Granny Square with Color Changes

Granny squares are a wonderful way to use up your scrap yarn! In this video, you will learn how to crochet a colorful granny square and how to deal with all those yarn ends. Download the chart here to follow along as Brenda shows us how to change colors while working up her granny square. This granny square can be made to any size; another round can always be added to make the square larger. In the video, Brenda is using worsted weight acrylic yarn and a size 7 4.5mm hook, but you can use any size yarn with any hook that will achieve the desired drape.

This granny square is worked as follows:

Set-up Rnd: With first color, ch 4, sl st in first ch to join into a ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as the first DC of rnd), 2 DC in center of ring, [ch 2, 3 DC in ring] 3 times, ch 2, sl st into top of beginning ch-3 to join. Fasten off.

Rnd 2: Begin with a slipknot of the second color on hook. Insert hook into ch-2 sp at corner of square, YO and pull up loop and pull through loop on hook, ch 2 (counts as first DC of rnd), 2 DC in same ch-2 sp, *skip next 3 DC, [3 DC, ch 2, 3 DC] in next ch-2 sp, repeat from * twice more, skip next 3 DC, [3 DC, ch 2] into first ch-2 sp, sl st into top of ch-2 to join, fasten off.

Rnd 3: Begin with a slipknot of the third color on hook. Insert hook into ch-2 sp at corner of square, YO and pull up loop and pull through loop on hook, ch 2 (counts as first DC of rnd), 2 DC in same ch-2 sp, * skip next 3 DC, 3 DC into sp before next set of 3 DC sts, skip next 3 DC, [3 DC, ch 2, 3 DC] in next ch-2 sp, repeat from * twice more, skip next 3 DC, 3 DC into sp before next set of 3 DC sts, skip next 3 DC, [3 DC, ch 2] into first ch-2 sp, sl st into top of ch-2 to join, fasten off.

Rnd 4: Begin with a slipknot of the next color on hook. Insert hook into ch-2 sp at corner of square, YO and pull up loop and pull through loop on hook, ch 2 (counts as first DC of rnd), 2 DC in same ch-2 sp, *3 DC into each sp between 3 DC clusters across to next ch-2 sp, [3 DC, ch 2, 3 DC] in ch-2 sp, repeat from * twice more, 3 DC into each sp between 3 DC clusters across to first ch-2 sp, [3 DC, ch 2] in ch-2 sp, sl st into top of ch-2 to join, fasten off.

Repeat Rnd 4 until square has reached desired size.

Next, Brenda shows us how to make a single crochet border around the edges of a finished square. There are 4 SC in each ch-2 corner, and 1 SC into each of the DC stitches around. This edging makes it easy to sew squares to each other; if the border is done in the same color as the yarn you use for seaming, your stitches will blend right in.

After completing her granny square, Brenda shows us how she likes to weave in her yarn tails. She points out that it is easier to weave them into the thicker sections of the stitches and talks about the needle “taking a different path each time” and how splitting the yarn creates more friction and makes tails less likely to pull out.

Granny squares are so much fun to make—and making them with scraps of yarn is so gratifying! Be sure to tell us in the comments section below what you plan to make with your crochet granny squares!