How to Crochet a Granny Square: A Beginner's First Square
Learn to crochet the classic granny square — chains, clusters and corners in clear steps that build your first square.
The granny square is where most crocheters learn to work in the round — and for good reason. It only takes two stitches (chain and double crochet), it grows quickly, and one square becomes a blanket, a cushion or a bag when you make a few more. This guide walks you through your first square row by row.
If you are brand new, first read the guide to reading a crochet pattern and practise your chains. Then come back here — you will be surprised how fast the square appears.
What you need
- Yarn: any worsted-weight yarn in a color you love. A smooth, light color is easiest for a first project — dark or fuzzy yarns hide your stitches.
- Hook: the size recommended on your yarn band (a 5 mm hook suits most worsted-weight yarns).
- Scissors and a darning needle for weaving in the ends.
The stitches you will use
This pattern uses UK-free language, so here are the US abbreviations in one place:
- ch — chain
- dc — double crochet (yarn over, insert hook, yarn over and pull through two loops twice)
- sl st — slip stitch (used to join rounds)
That is genuinely all you need.
Round 1: the center ring
Start with a magic ring (or chain 4 and join with a slip stitch to form a loop — the magic ring is neater and lets you pull the center closed).
- Ch 3 — this counts as your first double crochet.
- Work 2 dc into the ring.
- Ch 2 — this is your first corner space.
- Work 3 dc into the ring, ch 2. Repeat twice more, so you have four groups of 3 dc separated by ch-2 corners.
- Join with a slip stitch into the top of the starting ch-3.
You should now have a small square with four corners. The ch-2 spaces at the corners are what make the square lie flat instead of curling into a tube.
Round 2: building the corners
- Slip stitch across to the first corner space.
- Ch 3 (counts as a dc), then work 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc into that corner space — this makes the corner.
- Ch 1, then work 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc into the next corner space.
- Repeat around all four corners, joining with a slip stitch to the top of the starting ch-3.
The pattern of each corner is always the same: two clusters of 3 dc with a ch-2 space between them. Between corners you chain 1 once the square is bigger — on this round the ch-1 spaces sit along the straight edges.
Round 3 and beyond
From here the rhythm never changes:
- In each corner space: 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc.
- In each edge space: 3 dc (and ch 1 between edge clusters once there are several).
Keep going until the square is the size you want. Every round it gets bigger in the same four places, so it always stays flat.
Reading your work
If your square ruffles at the edges, your corners are probably too loose — try one chain instead of two, or a slightly smaller hook. If it curls into a bowl, your starting ring is too tight or your hook is too small. Both fix instantly once you know what to look for.
Finishing
Cut your yarn leaving a 15 cm tail, pull it through the last loop, and weave the tail through the back of the stitches with your darning needle. Blocking (lightly pinning the square flat while damp, then letting it dry) evens out tension and makes the corners crisp.
What to make next
One granny square is a coaster. Four joined squares make a baby blanket center; a dozen make a lap blanket. When you are ready to put squares together, see how to join granny squares.
This guide replaces a legacy article on the same topic that embedded a third-party video without original written instructions. The instructions above are written for this site.