Giant Granny Square
This beautiful blanket sat unfinished and crumpled in a forgotten corner of Joelle’s craftroom for at least two years. One day it somehow got unearthed, poking itself out from under a pile of fabrics. Page, Molly and I were simultaneously riveted by the vision of this amazing blanket that we’d never seen. Molly demanded to know, “Where has this been?!” I reprimanded, “Why haven’t you finished it?!” Page yelled, “Can I have it?!” Why didn’t I think of that?
Joelle was less impressed with herself than we were with her. She just kind of shrugged and said that she’d gotten too busy to finish it (true, she is busy). So I offered/got enlisted to crochet the last round and to sew in the ends.
It was a pleasure to spend time in the mind of Joelle’s color sense. To me it’s a marvel how she dreamed up these colors. Soft grays and creams blur behind sharp bursts of vivid pinks and rich browns, all mingling together in beautiful rainbow magic.
It’s a simple notion – a granny square that goes on and on and on – but because the pattern is so pleasantly meditative, the mind is free to just wander from one color to the next, creating beautifully symphonic color music. There’s no better instrument for such composing than Koigu’s KPM. The hand-dyed colors strike every note perfectly!
Materials
This blanket is 30 x 30-inches and takes at least seven skeins to make. Joelle used more skeins in order to use more colors. Here’s what they are:
For this warm toned version (from top to bottom):
Koigu’s Koigu Premium Merino (KPM) in colors #2389, #1303, #2360, #1111, #2231, #1411, #1135, #1110, #1209, #2180, and #1201
Here’s another color idea if you want to explore cooler tones (from top to bottom):
Koigu’s Koigu Premium Merino (KPM) in colors #2411, #2171, #2409, #2405, #2416, #2403, #2360, #0000, #1201, #2100, #2180, #1230
Remember that tracking down exact matches of Koigu colors can be a little tricky at best, and impossible at worst. Luckily, Koigu makes so many gorgeous colors that substituting one of these colors with your own choice is bound to bring its own rewards.
This blanket has been on quite a journey. I think Joelle’s love for it has been rekindled, and Page may have to make her own! If you’d like to make your own and want to learn how to make a granny square, please visit our Granny Square Tutorial! –Whitney
I’m in love with this pattern! The only problem is my edges are getting flowey — as in, the tension around 30 or so rows isn’t tight enough around to keep it a square but starting to look more like a poodle skirt. What could possibly go wrong with a granny square?! Yikes… Please advise.
Oh, I get always so sad when I read this post. I’ve tried twice to make this granny and always end with a giant twisted square. And it begin to twist from the beginning square. I have tried with a worsted weight yarn and works better but never with a sport or fingering weight. Did anyone have the same problem as me?
I have my way of doing that and it works every time with any yarn. I chain one between double crochet only in the corner everywhere else I just dc from one place to another with no chain inbetween.
Oh I have just read the last comment and the problem I have is exactly the same as austinannie! lol…
Hi Annie and Celia,
We’re so sorry you’re having this trouble! If you edge is getting ruffled or not laying flat it means that you’ve either got too many stitches, or to few. Without looking at it, its hard to judge, but it sounds like what is happening is that you aren’t doing the double crochet properly (this is a common problem!)
Here is a link to the double crochet tutorial on our site:
https://www.purlsoho.com/create/crochet-basics/2007/4/12/double-crochet.html
Hope this helps! Please let us know if you need further assistance!
LOVE THIS !!!
Am crocheing a blanket at the moment, but now I can’t wait to finish and try your inspiring example!
This is such a great blanket! Do you all offer crocheting classes? I would love to learn more about that. I also would like to go beyond just knitting and learn more tecniques. Love you guys and hope to go visit the shop soon!
I’m a man and I think that it’s amazing!
It’s beautiful! The colors are great! Seems like a lot of good work!
I love this! I included them in a collection of granny squares over on my blog: http://monami.squarespace.com/mon-ami-journal/2010/1/17/inspiration-granny-squares.html
thanks for sharing
xo
Oh I am so in love with your yarn colors….and the combinations I will definitely be using to crochet many winter items this year….Thank you!
I was wondering if you can explain how to do the pattern. I'm trying to make a baby blanket for my daughter due late April and that's the pattern I want to use and I know how to do regular crochet just not the granny squares. and when I seen the name Joelle I thought that would be even more perfect cause my daughters middle name is actually going to be Joelle. Hopefully you can either recommend me to a site that does that pattern or type one out for me. please and thank you!!!!!
Hi Nicole-
Here is a link to the Granny Square pattern, complete with written instructions and photos: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/granny-square-project/
Good luck with your blanket! and congrats on your soon- to – arrive daughter!
– Molly
I love these colors! And this post has just enthused and inspired me to make one for the kiddos. Wonderful creativity and I have to say, I love your website!
Gabli
Sorry for the confusion, especially as you have provided a product link – but could you please tell me if the skeins recommended were mini KPM (11yds) which seem to have many more colors available and have a similar product photo to the one in the post, or the 175yd skeins?
https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/410-Koigu-Premium-Merino-(KPM) or
https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/8016-Koigu-Premium-Merino-(KPM)-Needlepoint-Yarn
Hi Miss Honey-
It is the 175 yard skeins. They are available here: https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/410-Koigu-Wool-Designs-Koigu-Premium-Merino-KPM
Thanks you!
Molly
I made a giant great granny for each of my children this year for Christmas (4 of them-people in church got used to me brining in my bag & working during service, bonus is that it keeps me warm while I work)-only variation I use is using 2 or 3 skeins at a time & a huge crochet hook. Makes for a very thick cuddly blanket. Added bonus is I get to think of & pray for each child as I make their blanket. Very calming & peaceful to work on.
Did you block this when it was finished? I am making one currently and as it gets bigger it is not as square as I would like it to be.
Hi Pixie-
Joelle didn't block this. However, someone else we know had a problem similar to yours and it turned out that she was doing double crochet incorrectly. Here is a video on the double crochet stitch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpi7FxMxv5Y&feature=related
Please let us know if you have any further questions, and good luck with it!
Molly
Hi,
I'm currently having the same problem as Celia and Pixie, I watched the youtube video and read the double crochet blog post and that's how I've been making my double crochets. Do you know of any other reason why this might be happening?
Thanks for your help and love this blanket!
Katie
Hi Katie-
We're sorry to hear you're having this problem. You might want to try experimenting using a different sized hook. If you're getting a rippled edge your tension might need to be tighter, and thus a smaller hook might help.
Please let us know if that helps!
Thank you!
Molly
My g-granmother made afghans like this all the time, and I tried to figure out the pattern on my own, but I was just a beginner. I'd like to do this one day!
I love making granny squares! They are about the only thing that I can crochet! I have made my twins son and daughter a large granny square afghan and am in the process of finishing my oldest son's. I've been using yarn that I've had in my stash to make a scrappy afghan. I am also in the process of making doll six afghans to donate to my mother of twin's group so that they can sell then at the annual convention. I am hoping people like them enough to buy them. Maybe they can raffle them off also. Anyway, I love granny squares and can't wait to make more afghans! I also love love love the color way used in this afghan!
I am making my first 12 in granny square for a blanket that is roughly 90 x 80 or so. How many skeins and squares do you think I should aim for? ^.^ love your blanket!
Hi Keslin,
That's a tough one. The original used 24 skeins of Koigu. Are you knitting it in Koigu? Those 24 skeins created a 30 inch x 30 inch blanket. I guess you could extrapolate from there.
Laura
I had a problem with mine (from a different pattern) looking twisted so, instead of doing one continuous round, I started flipping it over every round so the natural lean in the pattern would balance out over the rows.
But the last eight rows have started wanting to not lay flat. I think the last yen is a bit thicker than the others. It SAYS it is the same size, but it isn’t…
Hey Dawn,
Thank you for the comment! I’m sorry that you are having trouble with the end of the project. If the project doesn’t want to lay flat it is probably because it is being crocheted tighter than the rest. Does your final yarn say that it is the Koigu KPM or the Koigu Kersti? It could be you may have a Kersti in the last color which is a thicker version of the rest of the yarn used in the project. I’m sorry I can’t be more help but feel free to call the store at 212-420-8796 if you would like more assistance and we can walk you through it.
Goodluck!
Jake
Hello! I’d love to make this blanket (and I especially like the cool version) but many of the colors aren’t available anymore. Could you recommend a palate using the available Koigu colors? Thank you!
Hi Sara,
Thanks for writing in! I have taken a look at all of the colors of Koigu that we do carry and I think that I have come up with replacements for the cool colorway for you. Please do take a look and see if you think that they will work well together as I do. The colors are 1010.5, 418, 2409, 2405, 2416, 2403, 2341, 0000, 1231, 2100, 1200 and 2335.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Thank you so much – the colors are beautiful. I read in another comment that I need 24 skeins to make the 30×30 blanket. Would you recommend two of each color, or some other combination? Thanks so much for your advice – I really appreciate it!
Sara
Hi Sara,
Thanks for the kind words! I think two of each color is a great idea, but with this pattern you can even do less colors and bigger color blocks too. It’s up to you on how you want the blanket to look. That’s the fun part!
Best,
Adam
Hello! I made this blanket in cooler colors last summer and I’d like to make another one. Is there any way you could recommend a palate based on colors that you have in stock? Maybe a warmer palate this time but anything would work. Thank you!
Hello Sara,
Thank you for reaching out and my apologies for the delay on my response to your question! I just sent you an e-mail with a color palette option in KPM. Let me know what you think!
Warmly,
Marilla
I’ve just started crocheting after following your site for years. I started out with quilting , more recently have tried knitting, and always filled in with various other crafts in between! I saw
Joelle’s granny square years ago, and have always kept it in the back of my mind that one day i would learn to crochet, and then try it. Well, i’m hoping that day is here. But i have just tried to click on both links to the granny square tutorial, and neither work. Please don’the say I am too late to try these out! They are such a classic. Is there still a link that works?
Hi Karlin,
I apologize about that, if you go to the web sight and then click on create, scroll down to crochet, when that opens up you will see tutorials, click on the link and the granny square tutorial is there,when you click on that and it will walk you through on how to do it.
I hope this helps,
Melissa
Hi, I’m trying to find a link to the instructions and I keep getting a 404 error. Help?
Hi Candace,
Thanks for reaching out! I am so sorry that the links were not working! We have corrected them and they should be working now! I am also including the link here for you: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/granny-squares/
Thanks again for letting us know!
Cassy
I’ve only just come across this and whilst there are many older posts there is a solution to your granny squares twisting.
At the end of each round simply turn your square. This keeps your edges straight and no more out of shape blankets.
It’s given me a new love for granny squares. I’ve got many on the hook at the moment.
Enjoy your straight granny squares.
Hi. I would love to crochet the large granny square blanket but I can’t find the pattern. Can you help me please?
Thank you ?
Hi Jill,
Thanks for writing in! For this blanket, we followed our Granny Square Tutorial and simply continued adding on more and more rows and switching colors whenever it seemed like a good idea, until the blanket was the correct size!
Happy crocheting!
Julianna
Hello! What size crochet hook was used for the Giant Granny square blanket? Thank you!
Hi Shawn,
Thanks for reaching out. I’m afraid that this is such an old pattern that we didn’t mention what size hook we used to make it! But we used Koigu KPM yarn, for which we recommend sizes A – D (2 – 3.25 mm). Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili