Remembering Nana Series–Granny Squares

I had sat next to Nana and watched her fingers nimbly hold and create many beautiful things. I admired her bag that she carried with her that contained her current crochet project. It too, had been a project of hers at one time. A long time before I was born.

Nana’s crochet bag was made of Granny Squares. She had made me and my brother each a Granny Square afghan. Mine had a pink border and my brother’s had a green border. Each contained multi-color Granny squares.

I asked my Nana one day if she would teach me how to crochet. I think I was around eight at the time. One of the first things she taught me was to make a Granny Square. I wanted her to tell me how to make a bag like hers (it was pink and black granny squares with a black border). She told me I needed to focus on learning how to make one Granny Square first.

I remember how disappointed I was whenever I asked her how I’d done after finishing my first square. She took it, pointed out where I messed up and then frogged all my work. I was shocked. She handed it back and told me to do it again.

I learned a valuable lesson from Nana with that. Don’t be satisfied with sub-par work. To this day I can’t stand to let a mess-up live in my project. I will rip everything out to the mistake and do it over.

I wish I knew what became of Nana’s crochet bag. I can only enjoy it in my memories as I close my eyes and remember that Mary Poppins-like bag as she removed the project she was currently working on.

HOW TO MAKE A TWO-COLOR GRANNY SQUARE

Main color and contrasting color in worsted weight yarn. 

Crochet Hook Size G.

Gauge: Motifs measure 8 inches square.

Starting at center with contrasting yarn, ch 5. join with a sl st to form a ring.

1st Rnd: Ch 3, 2 dc in ring (ch 2, 3 dc in ring) 3 times; ch 2. join with a sl st top of ch-3. 

2nd Rnd: Sl st in next 2 dc and in next space, ch 3, in same space, make 2 dc and in next space, ch 3, in same space make 2 dc, ch 2–corner space–and 3 dc; (ch 1, in next space make 3 dc, ch 2–corner space–and 3 dc) 3 times; ch 1. Join as before. Fasten off.

3rd Rnd: Attach main color to any corner space, ch 3, in same space make 2 dc, ch 2 and 3 dc (ch 1, 3 dc in next ch 1 space, ch 1, in next corner space make 3 dc, ch 2 and 3 dc) 3 times; ch 1, 3 dc in last ch 1 space, ch 1, Join. Fasten off. 

4th Rnd: Attach contrasting color to any corner space, ch 3, in same space make 2 dc, ch 3 and 3 dc; ch 1, (in each ch 1 space make 3 dc, ch 1 to next corner; in next corner space make 3 dc, ch 2 and 3 dc; ch 1) 3 times; make 3 dc, ch 1, in each of the remaining ch 1 spaces. Join. Fasten off. 

5th Rnd: With border color, repeat 4th Rnd. 

To make an afghan you will need 96 Granny Squares to obtain a 48 x 72 inch afghan. With border color, sew     8 x 12 Granny Squares neatly together.  

Border: 

1st Rnd…(right side): with border color, sc closely around, make 3 sc in each corner. Join to first sc. Turn.

2nd Rnd…(wrong side): sl st in each sc around. Join. Fasten off. Block to measurements. 

Notes: My Nana always attached a new color by tying it into the corner of a square. Modern patterns have you sl st onto the corner. Also, blocking is optional. I haven’t blocked my afghans and they still turn out fine.