Classic Granny Square Baby Blanket Pattern
A traditional four-round granny square with cluster counts for every round, plus a 30-square layout and color plan for a baby blanket of about 30 x 36 in.
Tutorial at a glance
Materials
- Worsted weight (#4 medium) yarn in cream, about 450-500 yd
- Worsted weight (#4 medium) yarn in four colors, about 110-130 yd each
- US J-10 (6 mm) crochet hook
- Blunt yarn needle
- Scissors and tape measure
A granny square baby blanket is made in small pieces: thirty identical squares, each worked in four rounds from the center out, then joined into a grid. Every square takes only a few yards of yarn, so the project is easy to pick up and put down, and a mistake costs you one square instead of a whole row of blanket.
The square itself uses two stitches, chain and double crochet. The double crochets are grouped in threes, called clusters, and chain spaces turn the corners. Once the second round makes sense, every later round follows the same logic.
Materials
- Worsted weight (#4 medium) yarn in cream, about 450-500 yd (410-460 m)
- Worsted weight (#4 medium) yarn in four colors (sage, dusty rose, pale blue, butter), about 110-130 yd (100-120 m) of each
- US J-10 (6 mm) crochet hook
- Blunt yarn needle
- Scissors and a tape measure
These amounts are estimates that depend on gauge, and the cream includes an allowance for joining and a narrow border. Buy a little extra of each color from the same dye lot. DK (#3 light) yarn also works with a smaller hook, but the squares will be smaller, so you would need more of them.
Finished Size and Gauge
About 30 x 36 in (76 x 91 cm) before the border: 5 squares wide and 6 squares long.
Gauge target: one finished 4-round square = 6 in (15 cm) across after blocking. Matching it matters for the size of the blanket and for the yarn amount. Make one square and measure it before making the rest. If it is smaller than 6 in, try a larger hook; if it is larger, go down a size. The gauge guide explains how to measure fairly.
Abbreviations
- ch = chain
- dc = double crochet
- sl st = slip stitch
- sp = space
- st(s) = stitch(es)
Pattern Notes
- This pattern uses US crochet terms.
- The ch 3 at the start of each round counts as the first dc.
- Cluster: 3 dc worked in the same space. Corner: (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in the same ch-2 space.
- Rounds are joined with a slip stitch and the work is not turned, so the same side always faces you.
- Rounds 1 to 3 are worked in one color and Round 4 in cream.
Make the Square
With a color, ch 4 and join with a sl st in the first ch to form a ring. An adjustable (magic) ring works too, if you already use one.
Round 1: Ch 3, 2 dc in ring, ch 2, *3 dc in ring, ch 2; repeat from * 2 more times, join with a sl st in the top of the ch 3. (4 clusters, 12 dc, 4 corner spaces)
Round 2: Sl st in each of next 2 dc and into the ch-2 sp. Ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same sp, *ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * 2 more times, ch 1, join. (8 clusters, 24 dc)
Round 3: Sl st in each of next 2 dc and into the ch-2 sp. Ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same sp, *ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * 2 more times, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, join. (12 clusters, 36 dc) Fasten off the color.
Round 4: Join cream with a sl st in any ch-2 corner sp. Ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same sp, *[ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp] twice, ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * 2 more times, [ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp] twice, ch 1, join. (16 clusters, 48 dc) Fasten off, leaving a 6 in (15 cm) tail.
The counts follow a pattern you can use to check any round: round number x 4 gives the clusters, and each side gains one cluster per round. After Round 4, each edge has 12 dc and 3 ch-1 spaces between two corner spaces. Count one edge of every square as you finish it.
Tip
For a different color in every round, fasten off at the end of each round and join the next color in any corner space, as in Round 4. The guide to changing colors covers the join in detail. Expect eight tails per square instead of four.
Lay Out the Blanket
Make 30 squares: 8 with sage centers, 8 dusty rose, 7 pale blue and 7 butter. The cream final round gives every square the same outline, which ties the colors together and hides small differences between them.
Arrange the squares in 6 rows of 5. For an even spread, place the colors in the order sage, dusty rose, pale blue, butter across the first row and keep cycling. Start each following row one color later than the row above it. The colors then run in diagonal lines, no two squares of the same color share an edge, and the totals come out to 8, 8, 7 and 7.
Weave in the tails on each square before joining; it is far easier on a small piece. If the squares differ slightly in size, block them to 6 in first.
Finishing
Join the squares with cream. The four common seams, with steps for each, are compared in how to join granny squares. Join the squares into six strips of five, then join the strips with five long seams.
A border evens out the outer edge and covers the seam ends. One or two rounds of single crochet in cream, with three stitches in each corner, keep it flat; see the simple border instructions. Weave in the last ends securely, and check for loose tails after the first wash.
Frequently asked questions
How many granny squares do I need for a baby blanket?
It depends on the size of one square. Divide the width and length you want by the measurement of a finished square. With 6 in squares, 5 across and 6 down makes 30 squares and a blanket of about 30 x 36 in. With 5 in squares, the same size needs 6 across and 7 down, or 42 squares.
Why is my granny square curling or cupping?
A square that cups like a bowl is usually too tight at the corners or is missing the chain 1 between side clusters. Check that every corner has two chains and every round has four corners. Slight curling in the first two rounds is normal and settles as the square grows or is blocked.
Can I make the squares bigger instead of making more of them?
Yes. Add a fifth round by following the same rule: a corner in each corner space, one cluster in each chain-1 space, and one chain between clusters. Each side gains one cluster. Measure the larger square, then recalculate how many you need, and allow for more yarn.
