FIVE FUN THINGS TO MAKE WITH GRANNY SQUARES

There is almost an endless gebination of projects that can be created from the basic granny square motif. This guide will offer five ideas for projects that can be made with Granny Squares that either a novice or those more advanced in needlecraft may enjoy. Assembling the squares into finished projects can be just as enjoyable as crocheting the granny squares themselves.
A Few Supplies:

These projects can be made with a few simple supplies, all of which you can find here on okay. If you need some Granny Squares to get started with, there are many already made to choose from. Granny SquaresThe other supplies include finishing yarn, a yarn needle, several crochet hooks and a small pair of scissors. Yarn needles are larger than regular sewing needles and have a large eye and blunt point. They are available in both metal and plastic. Crochet hooks can be either metal or some of the newer acrylic translucent materials. Red Heart brand 'Crystalites' Crystalitesare not only colorful but also easy to carry, lighter in weight than metal and the acrylic material glides smoothly through yarn. Yarn manufacturers usually regemend a size G or H hook for working with worsted weight yarn patterns like granny squares.
Joining Together Granny Squares:

There are basically two methods for joining together finished pieces; one, with crocheted stitching ; or two, making a seam with a yarn needle.(1) Joining pieces together with a crochet hook, by either slip stitching or making a row of single crochet stitches, creates a "ridge" and a seam with a more textured appearance. This is good for accenting the outline of each square and adding interest to theoverall pattern, like in Afghans that have a quilt block type design.(2) Pieces can be joined together by making a seam with a yarn needle in a weaving type whip stitch which createsa smoother more"invisible" seam. When using yarn of a matching color remember to pull the strand carefully, but not too tight, because tight stitches can look lumpy when they are finished. Sewing with a yarn needle can quickly assemble pieces together and create smooth seams.
1 : Granny Square Pin Cushion


Two small granny squares sewn together around the edges can make a pin cushion. For the stuffing in the center you can use a piece of foam wrapped with a scrap of felt. A tassel for the top can be made from strands of embroidery thread folded in half.
2 : Granny Square Baby Booties

Two small granny squares can be sewn together to form the ankle part of baby booties. The foot part of the bootie is similar to any crochet pattern for baby booties. crochet patternsThe example in the picture is made with a blend of Alpaca yarn and a row of single crochet in Alpaca yarn around the top edge to give a natural furry texture. Alpaca Yarn
3 : Granny Square Soft Blocks or Cubes
You can make your own soft blocks or cubes for babiesand children to play with. It takes 6 granny squares to form one block. Join them together in a cross shape.

For the stuffing you can use washed and recycled items like socks or a T shirt folded up. The example in the picture is a sock rolled up into a square shape.

Place your stuffing in the center, fold up the sides and stitch the seams together one at a time.

4 : Granny Square Bag with Hoop Handles
A purse or bag can be assembled from pieces made from 3 rows of granny squaresstitched together. The purse handles can be whip stitched with yarn onto the top of each side and reinforced with heavier weight cord thread. purse handles

5 : Granny Book Mark with Thread Fringe
Small Granny Squares can be individually finished with a row of singe crochet using heavier weight Embroidery Thread. The pieces can then be assembled into a strip to make a book mark or place holder. The fringe can be made with embroidery thread also and slipped through the edges using a crochet hook. Embroidery Thread