The History of The Granny Square

 

Have you ever wondered about the history of where the humble granny square? I have and do – I would also like to know where in the world it originates from. In my quest to find answers I haven’t found too many – but here are some things I did learn along the way. If you know anything else please do leave a comment.
 

Granny Square

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A granny square worked in two colors and seven rounds. Cotton, 4mm crochet hook.
A granny square is a crochet technique for producing square fabric by working in rounds from the center outward. Granny squares are traditionally handmade. They resemble coarse lace. Although there is no theoretical limit to the maximum size of a granny square, crocheters usually create multiple small squares (called "motifs") and assemble the pieces to make clothing, purses, Afghan blankets, and other household textiles.
Granny square apparel is a cyclical fashion that peaked in the 1970s. As Stitch 'n Bitch series author Debbie Stoller describes:

If you grew up in the seventies, as I did, you might fear the granny square--if only because, for a while, clothing was made of nothing else. Granny square vests, granny square shorts, granny square hats. Heck, I bet there was some kid out there who was forced to go to school wearing granny square underwear.^[1]

Although particular color and pattern schemes for granny squares change with time, this class of motif is a staple among crocheters. Multicolor granny squares are an effective way to use up small amounts of yarn left over from other projects and basic granny square motifs do not require advanced skills to execute.

  Click here to read the rest of the article at Wikipedia.

 I was looking through a book I've got which is a reproduction of a number of crochet newsletters stuffed full of patterns from a company called Weldons from the mid 1800s. Right at the back, there's a pattern for "Patchwork Squares", which has a little blurb at the top describing how useful these are for using up scraps of yarn you might have, and how they're great for rugs, baby's blankets and the like. Breathless I turned the page to see if I could find an illustration and there, on the next page, was a handsome black and white engraving of... a granny square!
I'm so happy! Granny squares date back to at least Victorian times!

Click here to read more at sayraphimlothian.com

I had an email from Sayraphim a couple of days ago she said

“The book I found the info from is an English book and it's the earliest reference to the granny square I've found in print. But I found it weird that no one really has any info on it either.
I suspect people have been doing them for far longer, the same as no one really knows how long crochet has been around. The earliest references to it in books, again from Victorian England, were quite complicated published patterns which suggests that people already knew how to do the basics.”
So does the humble granny square originate from Europe? It would be great to hear what any of you may know about the history of the granny square.
 

 

Granny Squares are a crocheter's passport to 1970s boho-chic!
It turns out that making granny squares can be a little addictive. They're fast and fun to crochet -- so the squares start to pile up quickly. There are endless color and yarn weight combinations -- so they can be simple or complex, and can incorporate easy or challenging color combinations. And crocheting is very portable -- so it's easy to throw a project in a bag and head out the door.
Tonight, I'm meeting a crafting buddy at a coffeehouse for some public crocheting. It's a good way to spend a Friday night if you've retired from your disco days. I have, but now that I've rediscovered granny squares, I'm making all kinds of cool stuff for people to wear if they're looking for a touch of 70s bohemian. My current project is a shrug that utilizes space-dyed yarn to create color changes in your squares without switching yarns. The blocks are really gorgeous and I'll post a photo of the completed shrug shortly.

  Source - Denver Library click here to read more.

Astra - Crazy Circles Cap and Carryall (crochet)

Get the free pattern from Patons by clicking here.

Festival Garden String Bag

Here is a quick and easy festival bag constructed using 100% garden twine, jute. Cute, practical, ecological and hardwearing.

Materials: 7mm crochet hook, 100gm garden twine, tapestry needle.
Measurements: Bag 6” wide and 8.5” deep, handle 41” approx.
Pattern: ch 27, join with a sl st.
Rnd 1-24: work continuous rounds of sc joining with a sl st at the end of each rnd.
Rnd 25: ch 100 and join on the opposite side to form handle, then work across front top rim of bag by working 1 dc, 1sl st into each dc, continue this edging up and down the entire length of the handle, then continue the edging around the back top rim of bag.
To finish: darn in all ends. 
This pattern is offered and made available for personal use only. If you wish to reproduce this in any way please contact me or make sure that reference is made to the original author’s blog http://www.goodtimesithinkso.blogspot.com/
Thank you
Crochet Conversion Chart US/UK International Yarn Weight Conversion Chart
I hope you enjoy using this pattern and if you are looking for other free patterns please visit Crochet Pattern Central

I’ve been Ravelry’d

Yes finally after much avoidance and a little gentle persuasion I’ve now joined the ranks of Ravelry. Ravelry is a free site for knitters and crocheters, to register click here.
You can find my new pattern store here. I will be publishing both free and paid for patterns mainly in crochet but some in knitting too. I will continue to blog patterns here too.

Urban Chic Knitted Wrap Pattern

Eco Friendly Garden String Shopper Pattern

Hats Outrageous – Lisa Hafey

Buttons £2.00
Frustrated artist, jobbing craftster. Ex-pat Aussie living in London. Currently raising money through selling my crafts to fund my daughter's costs to attend the 22nd World Scouting Jamboree in Sweden next year! I'm called "Hats Outrageous!" because I needed a name for a stall I did at my kids' primary school summer fair last year; I was known around the school for making crochet hats (beanies and the like), so Hats Outrageous! it was! Of course, I don't just do hats...I love crochet, lots of it. I'm working on bags at the moment made from recycled/upcycled t-shirt yarn; they're totes or shoulder bags (or whatever) - in lairy colours or sedate; I've had some good feedback about them, so I think I"m on the right track... I'm also quite obsessed with buttons, and I've listed a few of my lovelies that I'm prepared to part with...sniff! I like to sew, I like to knit, I like to do...ooh. whatever - as I said, frustrated artist. About a thousand years ago I attended art school (but didn't finish because I was young and cool and rebellious (right!) and didn't want to do what I was supposed to...), but then I left and got a job and settled down and got married and had kids...art went by the wayside...now I'm getting back into it...in a huge way. I teach crochet in 5 week blocks during term time, one night a week, 2 hours a session. We had an absolute blast last term, and I'm hoping some of my "old" class will return for the new term...we'll see!

Upcycled T-Shirt Shopping Bag £10.00

Messenger Bag £15.00

T-Shirt Tote £15.00

Bunting £10.00
To Visit Hats Outrageous store please click here.

Here’s One She Made Earlier – Artist’s Satchel revisited.

You may remember I posted a pattern for this easy ‘artist’s satchel’ bag recently. You can find the pattern here.
Well one of my lovely blog readers, simply_complicated, has posted pictures of her satchel on her blog. I just love seeing other people’s work and her colour combination is fantastic.

You can find Simply_complicated blog Left of Average, South of Normal here.
If anyone else has photographs of items they have made from my patterns please let me know and I will post them too.

NOfkants Curios

Girls Sweet Floral Chenille Bag £12.00
I'm a working Mum, with lovely children and fabulous Hubby. I have had a passion since childhood for fossils and gemstones & have been collecting for many years. As a family we go on fossil hunting expeditions, but there is only so much you can keep for yourself, so crafting with fossil is a real treat! I enjoy knitting and working with yarn and wool, making items from simple scarves through to hand made handbags. Inspiration often taken from nature, or by the look of how differing yarns, wool and other products work together. Each of these items will be unique and guaranteed hand made. I also have a passion for vintage buttons and hope to create unique jewellery and crafted items from them.

Cornflower Meadow Bag £15.00

Aqua Foam Crochet Bag £20.00

Patchwork Joy Handbag £20.00

Bumble Bag £20.00
To visit NOfkants Curios store please click here.

Artist’s Crochet Satchel

I’ve been drawing so much lately I thought I should come up with a bag to keep all my sketch books in and here it is.

 
The pattern is really simple and yet I feel effective. The effect is gain from the choice of wools and yarns used.
Materials:
Approx 200g of a variety of colours of yarn. A 5.5mm crochet hook, darning needle.
Measurements:
13” wide, 11” deep, 3.5” flap approx.
Pattern:
Bag - Ch 90,
Work  48  rows in sc.
My colour combination was;
Row 1: satsuma
Row 2-3: candyfloss pink
Row 5-6: red
Row 7: mauve
Row 8-9: pink multi
Row 10,11,12: tangerine
Row 13 : red 2
Row 14-15: dusky pink
Row 17-18: red
Row 19,20,21: fuschia
Row 22: claret
Row 23: satsuma
Row 24,25,26: pink multi
Row: 27-28: organdy pink
Row 29: mauve
Row 30-31: Red
Row 32: rust
Row 33: lavender
Row 34 –35: tangerine
Row 36: plum
Row 37-38: dusky pink
Row 39-40: brick
Row 41-42: mauve
Row 43-44: baby pink
Row 45-46: claret
Row 47-48: satsuma
Strap
Ch 140 ( here I used satsuma as it was at 1st and last edge of the bag)
Work 6 rows in any colour combination.
satsuma, mauve, red, fuschia, brick, satsuma.
Finishing
Now fold the bag into a satchel shape with the straps being attached in-between from and back of bag, to the very bottom of the bag.
You can either sew it together.

Here I crocheted it together, again using satsuma, by working the strap down 27 sts at the front of the bag, 7 sts across the bottom of the bag, then 27 sts up the back of the back. Repeat on alternate side.
You can then sew all ends in and attach a button if required. Here I just attached lots of tassels.     


This pattern is offered and made available for personal use only. If you wish to reproduce this in any way please contact me or make sure that reference is made to the original author’s blog http://www.thesunroomuk.blogspot.com/ Thank you 
Crochet Conversion Chart US/UK International Yarn Weight Conversion Chart
I hope you enjoy using this pattern and if you are looking for other free patterns please visit Crochet Pattern Central

Crochet Felted Knitting Needle Bag

This crocheted knitting needle bag was a bit of an experiment. If you are new to felting I would suggest trying to felt a few samples prior to making your finished bag. I have included exact measurements prior to felt and post felting. I have also included details of the felting temperature, cycle etc but washing machines do vary so again I would urge you to do a few samples first.
Materials
100g Caledon Hills 929 Meadow Worsted Wool
100g Caledon Hills 865 Sweet Pea
Both yarns are available at Yarnmarket
6mm Crochet Hook, Darning/tapestry Needle, 1 pair of old knitting needles (1 pair of used 15” needles).
Note:
This pattern is written in US terminology please refer to my conversion chart for UK Conversion here
Prior to felting.
Pattern
Bag
ch 50, begin all rows by ch 2 throughout
Rows 1 – 2 work in hdc
Row 3 – continue working in hdc increasing 1 st at each end of the row by working 2hdc into first and last st.
Row 4 – 9 begin working in dc, increase 1 st at each end of the row by working 2dc into first and last st
Row 10 – work in dc with no increases.
Row 11 – 15 – work these rows in dc, decreasing at each end of every row by skipping first and last sts
Row 16 – work this row in hdc and decrease 1 st at each end of this row by skipping 1st and last sts
Row 17-18 work in hdc no increases
Handles
Make 2
ch 61 work 3 rows in sc
Measurements prior to felting
Bag top edge 18”
Bag bottom edge 25”
Bag depth 5.5”
handles 22” long 1.25” wide
Felting.
I felted the bag in the washing machine at 60 degrees for 40 mins, NO spin. I then emptied the washing machine and let the bag drip dry. You can reshape the bag while it is still wet if required.
  
Measurements after felting
Bag top edge 14.5”
Bag bottom edge 20”
Bag depth 4.5”
handles 18” long 1” wide
Finishing
Sew the handles onto the inside of the bag.
Sew both side edges of the bag up to the top 1” of the bag.
Turn the bag the right way out and sew the knitting needle onto the bag.
Some people may advocate sewing the bag together and sewing the handle on prior to felting. However I felt that it would be easier to reshape if necessary if the components were all separate.


To see more exclusive patterns and handmade creations please click here http://www.folksy.com/shops/Thesunroom