. We’re not after a fitted garment that’s super precise. This is a laid-back way of clothes making.
It’s worth mentioning, that the larger your square, the more it’s going to stretch. If each stitch stretches and you have more stitches, well, it’s going to make a difference. Fancy working up a gauge swatch, just in case?! Keep reading…
More Accurate Sizing
Ok, so I’ve popped this lil chart here as a useful guide to show a pretty standard width of a sweater with 10cm positive ease (positive ease = additional roominess in a garment, the opposite is negative ease, which makes a garment fitted against the body).
If you’re not sure about using your fav garment to measure against, you can always use this instead. You want your final granny square to be about this size in width. You can findmore info about standard garment sizes on the Craft Yarn Council’s website.
Size
1 (xs)
2 (s)
3 (m)
4 (l)
5 (xl)
6 (2xl)
7 (3xl)
8 (4xl)
9 (5xl)
10 (6xl)
UK sizing
4
6-8
10-12
14-16
18-20
22-24
26-28
30-32
34-36
38-40
Width of granny (cm)
43.5
48.5
53.5
58.5
63.5
68.5
73.5
78.5
83.5
88.5
Sweater Length
At this point, you need to know that adding shoulder tabs and a waistband is going to add length to your jumper so the end result is that the sweater won’t actually be a square. Bear it in mind. With 4 rows of shoulder tabs and, just shy of 5cm for the waistband, my jumper is approx 57cm in length.
This can be intimidating, I totally get it. And, although I’m totally winging it, I do have a good understanding of how washing and wearing a garment can alter the clothes you make. This is actually big big subject and I don’t want to scare you off by writing a massive essay about it.
Blocking?
Simply put, blocking means to wash or steam your woolly items and then (gently or aggressively, depending on the situation) pin out to stretch the item as it dries. It will then be fixed in its new state.
Spend a few minutes to work up a granny square that measures about 15cm (6 inches) and pop it in warm water (with a dash of detergent – I use wool wash soap for my handmade garments). Rinse, blot in a towel, then pin onto foam blocking boards and wait patiently for it to dry.
I didn’t mention it in the video tutorial but I pinned out and steam blocked my main pieces before sewing them together. It’s a really quick blocking method. I have a steamer but the steam function on an iron works too. For me, this helps for more accurate sewing. The pieces are less likely to bunch or pucker.
The picture below shows what crochet looks like on the blocking boards. If you have a cat, it is pretty much guaranteed that they will want in on the blocking action.
Arghh, Maths! How Gauge Affects Size
I’m going to assume that you’ve read my quick blog post about gauge. My gauge for this project (after blocking) is about 8.5 rows per 10cm. If you don’t want to eyeball the granny square like did, you can use a formula to work out how big to make it instead. Using the measurement from your size in the chart above, multiply it by the row gauge (8.5) and divide by 10 (cos that’s how many centimetres get you 8.5 rows).
It turns out my eyeballing is surprisingly accurate. Check this out: 53.5 (size 3 as per the size chart) x 8.5 / 10 = 45.475. I worked 23 rounds of grannies. 23 x 2 =46!! Wowsers! (I’ve multiplied by 2 because we go around in a square, not rows. From the granny’s centre to the top, it’s 23 rows, from the centre to the bottom, it’s 23 rows).
And I know, I know I said you wouldn’t need a calculator. sorry about that. But technically it’s true if you’re winging it!
crochet granny squares
Make Your Granny Squares
You probably already know how to make a granny square but if not, I show you how in the video tutorial. I like to turn mine every round so that there’s no dreaded twist.
Once you have two granny squares that are the chosen size, add shoulder tabs to the top. I also demonstrate this in the vid. It’s a Granny stripe method with a touch of shaping so that the neck is a nice, rounded shape. See below for the charts.
On the bottom of the granny squares, work a row of UK dc (US sc) stitches. This is the base upon which you’ll work the waistband ribbing. Use the same colour that you’ll use for the ribbing.
By the way, at any point during this process, you’re going to have to sew in the eleventy bajillion ends. Hahahahahaha! Quite honestly, looking back, I don’t know how I did it without crying.
Add Shaped Shoulder Tabs
This is the next step beyond the most basic of boxy crochet garments. There is absolutely nothing wrong with basic square shaping for a crochet sweater. I make ’em sometimes. But here, let’s go one step further and add shoulder shaping. This creates a scoop neckline, which will sit nicely across your clavicles!
Of course, this is open to adapting in different ways. To keep it simple I have kept the front and back the same. I won’t mention too much more on this because I demonstrate how you can tweak this in another version of this gloriously colourful granny square sweater. Find out more in my Black and Blue Granny Square Sweater post.
Below is a chart showing the tabs attached to the main body (the granny square). I chose to add four rows for mine. You have the left and right tabs there. I should have drawn them mirrored. I didn’t. Oh well, it is still very useful to see them visually.
Please note that the number of clusters on the charts aren’t the same as the number I actually added to my size. This is an example of stitch placement and you will want to add additional clusters depending on your size.
And by the power of Photoshop, it should look like this! Sort of…
Shoulder Width: How Many Clusters?
The number of clusters you add for you shoulder tabs is possibly/probably going to be different from mine. The first row of my tabs had 6 full clusters rather than the 3 shown in the chart.
If you would like accurate measurements then Ysolda Teague has detailed charts for sizing. There’s a bit of jiggery pokery to calculate the specifics so you may wish to eyeball it instead. And seeing as that’s what this crochet sweater is all about, let’s do that! Go grab your fave jumper again and measure the shoulder widths.
According to your gauge, how many clusters can you crochet to fit in that width?
Sleeves
Ok, so you’ve got the main body done. Now for the sleeves. They’re worked flat, in rows.
I want shaping here, very basic shaping. Luckily, arm length can stay the same regardless of the size of the main body so what I’m sharing here is going to work for the majority of folks. Of course, it’ll be different if you’re not using aran or worsted yarn. Obvs, things will vary if your tension is different so work more or fewer rows if needed.
My sleeves measure 46cm without cuffs, I worked 41 rows. Decide how long you want your sleeves and work as many rows as you want. And don’t forget that the cuffs add to the length too. They are 4cm so in total, I have 50cm length sleeves. This works for me and my arms. I’m a fan of 50cm sleeves!
Sleeve Width
Begin by working a foundation row of UK double crochet (US single crochet) using the ribbing colour. Check out my video tutorial for the foundation start. You need multiples of 3 plus 1. I worked 43 stitches for the beginning of my sleeves. After the first row of grannies appear, it measures approx 27cm at the wrist, and after you’ve worked 41 rows, the width at the other end (upper arm) measures 40cm. You might need to make yours narrower or wider than mine. Add or remove multiples of 3 stitches to change the sleeve width. Treat every 3 stitches as 2cm, so you’re adding or subtracting 2cm if you change the stitch count.
If you worked 43 stitches, the first row will have 13 granny clusters, plus the two ends.
Then add the JAYG cuffs. To be honest, you can add ribbing before or after you’ve constructed the jumper. I wanted them blocked at the same time so added them before. I’m not sure if I’d do this again but it worked in the way I wanted.
Next is a pic of the sleeve chart. Sorry for the hand-drawn nature of all my charts in this post. It was the quickest way of doing it!
Below is a not particularly tidy way of demonstrating where I put the increases at the ends of each row. There are more regular increases at the beginning before I decided I didn’t need as many to get the shape required. Play around with increases as much as you desire to create different sleeve shaping.
Only after making this chart did I realise I only crocheted 41 rows not 42. Oops.
Crochet Ribbing
I decided to add ribbing for the cuffs and waistband before sewing the pieces together. I was happy with my measurements of everything and knew I wouldn’t need to make further adjustments. If you’re not sure, add these after you have sewn the main pieces together. That way, if you need to adjust the depth of the ribbing, you only need to undo those sections and not the whole thing. I added the neckband once everything else was constructed.
For this granny square sweater, I opted for my current favourite crochet rib stitch. It looks fabulous and is an interesting technique that’s more sophisticated than basic rib stitches. It’s still Back Loop Only, like a lot of ribbing but this time with a two row pattern repeat.
With the wrong side facing you, attach the yarn to where you want the ribbing and chain 8 for the cuffs, 10 for the waistband and for the diddy neckline, chain 6.
Working down towards the foundation/base I used a yarn over slip stitches (yoslst) and on the way back up on the next row it’s just a simple slip stitch. Once again, you can see a demo of this in the video tutorial.
As a written pattern, the ribbing looks like this:
Chain 10 (for example) Row 1 (w/s): Working in back bumps, yoslst in second ch from hook, yoslst to end, sl st in next 2 sts of foundation row, turn. [9 sts] Row 2 (r/s): Miss 2 sl sts, 9sl sts BLO, turn. Row 3: ch1, 9yoslst BLO, turn. Rep Rows 2 & 3 to end.
Sew Everything Together
Remember to sew on the wrong sides to keep the right side as neat as possible. Use whip stitch, mattress stitch, whatever floats your boat.
1. Lay the front and back panels together (right sides together) and sew shoulder tabs together first. 2. Then, sew flat, the sleeves to the shoulders. Get them nicely lined up so that the centre of the upper sleeve is in line with the middle of the shoulder seam. 3. Fold everything in half and sew the sleeves and body in one fell swoop. 4. Add a round of UK dc (US sc) stitches around the neckband so there’s a foundation for the ribbing (matchy matchy with ribbing colour please). 5. Add neck ribbing (and cuffs & waistband if you left them to the end) and sew the ends to close.
Then, gently handwash and block if using wool yarn (yep, blocking again! I was thorough). The weight of itself should be enough to ensure it stretches appropriately. Once the excess water is gently squeezed out and blotted with towels, I didn’t bother to pin it out, just relied on the wet heft of it to stretch itself. [jeez, wet heft!] If using acrylic, wash in a machine (not forgetting fabric conditioner to avoid the squeaky squeaky) and tumble dry.
And there you have it. A Granny Square Sweater!! That was a lot of words, right?! Eek, my longest blog post I think.
Please do let me know when you make yours, I would absolutely love to see. Upload your project to Ravelry and tag me onInstagram. #zeensandroger
BTW, This post contains an affiliate link, which means, if you buy through the link I set up forLovecrafts.com, I get a small percentage of what you spend (at no extra cost to you).
If you thought this was completely brilliant and amazing, please consider buying me a ko-fi!
I don’t need a new crochet hat, I have plenty of hats, but when is that ever an excuse? As a crocheter compelled to make stuff, hats are pretty good palette cleansers in between more complex projects. They are also great stash busters and I am definitely a fan of a decent stashbuster.
The idea behind this crochet hat is to use my pretty leftovers of mohair yarn from all the fluffy adventures I’ve been on over the last couple of years.
Before you read on for the pattern and its details, I have also made a YouTube video tutorial, which you can find HERE. During the editing process I noticed that I tell everyone I used a 4.5mm hook to make the hat, I didn’t. I used a 5mm. Please ignore “Tutorial Zeens”, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Well, mostly she does, everything else is good information….
Notes on Making your Crochet Hat
A Crochet Rib Stitch
I wanted to keep things simple but also use the best kind of crochet rib stitch. There are lots of hats crocheted in this kind of method but often I see a half treble (US half dc) worked in the back loop only. I love a htr back loop only but not for a rib. There are better options that are tidier and more effective, like the one I’ve used in this pattern.
For this hat I opted for a yarn over slip stitch (YO sl st) worked in the back loop only (BLO). It worked just as I wanted it to. It’s a stitch that would look great in fishermans’ rib style jumpers (must make one of these).
Please watch the video tutorial for a stitch demo. It’s one of those stitches that’s a little bit fiddly when you’re just learning but once it becomes a rhythm, it’s actually quite fun to do.
The stitch goes like this: Yarn over (YO), and insert hook into the stitch, yarn over and pull through all loops on hook.
The Yarn
The main yarn I used was a DK merino held with a laceweight kid silk mohair. If you have never used mohair yarn before but fancy giving it go, check out my tips of using mohair yarn.
The blips of contrast colours were a selection of all fluffy yarns in my stash leftover from previous projects. Mine range from laceweight to DK weight to chunky.
You can get fluffy yarn across all budgets and I threw everything into this hat regardless of weight or brand. The Christmas before last I made mohair and brushed alpaca scrunchies for my nieces. The leftovers are in this hat. The summer of that year I made a colourful cardigan out of MYPZ chunky mohair. (oh lordy, I called it DK in the video – another mistake!). I also had fluff from other projects too. Let’s chuck it all at the hat!
The colour changes are pretty lazy. Working with two strands all the time, whenever I wanted to introduce a new shade, I popped the one I didn’t want out of the way and laid a new strand with the one still in use. Then I swapped back when the contrast colour ran out, or whenever it felt right. When not in use, I floated most of the main colour across the wrong side of the work. Sometimes, if they were overly long, I’d snip them and rejoin later.
Crocheting a Hat to Fit
I worked 70 rows of 40 stitches. The piece of fabric measures 23 (the hat’s depth) x 47cm (the hat’s length). My head measures 56cm, which is quite a few centimeters more than the length of the hat. This is because you need negative ease in a hat so it stretches to fit. Standard negative ease is about 5-6cm for a hat. Mine is a little more than that as it will stretch out further upon wearing. Essentially my own head is “blocking” it out as I wear it.
Blocking? Simply put, blocking means to wash or steam your woolly items and then (gently or aggressively) stretch out the item as it dries. It will then be fixed in its new state. I have no intention of properly blocking the hat. I have no intention of washing the hat at all (unless it falls into a muddy puddle or something) so I don’t think blocking is too urgent. It depends on your own personal preference for a project like this. Yes, a gentle steam block will even out stitches. And yes, it will create additional length and width by being stretched out. It depends on how particular you are as to whether you want to do it properly. This is a quick win crochet hat so I’ve just eyeballed it.
By all means, if you’re a harcore perfectionist, make up a swatch, wash it and leave to dry. You can then measure how many rows and stitches there are over 10cm (4 inches). From these measurements you can work out Gauge.
Here’s my unblocked gauge: 18 sts and 15 rows per 10cm. It varies a little bit here and there when the different weights of yarn are applied.
Crochet Ribbed Mohair Hat Pattern
Things You Need
100g of DK yarn, I used West Yorkshire Spinners “Bo Peep”, which comes in 50g balls.
25g kid silk mohair, laceweight. I used Drops.
Lots of different contrasting colours of various mohair, brushed alpaca, or similar.
You will need extra of everything for the pompom. If you’re shopping for the whole shebang, add 3x 50g dk and 2x 25g laceweight to your shopping basket for the main body of the hat.
5mm hook. This is me going up a hook size than I’d normally use. I found it too fiddly to get the hook into the Back Loop Only (BLO) with a smaller hook.
Hat Pattern
Chain 41 Row 1: In the second chain from hook YO sl st, YO sl st to end, turn. [40 sts] Row 2 – Row 70 (or however many rows you need for a bigger/smaller noggin): 1ch, YO sl st BLO to end, turn. [40 sts]
This finished piece measures approx 23 x 47cm.
When changing colours, ensure ends are all on the “wrong side”. I didn’t worry about sewing them in. I am going to let their flyaway fibre structure do the work for me. Mohair never wants to let go so I’m pretty sure none of these contrast colours will work themselves loose. If in doubt, feel free to tie ends together before tidying up the ends with a pair of scissors.
When you fasten off, leave a long tail for sewing. Sew up the side using a whip stitch, do this wrong side out. I have demonstrated a way of doing this in the tutorial that ensures it’s pretty much invisible. Using the same length of yarn, run the needle along the top circumference of the hat, going in and out of the rows. Gently but firmly pull to close. Then, secure everything in place by working the needle around the gathers, back and forth, again and again to lock it all in place. Tie off but don’t snip just yet.
Tiddly Om Pom Pom
I am not going to write a step by step process for pompom making. I am not good enough! But you will hear my delight in the video tutorial when I made the one for the hat. I have every confidence that you will be better than me at making a pompom. But at least I didn’t break the yarn this time. Be careful when tying off the pompom as I have a tendency to break the yarn by pulling too hard!
When attaching your big fluffy sphere to the hat, be firm with the tying so the pompom won’t loosely flap about atop your head. Once secure, I also tied all loose ends together and then snipped to trim rather than sew them in. No one has time for that, especially you aren’t going to see them.
If you don’t want to make a fool of yourself like I did you can always buy a ready made one?
