Here at last is the recipe for my granny square top, which I'm calling "Amma" because it's Icelandic for "Granny". I finished this top in August, just in time for the last days of summer, and have worn it twice since then (you can see it in action on Instagram). I absolutely love it and it's such a great feeling to wear something you made yourself.
This top is super simple - just two granny squares joined together - and has a loose fit that skims the body - not too clingy and not too boxy. I made this to fit me and it's about 40" in total width. To make it in your preferred size, use your hip or bust measurement (whichever is larger) + desired ease (I added about 2"), divided by 2 as a guideline for the size of your squares.
Granny Ch4 Download
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The yarn is lafoss Einband, which is an Icelandic lace-weight wool. It's light but also warm, just right for Iceland's cooler summers. If you plan to make this for warmer climates or you don't like wool, something like linen might be a good substitute. If you do choose Einband, note that it feels a bit coarse when you're working with it, but it softens after blocking. It also stretches when washed, so it's always best to do a swatch first. Swatching is definitely recommended if you're substituting another yarn.
Lay your squares one on top of the other with the right sides facing each other. At the top edge, place a stitch marker approximately 4"* from each side edge to mark the shoulder seams and neck opening. *Or desired shoulder seam length.
I've had this design in my head and drafted on my computer for a few years now. I've played with it a little here and a little there and I decided last fall that this would be the first Lo & Behold pattern of 2023. Better yet, we would officially release it on my Granny's birthday, March 15th. This cozy, vintage inspired quilt evokes all the warm nostalgic feelings and is probably one of my favorite recent Lo & Behold quilt patterns. :) It's a mix and match type pattern so you have lots of opportunity to create different combinations and have fun with it. You're going to love sewing this together!
One thing that I love about Granny Patch (if I do say so myself) is that the blocks are strip pieced, meaning you are NOT dealing with individual squares of fabric. Instead, you're sewing strips together in a certain order then cutting them apart to create the rows of your blocks. (Can I get an amen??) There are also nesting seams so you don't have to fuss or stress about everything perfectly lining up as you are sewing. It really is a fun block to assemble!
I don't know about you, but I always love seeing crocheted afghans and blankets folded up on the back of a chair or at the foot of a bed. I wish I could say that I had an heirloom afghan that inspired this quilt, but after watching all seasons of Parks & Rec about 10 times, seeing one on the back of Ann's couch over and over definitely made me fall in love with the granny square. Then when we moved to Black Mountain and started leasing studio space above the Black Mountain Yarn Shop, I found myself surrounded by even more granny squares, which got me that much more excited about having a "granny square" inspired quilt. Since I shared about this design, I've had several of you reach out to share about your own heirloom granny square blankets, which has been so sweet to see. This quilt has turned into a nod to tradition and a marriage of both crochet and quilting. I LOVE it!
I really love how the Foreground fabrics play with the Roasted Pecan in this quilt. I wanted this quilt to be an explosion of color. You'll see with the other Granny Patch samples (more to come this week!), none of them are "safe" and predictable. When thinking about things that my granny made, she loved using color and very rarely (if ever?) created something neutral that was soft and muted. And the same is true when I think about granny square afghans...they normally have tons of color and vibrancy, and my goal was to lean into that so that the Granny Patch quilts had the same vibe as a vintage/ retro afghan.
So then I started thinking about what makes something feel retro. Is it the colors? Patterns? How it's styled? The wear and tear? All of the above? I realized that I had a sub-conscious 1960s vibe when I picked out the backing for this quilt. I remember telling Peter that I wanted to find something that felt older and classic with maybe an unexpected color. Kona Grapemist (the periwinkle/ light blue fabric) is probably my favorite part about the quilt top. It cools everything down, since the other shades are mostly warm and it gives an unexpected pop of color in an already colorful quilt. Since I really love that part of the quilt, I wanted to choose a backing that highlighted that blue shade.
I sent it off to Sarah of Stitch Lab Quilting and we both searched for the perfect 1960s floral that we could find and after a lot of back and forth, we landed on Daisy Daze #3 by Karlee Porter. The other Daisy Daze pantographs are adorable as well. I just used one of them in my last quilt, found here!
When I got the quilt back from Sarah, I was SO smitten with how it turned out! The gold thread that had a slight sheen to it, the density of the flowers...it all turned out even better than I could've imagined! Don't you just love it when that happens?
All along, I thought that I would use Grapemist as the binding, but when I tried it out, I just wasn't loving it for some reason. I think since the backing has so much blue, I wanted to bring in another color to show up on the back of the quilt. Kona Petunia was the lucky winner, and it really does frame out the quilt nicely.
Oh! And fun news: we have Granny Patch stickers!! These were such a hit last month at QuiltCon, so we couldn't help but to create a few. You can find all of our stickers here, but here are the two Granny Patch ones. :)
2/9/17: I have a new post A Better Granny Rectangle Revisited. I have made some tweaks to how I do them since I first posted this and thought it deserved a new post. I include another version for doing them with 3dc, ch1.
The one thing I would suggest for your consideration is to add the word TURN (or even TURN YOUR WORK) to the instructions at the end of the first row, after the ch 3. Your photos show this, but it might help beginners to understand exactly what to do next.
I think you will have to make a test strip to sort that out. There are too many variables, yarn weight, hook size, how you crochet, if you want it closer to square or longer that will all effect the start.
I recently got back into crocheting after a 10+ year break. I tried rectangles back then and did care for the look in the center. I somehow found your blog and will try this method for my next project after I finish my ripple afghan. I am thinking of doing multiples and piecing them together. Thank you for the easy to follow directions.
If you mean 90 degree corners rather than square (since it is supposed to be a rectangle : ), it comes out fine for me. You might need to experiment with your corners and maybe your hook size. You can see some larger (multi-colored) projects others have made with this on Ravelry (there is a link at the top of this page, the little image that says how many projects), you need to be signed in to Ravelry to view them (if you are not a member, it is free to join).
You continue on like you would for any Granny Square. You do slpst to the top of the first chain (to connect the end of the round), then you ch3 for the first stitch of the next round. (or, if using a new color, you would end off and then attach the new color)
I just wanted to say thank you for posting this. I am thrilled with how my project is coming along. I also want to thank you for posting this with pictures as well as written, I learn somewhere in between the two. My progress so far is here:
I am so happy you did this tutorial! I also do not like the conventional start with the ring, I have been desperately wanting to make a rectangle blanket! These steps are so clear and really easy to follow and I am already a couple rounds in on my dream blanket! Thank you so much!!!
I have ended where the tutorial ends. I now have a turning chain on top of the last st of a set of three. Since this is not the place that would have a stitch in the pattern, how do I get to a space to continue the work?
Not certain what you mean, as the tutorial ends with a slpst to the top of the beginning ch. To continue with another round in the same color, I would ch3 and then 3dc, ch3, 3dc in the ch3 corner space and continue around. Then as you reach the space just before the beginning ch3, you 2dc in that space and slpst to the top of the beginning ch3. The next round, ch3, 2dc in the sp, 3dc in the next and continue around.
I mean that all of the stitches are worked in spaces but your turning chain is worked on the top of a st. I would love it if you would work one more row and let us see what it looks like. Love your site and charts are great.
Hi Sue! I love this idea! I hate making individual squares that need to be sewn together so I would love to make this as one giant granny rectangle. Is there some type of mathematical formula to figure out how many chains I would need to start with? My cousin would like me to make one for her king sized bed and I have no clue how large to make the beginning. Thanks so much.
It may be that when you attach your new color, that your round starts differently than mine did, as my example is in one color. If you attach your yarn, ch3 and then do 2dc in the same space, that would be like my round 2 (the last round in the larger diagram above). Soooo, probably would then do the next round as the rnd 1 (second to last in rnd in the diagram). Hard to know if what I am thinking is what is happening : )
There are so many ways to make a bag with granny squares! I made a hot pad a while back and included a picture tutorial. It is made with the same type of square to get started, so check out that granny square pattern and picture tutorial HERE! 152ee80cbc
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