It’s hip to be square with crochet technique

This week’s Craft Corner focuses on a crochet staple that’s been around for ages: granny squares.

Making granny squares is a wonderful skill to have, as it can get you through periods of being snowed or rained in, needing a stress-reducing activity, feeling under the weather – or those terrible times when all of the above hit you at once.

We were reminded of the beauty of granny squares while browsing through a nifty little book we found at Pacific Fabrics &Crafts in Everett.

“Hippie Crafts: Creating a Hip New Look Using Groovy ’60s Crafts” by Joanne O’Sullivan (Lark Books, $12.95, paperback) contains suggestions and instructions for such Summer of Love skills as macrame, leather work, tie-dye, weaving, candlemaking and, of course, crocheting granny squares.

Even before completing our first square, something deep in our brain took over and we were able to make subsequent squares without even glancing at the instructions.

Like riding a bicycle, once the granny square technique is mastered, it’s yours for life.

And the possibilities for using the squares are limited only by your imagination. For our photo, we made a table runner, a six-square ball (for babies or pets) and a panel showing how the squares can be joined to form a cozy afghan.

We also made a hippie-type yarn bag by joining nine small squares for each side of the purse, and a set of potholders using only one color yarn and several different size crochet hooks, but these items are not shown in the photograph.

To begin with, here are the instructions for making the basic granny square. We’ll talk about how to assemble the squares into our sample items later.

To make a granny square, you’ll need to know a few basic crochet stitches: Slip stitch (SS), chain stitch (Ch), single crochet (SC) and double crochet (DC). These are easy stitches to learn and instructions can be found online, in beginning crochet books, or staff at your local yarn or craft store can likely demonstrate them for you in a few minutes.

You’ll also need three or four compatible colors of yarn and a hook the size of your choice. We generally use size H, I, J and K hooks for our projects.

Row 1: Ch 4, 2 DC in 4th Ch from hook, Ch 2, 3 DC in same space, Ch 2; then 3 DC, Ch 2 in same space 2 more times. You will have four clusters of 3 DC with a Ch 2 between each cluster (to form four corners) for your first row. Finish with SS in top of Ch 3 in first cluster, cut yarn and work in end.

Row 2: Add new color yarn with SS in Ch 2 space (corner), Ch 3, 2 DC, Ch 2, then 3 DC in same space, Ch 1. Next, 3 DC, Ch 2, 3 DC in next Ch 2 space, Ch 1 and repeat for final two Ch 2 spaces. Finish with SS in top of first Ch 3, cut yarn and work in end.

Row 3: Add new color yarn with SS in Ch 2 space (corner), Ch 3, 2 DC, Ch 2, then 3 DC in same space, Ch 1, 3 DC in next Ch 1 space, Ch 1. Next, 3 DC, Ch 2, 3 DC in Ch 2 space, Ch 1, 3 DC in Ch 1 space, Ch 1 and repeat for remaining corners and Ch 1 spaces. Finish with SS in top of first Ch 3, cut yarn and work in end.

Row 4: Add new color yarn with SS in Ch 2 space (corner), Ch 3, 2 DC, Ch 2, then 3 DC in same space, Ch 1, *3 DC in next Ch 1 space, Ch 1, 3 DC in next Ch 1 space, Ch 1, 3 DC in next Ch 2 corner space, Ch 2, 3 DC, Ch 1 and repeat from * to complete row. Finish with SS in top of first Ch 3, cut yarn and work in end.

Note: If using only one color yarn, simply SS over to Ch 2 corner space after joining and follow the same instructions to complete the square.

And here are additional instructions for making our sample projects:

Six-square ball: Make six granny squares and join them together (a four-square strip plus two side squares) with a large darning needle and yarn; fill tightly with polyester fiberfill. You can make a fabric cover for the fiberfill if you choose, then stuff the covered ball inside the granny squares.

Table runner and afghan: Make enough granny squares to give you the desired length and width and join them together with slip stitches, single crochets or other methods of choice. Check crochet books or online for options for joining squares and finished outside edges.

Potholders (not shown): Make one granny square for each potholder, using larger, different sized hooks to make several sizes of holders.

Hippie bag (not shown): Make 18 3-row granny squares, single- or multi-colored, and join nine squares (3 rows long and wide per side) for each side of bag. Join sides with single crochet around three sides, leaving one side open. Insert fabric liner to keep bag from stretching and secure around top with needle and thread, using blanket stitch. Crochet handle strap by chain stitching length desired, then two rows of double crochet and single row of single crochet; attach with needle and thread.

Using your imagination and the basic granny square design, see what original items you can come up with for holiday gift items or home decorating.