More On The Granny Squares Blanket - Joining As You Go...

Thank you to all who commented on the new blanket. I received a couple of comments asking how I went about joining the granny squares together as I was obviously not waiting till I'd finished making all my squares before doing so. The answer is... join as you go. For me, it's the best way. It's quick as it eliminates an additional (and time consuming) step in the blanket making process. I like the effect as it keeps the blanket smooth on both sides (unlike the thick seam you get on one side when crocheting completed squares together), and it stretches the corners of the squares together nicely too so there should be no need to block them. One possible downside is that you need to be reasonably relaxed about how you position the squares as you can't lay out all the completed squares before deciding where to put them. Joining squares using this method is possible when there are regular chain spaces in the previous round, traditional granny squares are therefore ideal.

I thought I'd illustrate my method with a few more photos. I'd hesitate to call it a tutorial as it's perhaps a bit rough and ready compared to other tutorials out there.  

My final square size is five rounds. First of all I crochet enough "four round" squares in random colour choices to complete the next row, plus a few extra squares for flexibility in choosing. I then lay them out as above to pick the fifth round colour. I try to keep the colours and tones evenly spread as much as possible without being too fussy.

Next I pick the first square (bottom right above, though you can start from either end) and start to crochet the final round.

I crochet along one side as normal then stop before the top right corner chain (the pattern I'm using just has one chain at the corners).

I then bring the blanket up onto my knee. I'll be joining to the square with the deep blue edge so I put the crochet hook through the bottom right corner space of this square (from front to back)...
 

wrap the yarn...

and pull through the space and the loop on the needle to make the chain stitch through the space and connect the two squares.

Then make the next stitches in the round as normal (here: 3 x UK trebles) and when you reach the next chain stitch put the needle through the corresponding chain space on the blanket square before making the chain stitch.

Repeat along the side...

...till you reach the corner. At corners I put a chain through each adjacent corner, so here I chain through the dark blue corner then chain though the purple corner...

before carrying on and completing the rest of the round as normal.

Then take your next square to be added and continue the process.

This time starting the join at the bottom left of the square you've just added.

When you reach the top left corner there are three adjacent corners. Chain through the pale blue one...

...the dark blue one...

...and the purple one...

Then carry along the top row, chaining through the adjacent square whenever you reach a chain stitch.

Two adjacent corners here, make a chain stitch through each...

Then complete as normal. I hope this all makes sense! Please let me know if anything's not clear.


I have to say, I don't usually place the blanket so neatly on my knee when I do this so sometimes my tension is a little variable but it doesn't seem to be significant enough to affect the overall look of the joins. The first time you do it you feel like you need another hand to hold everything together, but you'll soon get the knack.

The next day, and now all the squares have been joined along the bottom row. Time to make more squares for the next row... I'm intending to make this blanket be big enough to sit on top of a king size bed.

And I couldn't finish without a little cat photo. This time she was happy to stay on the seat though.

In a later post I'll list the yarns I'm using. They're all Stylecraft, a mix of Special and Life.

Blanket inspiration came from Pixie's beautiful blanket (here) and ViolaViola's lovely blanket (here).