Granny Square Day
In August we celebrate International Granny Square Day. What is Granny Square Day you ask? It is an event hosted on Instagram, where granny square pictures from across the globe are put together in a virtual granny square blanket. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with a new free crochet granny square pattern!
Free crochet square pattern: the Namaqualand square
I had a lot of fun designing this one and really tried to push the boundaries with color. For those of you who follow me on Instagram, my makes are usually pretty and pastel. However, this square is bright and bold, and I have to say, I LOVED making it! Don’t worry though, I’ve also made some pastel versions too. The pattern below includes both the PASTEL and BRIGHT color sequences. Furthermore, if you scroll right down to the bottom of this page, you will see a bonus set of pastel color transitions for this lovely square!
Why the name Namaqualand? Firstly, Namaqualand is an arid region in the North of South Africa. As a South African myself, I thought some local flair would be fun. Secondly, Namaqualand is probably best known for it incredible wild flower display, which occurs between August to October. Carpets of blooms rise up out of the desert drawing large crowds (and lots of bugs!). It’s a riot of color, just like these squares and certainly a sight to behold.
MATERIALS
For this free crochet granny square pattern, you can use any combination of colors that you like.
BRIGHT
Cotton DK yarn (Paintbox Yarn) in the following colors:
Mustard Yellow
Vintage Pink
Raspberry Pink
Lime Green
Pansy Purple
PASTEL
Cotton DK yarn (Paintbox Yarn) in the following colors:
Duck Egg Blue
Washed Teal
Dusty Rose
Vanilla Cream
Pistachio Green
Yarn needle
C/2.75 mm crochet hook
NOTES
- Begin each new round of color with a standing stitch.
- When instructed to close a round, use the invisible join method.
- Finished square size: 12.5cm x 12.5cm
- This pattern uses US crochet terminology (see here)
- Don’t know how to do the magic ring? Head over to my magic ring tutorial.
- View my recommendations for my favourite tools on Amazon
- Color changes are noted at the beginning of the round in brackets.
- Both BRIGHT and PASTEL color changes are included. Since the step by step pictures are using pastel, the pastel colors are listed first (i.e. Pastel / Bright)
Special Stitches
Bobble stitch: *yo, insert hook into stitch, yo and pull up a loop, yo and pull through 2 loops. Repeat from * 3 more times. There should be 5 loops on your hook. Yo and pull through all loops on hook.
Namaqualand Square: Free crochet granny square pattern
Rnd 1: (Duck Egg / Mustard yellow) Into a mr, sc 8. Slst to join ring. Do not fasten off (8)
Rnd 2: ch 3 (counts as a dc), dc into same st. 2 dc into each st around. Close rnd (16)
Rnd 3: (Washed Teal / Vintage pink) Start in any st. *hdc, 2 hdc in next st. Repeat from * around. Close rnd (24)
Rnd 4: (Dusty Rose / Raspberry pink) Start in any st. *sc into 3rd loop, ch 1, bobble, ch 1. Repat from * around. Close rnd (12 bobbles, 12 x 3rd loop sc, 24 ch 1)
Rnd 5: (Vanilla Cream / Lime) Start in any ch-1-sp to the left of a bobble. *2 sc, sk 1 st, 2 sc into next ch-1-sp, ch 1, sk bobble. Repeat from * around. Close rnd (48 sc, 12 ch 1)
Rnd 6: (Pistachio Green / Pansy Purple) Start in any ch-1-sp. *2 dc into ch-1-sp, sk 1 st, bl-hdc in next 3. Repeat from * around. Close rnd (24 dc, 36 sc)
Rnd 7: (Duck Egg Blue / Mustard Yellow) Start in the 3rd loop of the first hdc after any 2 dc cluster. *sc into the 3rd loop of the next 3 st, ch 3, sk 2 dc. Repeat from * around. Close rnd. (12 3rd loop sc, 12 ch-3)
Rnd 8: (Washed Teal / Vintage Pink) Start in any ch-3-sp. *5 dc into ch-3-sp, bl-sc into next 3 st. Repeat from * around. Close rnd. (60 dc, 36, bl-sc)
Rnd 9: (Vanilla Cream / Lime) Start at the 1st of any 5 dc cluster. *sc in next 5 st, ch 2, sk 3. Repeat from * around. Close rnd. (60 sc, 12 ch-2)
Rnd 10: (Pistachio Green / Pansy Purple) Start in any ch-2-sp. *Into ch-2-sp (hdc, 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc, hdc), bl-hdc in next st, bl-sc in next 4 st, sk ch-2-sp and dc into next 3 bl-sc from rnd 8, bl-sc into next 5, sk ch-2-sp dc into next 3 bl-sc from rnd 8, bl-sc in next 4 st, bl-hdc in next st. Repeat from * 3 more times. Close rnd. (40 dc, 16 hdc, 52 sc, 4 x ch 2)
Rnd 11: (Dusty Rose / Raspberry Pink) Start in any ch-2-sp. *Into ch-2-sp (hdc, 2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc, hdc), hdc in next 8 st, sk 3 dc and 3 dc into ch-2-sp from rnd 9 (behind the 3 skipped dc), hdc in next 5, sk 3 dc and 3 dc into ch-2-sp from rnd 9, hdc in next 8. Repeat from * 3 more times. Close rnd. (40 dc, 92 hdc, 4 x ch 1)
Weave in ends and block square (follow my easy blocking tutorial).
I hope you enjoy making this square! If you are looking for more free crochet granny square patterns, head over to my tutorials and patterns page.
That’s all for now friends!
Yours in craft,
Caitie
P.S. Don’t forget to scroll all the way to the bottom to see a lovely alternate pastel color combo!
Bonus Color Combo
Instead of cycling through the same 5 colors, this alternative color sequence uses 7 different colors. The square starts out with the warmer tones of pink, transitions through to the cooler mint and blues and then ends with pink.
PASTEL II
Cotton DK yarn (Nurturing Fibres Eco Cotton) in the following colors:
Vanilla (Rnd 1, 2, 6, 10)
Wine barrel (Rnd 3)
Sweet Pea (Rnd 4)
Blush (Rnd 5, 11)
Mist (Rnd 7)
Mint (Rnd 8)
Aventurine (Rnd 9)
Loving this square I was wondering what method you would use to join these squares please I’ve looked at a couple but can’t find the right one
Thanks
There are a number of different methods to join the squares (I’m currently working on an article to describe them!). Whip stitching is probably the easiest, but mattress stitch is also really lovely and neat. You can also work single crochets to join the two, but then you will see the colour of your joining yarn peeping through.
Love the square, especially the bright colors. Is it possible to make this a continuous granny by maybe starting the repeat at Round 5, I was thinking? Thanks
Yes, you can absolutely make this into a continuous granny! There will just be some maths involved to get the corners (if you are squaring it off) into the the right place. I think it would look lovely!
I have such a hard time figuring out rd4, so the sc always goes into the 3rd loop but the bobbles go into the 1st & 2nd? and theres always 1ch between the sc and the bobble?
Yes, the sc in this round goes in the 3rd loop (if that is confusing you though, you can just work it in the regular loops! It won’t affect the finished project much at all, just a small bit of texture/detail won’t be visible in that round). And yes, there is a ch between the sc and bobbles in this round. Hope that helps!
Can you explain to me what the 3rd loop is in round 4?
When you crochet an hdc there is a 3rd loop that forms at the back of the stitch. To find the 3rd loop, tilt your work slightly towards you and it will be just behind the back loop. Hope that helps!
MORO NO BRASIL E AQUI É MUITO QUENTE, MAS PRETENDO FAZER UMA MANTA ASSIM MESMO
OBRIGADA